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Compound research

BPC-157: Research Overview & Current Status

By the Best Peptide Stores Editorial TeamLast reviewed 2026-08-08 · Also known as: Body Protection Compound-157, PL 14736, Pentadecapeptide BPC 157, Bepecin
Preclinical research

BPC-157 is a synthetic pentadecapeptide (15 amino acids). Current research status: preclinical research. The overwhelming majority of BPC-157 literature is preclinical (rodent) research; published human data is extremely limited (a small number of pilot studies with fewer than 30 total human subjects) and no randomized controlled human trial results have been published.

Overview

BPC-157 is a synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide fragment derived from a protective protein originally isolated from human gastric juice by Croatian researcher Predrag Sikiric and colleagues in the early 1990s. It has no approved medical use and is studied almost exclusively in animal (largely rat) models examining gastrointestinal, tendon, and wound-healing pathways.

synthetic pentadecapeptide (15 amino acids)

Research timeline

  1. 1992

    First PubMed-indexed study by Sikiric and colleagues describing a peptide isolated from human gastric juice and testing organ-protective effects in rats.

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  2. 1993

    Formal introduction/description of the BPC-157 pentadecapeptide sequence (Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val) by Sikiric and colleagues.

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  3. 2010

    Study on the promoting effect of BPC-157 on tendon healing in rat models, examining tendon outgrowth, cell survival, and cell migration.

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  4. 2015

    A Phase I safety/pharmacokinetics trial of an oral BPC-157 formulation (NCT02637284) was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov; the trial's data were later withdrawn before external review and no peer-reviewed results were published.

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  5. 2021

    Rat study evaluating BPC-157 as a therapy for disabled myotendinous junctions.

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  6. 2025

    A systematic review of BPC-157 for orthopaedic sports medicine applications screened 544 articles and found only 1 clinical study met inclusion criteria, with the remaining 35 eligible studies being preclinical animal models.

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Active & recent research

systematic review of preclinical + limited clinical literature

Emerging Use of BPC-157 in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Systematic Review

musculoskeletal/tendon healing applications across published animal and (sparse) human studies

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literature/patent review

Multifunctionality and Possible Medical Application of the BPC 157 Peptide — Literature and Patent Review

surveying proposed mechanisms and patent activity across gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal, and neurological research domains

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narrative review

Regeneration or Risk? A Narrative Review of BPC-157 for Musculoskeletal Healing

evaluating strength of evidence and safety signals for musculoskeletal applications

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Phase I (registered, data withdrawn pre-review)

Registered oral BPC-157 safety/PK study

safety and pharmacokinetics of an oral BPC-157 formulation in human volunteers

NCT02637284 on ClinicalTrials.gov →Source →

Key findings

  • A 2010 study reported that BPC-157 promoted tendon outgrowth, fibroblast survival, and cell migration in an in vitro/rat tendon explant model.
  • A 2021 rat study reported that BPC-157 supported healing of disabled myotendinous junctions compared to controls.
  • A 2025 systematic review covering orthopaedic sports medicine applications found the evidence base is dominated by animal studies, with only one clinical study meeting inclusion criteria out of 544 screened articles.
  • Reviewers investigating the 2015 registered human safety trial found the underlying data were never published or independently verified, despite a 2025 review characterizing the compound as safe and well-tolerated based on unverified sponsor claims.

Safety & regulatory notes

BPC-157 is not an approved drug in any jurisdiction and is not a lawful dietary supplement ingredient; the FDA's approved-drug database does not list it. It appears on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List under class S0 (Non-Approved Substances) and on the U.S. Department of Defense's Prohibited Dietary Supplement Ingredients List. Human safety data are extremely limited, so toxicity, interaction, and long-term risk profiles in people are not well characterized.

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Where it's sold for research

We track vendor availability and published pricing for BPC-157 on a dedicated page. See where to buy BPC-157 →

BPC-157 FAQ

Is BPC-157 FDA-approved?+

No. BPC-157 has not received FDA approval for any medical indication and is classified by the FDA as an unapproved drug that cannot be legally marketed for human use.

What is BPC-157 studied for?+

Published research, almost all in rodent models, has examined BPC-157 in the context of gastrointestinal protection, tendon and ligament healing, and wound repair pathways.

Is there human clinical trial data on BPC-157?+

Very little. A small number of pilot human studies exist, and a registered 2015 Phase I safety trial had its data withdrawn before external review, so no verified randomized controlled human trial results are publicly available.

Is BPC-157 legal to buy for research purposes?+

It is sold by some suppliers labeled 'for research use only, not for human consumption,' but regulatory bodies including the FDA have flagged it as an unapproved drug found improperly marketed in wellness products; buyers should understand its legal status is unsettled and it is banned in competitive sports.

Sources for this page (12)

  1. 1 https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/03/bpc-157-peptide-science-safety-regulatory-questions/
  2. 2 https://www.opss.org/article/bpc-157-prohibited-peptide-and-unapproved-drug-found-health-and-wellness-products
  3. 3 https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?intr=bpc-157
  4. 4 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8615275/
  5. 5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6271067/
  6. 6 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11053547/
  7. 7 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40789979/
  8. 8 https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/2/185
  9. 9 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21030672/
  10. 10 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40005999/
  11. 11 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40756949/
  12. 12 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11859134/

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