KPV dosage: chart, reported range and vial math
The range reported for KPV is 200 to 500 mcg a day. No human study of KPV exists by any route, so that range has nothing in people behind it. The research is in cells and mice. It is not approved in the US or Canada.
KPV dosage chart
Reported range, not a label dosePick your vial size. Each row shows the dose in milligrams or micrograms, the volume to draw and the mark on a U-100 syringe.
| Dose | Volume | Syringe units |
|---|---|---|
| 200 mcg | 0.06 mL | 6 units |
| 500 mcg | 0.15 mL | 15 units |
Source Reported range, not a label dose. Some reports go up to 1,000 mcg a day. No human studies have been published. Vial math is arithmetic.
Which syringe fits each dose
For the 10 mg vial at 3.3333 mg/mL.
| Dose | Volume | Units | 0.3 mL syringe | 0.5 mL syringe | 1 mL syringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200 mcg | 0.06 mL | 6 units | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 500 mcg | 0.15 mL | 15 units | Yes | Yes | Yes |
How long a vial lasts
Whole doses in one vial. The row for the size picked above is marked.
| Vial | 200 mcg | 500 mcg |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mg vial | 50 doses | 20 doses |
How to mix a KPV vial
These steps are for the 10 mg vial picked in the chart. Change the size there and the amounts here change with it.
- Wash your hands. Wipe the stopper of the peptide vial and the water vial with an alcohol swab.
- Draw 3 mL of bacteriostatic water into a syringe.
- Push the needle through the stopper of the peptide vial and let the water run slowly down the glass, not straight onto the powder.
- Swirl the vial gently until the powder is gone. Do not shake it.
- Write the date and 3.3333 mg/mL on the vial, then put it in the fridge.
| Vial | Bacteriostatic water | Concentration |
|---|---|---|
| 10 mg vial | 3 mL | 3.3333 mg/mL |
What KPV is
KPV is a tripeptide (lysine, proline, valine) taken from the end of the hormone alpha-MSH, positions 11 to 13. It has been studied in cells and in mice for anti-inflammatory effects. No human study of it was found. [2]
Other names: Lys-Pro-Val, lysine-proline-valine, alpha-MSH(11-13), MSH 11-13.
How it has been given to people: no human use on record.
What to know before reading a dose
- No human data at all. Every finding on record is from cell cultures, excised skin or mice [1] to [6]. FDA says it has found no human exposure data for KPV by any route [7].
- The colitis studies are all in mice. None is a human study and they do not establish a human dose.
- In the one skin-permeation study found, KPV put on intact excised human skin was not detectably absorbed without microneedles or an electric current [6].
- FDA no longer lists KPV in category 2. Its page, current as of 22 April 2026, shows it under substances previously in category 2 whose nominations were withdrawn [7], and the 14 May 2026 category list does not contain it [8].
- Health Canada names KPV as an unauthorized injectable peptide drug in advisory RA-81874 of 9 April 2026 [10].
What the evidence shows
Each finding is tagged by the kind of study it comes from. Human trials are listed first.
Animal study
KPV added to the drinking water of mice reduced chemically induced colitis. [1]
Animal study
In two mouse models of colitis, KPV treatment led to earlier recovery, regained body weight and less inflammation in the colon. [2]
Animal study
In mouse peritonitis, KPV reduced the build-up of white cells. The authors concluded it probably does not work through melanocortin receptors. [3]
Animal study
KPV packed into hyaluronic acid nanoparticles and given by mouth in a hydrogel reduced colitis in mice. [4]
Animal study
In a mouse model of colitis-associated cancer, KPV prevented tumour formation in normal mice but not in mice lacking the PepT1 transporter. [5]
Lab study
In human intestinal and immune cell lines, KPV at nanomolar concentrations reduced activation of inflammatory signalling and the release of inflammatory cytokines. [1]
Lab study
In a laboratory test on excised human skin, KPV did not pass through at detectable levels by passive diffusion. Microneedles or an electric current (iontophoresis) were needed. [6]
Side effects and warnings
Reported in human studies or on a label:
- No human safety data. FDA says it lacks the information to know whether KPV would cause harm in humans. [7]
KPV has no approved label in the US or Canada for this use, so there is no official list of who should not use it, no interaction list and no missed-dose rule.
Storage
Keep an unmixed vial the way its label says. Once it is mixed, keep it in the fridge, do not freeze it, and write the mixing date on the vial.
KPV dosage questions
How many units is 500 mcg of KPV from a 10 mg vial?
Mixed with 3 mL of bacteriostatic water, a 10 mg vial is 3.3333 mg/mL. 500 mcg is 0.15 mL, which is 15 units on a U-100 syringe.
How much water goes in a 10 mg KPV vial?
3 mL gives 3.3333 mg/mL. At that strength the doses in the chart sit at 6, 15 units on a U-100 syringe.
How many doses are in a 10 mg vial?
Whole doses in one vial: 50 at 200 mcg, 20 at 500 mcg.
Is KPV approved in the US?
Not FDA approved. FDA lists KPV among bulk substances that were in compounding category 2 until the nominations were withdrawn, and says it has found no human exposure data for KPV by any route.
Is KPV authorized in Canada?
Not authorized in Canada. Health Canada names KPV among unauthorized injectable peptide drugs it has seized (advisory of 9 April 2026).
What human dosing data is there for KPV?
No human data at all. Every finding on record is from cell cultures, excised skin or mice. FDA says it has found no human exposure data for KPV by any route.
Sources
Each one was opened on 10 Oct 2026 and matched to the line it supports.
- Dalmasso G et al. PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation. Gastroenterology 2008. PubMed 18061177.
- Kannengiesser K et al. Melanocortin-derived tripeptide KPV has anti-inflammatory potential in murine models of inflammatory bowel disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2008. PubMed 18092346.
- Getting SJ et al. Dissection of the anti-inflammatory effect of the core and C-terminal (KPV) alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone peptides. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2003. PubMed 12750433.
- Xiao B et al. Orally Targeted Delivery of Tripeptide KPV via Hyaluronic Acid-Functionalized Nanoparticles Efficiently Alleviates Ulcerative Colitis. Mol Ther 2017. PubMed 28143741.
- Viennois E et al. Critical role of PepT1 in promoting colitis-associated cancer and therapeutic benefits of the anti-inflammatory PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV in a murine model. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol 2016. PubMed 27458604.
- Pawar K et al. Transdermal Iontophoretic Delivery of Lysine-Proline-Valine (KPV) Peptide Across Microporated Human Skin. J Pharm Sci 2017. PubMed 28343991.
- Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks US Food and Drug Administration 2026. fda.gov.
- Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act US Food and Drug Administration 2026. fda.gov.
- World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026 World Anti-Doping Agency 2026. wada-ama.org.
- Think twice before injecting peptides bought online: unauthorized products can seriously harm you Health Canada 2026. recalls-rappels.canada.ca.
Looked for and not found
- Any human study of KPV by any route (injection, by mouth, on the skin). PubMed: 22 records with KPV, Lys-Pro-Val or lysine-proline-valine in the title, none a human study; a search limited to clinical trials, volunteers and phase 1 or 2 returned nothing.
- Any registered trial: a ClinicalTrials.gov search for KPV, Lys-Pro-Val and lysine-proline-valine returned no studies.
- Any human dose, half-life or side-effect data.
- An approved product or label in the US or Canada.
- KPV is not named on the WADA 2026 Prohibited List [9]. Section S0 of that list prohibits any pharmacological substance with no current approval by a governmental health authority; the list does not say whether that covers KPV.
Change log
10 Oct 2026Page published. 10 sources checked. Vial math added for the 10 mg vial.
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