GHK-Cu

What is GHK-Cu?

GHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of the naturally occurring tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, also catalogued as copper tripeptide-1 or prezatide copper. It carries the molecular formula C14H23CuN6O4+ at a molecular weight of 402.92 g/mol, registered under CAS 89030-95-5 and PubChem CID 71587328. It is supplied here strictly as a laboratory reference material.

The tripeptide backbone (Gly-His-Lys) coordinates a single copper ion through its histidine and amine groups, which is why GHK-Cu is grouped with the copper peptides rather than the unliganded GHK sequence. The distinctive deep-blue colour of the reconstituted material comes from that copper coordination, not from any additive.

Is GHK-Cu legal in the UK?

GHK-Cu is not a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and is not a scheduled drug in the UK. It is supplied by Kovalabs for laboratory research use only. It is not a medicine, holds no marketing authorisation, and cannot be sold or supplied for human consumption, ingestion, injection, topical application, or any in-vivo use. The purchaser is responsible for ensuring lawful, appropriate handling within a controlled research setting. See our research disclaimer for the full terms.

How is the identity and quality assured?

Identity and purity are verified per lot, not assumed. Each lot is assayed to a minimum 99% purity by HPLC and released with a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis documenting the chromatographic purity and identity. The verified identifiers for this material are CAS 89030-95-5, PubChem CID 71587328, molecular formula C14H23CuN6O4+, molecular weight 402.92 g/mol, and the Gly-His-Lys copper-complex composition. Because related GHK records are indexed separately in public databases, confirming the CAS and CID against the documentation matters. Current certificates are published on our CoA page.

What does the research on GHK-Cu investigate?

GHK-Cu appears in the research literature largely in the context of collagen, extracellular-matrix remodelling, and copper-dependent cellular processes, alongside gene-expression profiling work. These are descriptions of laboratory and pre-clinical research questions, not outcomes. None of this body of work establishes a benefit, effect, or outcome in humans, and the leap from an in-vitro or animal observation to a human result is not supported by it. The detailed evidence audit, with the study designs and their limitations, lives in our monograph on GHK-Cu copper peptide research rather than here.

Synthesis and supply

GHK-Cu is supplied as a lyophilised research powder and may be reconstituted with a suitable solvent such as bacteriostatic water for laboratory use. Researchers comparing extracellular-matrix reference peptides often also reference BPC-157 and TB-500, and the full range sits within our tissue repair category. All material is despatched from the UK with its accompanying Certificate of Analysis.