Quick answer: KPV is a tripeptide, lysine-proline-valine, that corresponds to the C-terminal three residues of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH). It is studied primarily as an anti-inflammatory peptide. It is not FDA-approved for any use, and Velora supplies it as one component of the KLOW research blend for in vitro, ex vivo, and in silico work only.
Research use only: what this article is, and what it isn’t
This is a compound-education reference on KPV for researchers. It explains what the peptide is, where it comes from, and what published research has reported. It is not medical advice, not a treatment or self-administration guide, and not a document about any human or veterinary use.
KPV is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency, or any other regulator for any therapeutic indication. Velora Research supplies it within the KLOW blend as research-grade material sold strictly for in vitro, ex vivo, and in silico laboratory research, not for human consumption, veterinary use, in vivo use in any species, or any personal or cosmetic application. Every effect described below comes from published preclinical literature and is reported here for research orientation only. Researchers are responsible for compliance with applicable law, including the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. § 331, § 355, § 360bbb-3), and institutional review requirements.
What KPV is
KPV is a small peptide: three amino acids, lysine-proline-valine, with a molecular weight of approximately 342.4 g/mol. Its significance comes from where those three residues sit in a larger molecule. They are the C-terminal sequence of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, the melanocortin peptide better known for pigmentation biology. KPV retains anti-inflammatory activity in preclinical models, with evidence suggesting mechanisms distinct form classical melanocortin-receptor signaling, which is what makes it a distinct research tool rather than just a piece of a bigger peptide.
How it works: the research picture
The research area attached to KPV is inflammation. In preclinical and cell-based models it has been characterized as an anti-inflammatory peptide, and the biochemistry and protective effects of alpha-MSH and its related tripeptides, KPV among them, are reviewed in depth by Brzoska and colleagues (Brzoska et al., *Endocrine Reviews*, 2008). One mechanistic detail that recurs in the literature is transport: Dalmasso and colleagues reported that KPV is taken up by the intestinal peptide transporter PepT1 and reduces inflammation in intestinal models (Dalmasso et al., *Gastroenterology*, 2008).
Two points of discipline apply. These are findings in experimental systems, animal and cell-based, not outcomes in people. And whether they translate beyond the models tested is an open question the current literature does not settle.
How KPV is supplied
Velora does not sell KPV as a standalone vial. It is supplied as one of the four components of the KLOW blend, alongside GHK-Cu, BPC-157, and TB-500, in a single 80 mg lyophilized vial. That combination pairs KPV’s anti-inflammatory research profile with the copper-peptide and tissue-repair peptides. The exact per-component amount of KPV in the blend is a formulation detail confirmed on the batch Certificate of Analysis rather than a fixed public figure, so read the active COA for the split in your vial.
Reconstitution and concentration
The information here is general laboratory-handling context, not a use protocol. Follow your institution’s validated procedures and the product documentation for any specific step. Because KPV ships inside the KLOW blend, its concentration follows the blend’s reconstitution, and the per-component amount comes from the COA. As a reference, the table shows KPV molar concentrations at common gravimetric concentrations, using the molecular weight of 342.4 g/mol.
Because KPV is a very small tripeptide, a given weight represents a large molar amount relative to the bigger peptides it is blended with, so per-component molar math from the COA matters more than the combined figure. Reconstitute with bacteriostatic water using the standard slow-stream technique, swirling gently rather than shaking.
Storage
Keep the lyophilized blend sealed at -20°C, protected from light, and let it equilibrate to room temperature before opening. Once reconstituted, refrigerate the working stock at 2 to 8°C, protect it from light, and aliquot into single-use portions to avoid freeze-thaw cycles. These are established peptide-chemistry conventions; the broader logic is in the peptide storage guide. Velora has not published a reconstituted stability window for the blend, so take the usable timeframe from your protocol and the batch COA.
“KPV is small enough that identity confirmation is particularly important and appropriate mass-spectrometric and chromatographic characterizations can support its identification. Three residues do not leave much room for ambiguity on a mass spectrum, which is a good thing, but it also means an incorrect residue changes the molecule entirely. When KPV arrives inside a blend, I want the Certificate of Analysis to confirm it as a distinct component, not just fold it into a combined number.”
Clark Jones, PhD, Velora Research
Working with verified material
Velora Research supplies KPV within the KLOW blend, an 80 mg lyophilized vial that also contains GHK-Cu, BPC-157, and TB-500, with each component independently HPLC- and mass-spec-verified and a Certificate of Analysis tied to the lot number, published through the Certificates of Analysis hub. The same release protocol applies across the research peptide catalog, and the quality and testing process is documented end to end. For a small component in a multi-peptide blend, per-component verification is what confirms KPV is actually present at the amount your protocol assumes.
Frequently asked questions
1. What is KPV?
KPV is a tripeptide, lysine-proline-valine, corresponding to the C-terminal three residues of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. It is studied as an anti-inflammatory peptide. Velora supplies it within the KLOW blend for in vitro, ex vivo, and in silico research use only.
2. How does KPV work?
Published preclinical research characterizes it as an anti-inflammatory peptide, with reported uptake via the PepT1 transporter in intestinal models. Those are experimental findings, not established outcomes in people.
3. What is KPV’s molecular weight?
Approximately 342.4 g/mol for the lysine-proline-valine tripeptide. Confirm the per-component amount in a blend on the batch COA.
4. Does Velora sell KPV on its own?
No. Velora supplies KPV as one of four components in the KLOW blend (with GHK-Cu, BPC-157, and TB-500), as research-grade material for laboratory use only.
5. Is KPV FDA-approved?
No. KPV is not approved by the FDA or any other regulator for any indication. It is research-grade material for in vitro, ex vivo, and in silico laboratory use only, not for human or veterinary use.
Sources and further reading
- Brzoska T, Luger TA, Maaser C, Abels C, Böhm M. Alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and related tripeptides: biochemistry, antiinflammatory and protective effects in vitro and in vivo, and future perspectives for the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Endocrine Reviews. 2008;29(5):581-602. PubMed
- Dalmasso G, Charrier-Hisamuddin L, Nguyen HT, et al. PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation. Gastroenterology. 2008;134(1):166-178. PubMed
This article is provided for laboratory and scientific reference. KPV is a research compound, not an approved drug. Products sold by Velora Research are for in-vitro, ex-vivo, and in-silico research use only and are not intended for human use, veterinary use, or in vivo use in any species. Researchers are responsible for compliance with applicable laws and institutional protocols.
