Compound research hub
GHK-Cu: Research, Handling and Batch Documentation
GHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, an endogenous plasma peptide studied in dermal matrix and wound-repair models.
Part of Volta's skin & beauty research peptides catalogue.
Identity and research status
- Also referred to as
- Copper Peptide, Glycyl-L-Histidyl-L-Lysine, Cu-GHK, Copper Tripeptide-1
- Sequence
- Gly-His-Lys
- Free Tripeptide Formula
- C14H24N6O4
- Free Tripeptide Molecular Weight
- 340.38 g/mol
- Free Tripeptide PubChem CID
- 73587
- Copper Complex Molecular Weight
- Approximately 401 to 403 g/mol depending on protonation and salt form
- Copper Complex Formula
- C14H22CuN6O4 for the neutral 1:1 complex
- CAS Number
- 89030-95-5 for the copper complex, 49557-75-7 for the free tripeptide
- Also Known As
- Copper tripeptide-1, prezatide copper acetate, GHK-Cu
- Coordination Site
- Histidine imidazole nitrogen, N-terminal amine and a backbone nitrogen
- Origin
- Fragment of the human alpha-2 macroglobulin sequence, present in plasma
- Appearance
- Deep blue to violet powder when complexed with copper
- CAS number
- 49557-75-7
Evidence level: No Regulatory Activity (grade F)
Regulatory status: Available in cosmetic formulations; no drug approval
Evidence grades describe the published literature on the compound, not a property of the material Volta supplies, and are not a statement that any use is approved. See how these grades are assigned.
Mechanism, in brief
GHK is the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, a fragment of the alpha-2 macroglobulin sequence that occurs naturally in human plasma. GHK-Cu is that tripeptide complexed with copper(II). The distinction matters because the peptide and the complex are not interchangeable: the histidine imidazole nitrogen, the N-terminal amine and a backbone nitrogen form the coordination site, and much of the reported activity depends on the peptide carrying copper rather than on the peptide alone.
- Copper coordination. The histidine imidazole, N-terminal amine and a backbone nitrogen form a square-planar copper(II) site with affinity permitting exchange with albumin, which is what allows the complex to act as a shuttle rather than a sink.
- Copper delivery to enzymes. Copper is a required cofactor for lysyl oxidase, which cross-links collagen and elastin, and for superoxide dismutase. Delivering it to remodelling tissue links the complex to matrix maturation.
- Stimulation of matrix synthesis. In vivo work reported stimulation of connective tissue accumulation, including collagen and glycosaminoglycan deposition, following administration of the tripeptide-copper complex.
- Modulation of remodelling balance. Reported effects on both matrix synthesis and the metalloproteinases that degrade matrix describe a remodelling role rather than a purely anabolic one.
- Transcriptional effects. Reported shifts in expression across large gene sets, including genes relevant to nervous system function. The breadth of this signature is a reason for caution rather than confidence.
The full research write-up, including the findings behind each claim and the model each came from, is on the GHK-Cu 100mg 100mg page.
Vial sizes available
Every size of GHK-Cu Volta lists, in stock or not. Each is a separate catalogue page with its own batch number and specification table.
- GHK-Cu 100mg 100mgBatch #: VPGC100100In stock
- GHK-Cu 50mg 50mgBatch #: VPGC50100In stock
Purity and batch documentation
Volta's release specification is >99% (HPLC). That is a threshold we set. >99% is the specification every batch is released to. The figure on a certificate is what a laboratory measured for one lot.
SideChain Analytics reported 99.8% by HPLC-MS/MS on September 24, 2026.
Covers the GHK-Cu 100mg vial.
Research on GHK-Cu
Concentrations used in the literature
Comparisons
Studied alongside other compounds
Research applications
Handling and stability
Regulatory context
- United States
- Available as a cosmetic ingredient (Copper Tripeptide-1). Not FDA-approved as a drug. Removed from FDA Category 2 on April 15, 2026 after HHS Secretary Kennedy directed withdrawal of nominations. PCAC review scheduled July 23-24, 2026. No IND application filed for injectable use.
- Canada
- Available in cosmetics. Not approved as a therapeutic agent.
- United Kingdom
- Available in cosmetics. Not MHRA-approved as a drug.
Primary sources
- Pickart L. The human tri-peptide GHK and tissue remodeling. Journal of Biomaterials Science, Polymer Edition (2008). PMID 18644225
- Maquart FX, Bellon G, Chaqour B, et al.. In vivo stimulation of connective tissue accumulation by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu2+ in rat experimental wounds. Journal of Clinical Investigation (1993). PMID 8227353
- Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. The Effect of the Human Peptide GHK on Gene Expression Relevant to Nervous System Function and Cognitive Decline. Brain Sciences (2017). PMID 28212278
- Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK and DNA: resetting the human genome to health. BioMed Research International (2014). PMID 25302294
- Jeon S, Maeng J, et al.. A Torilis japonica Extract-GHK-Cu Complex Attenuates Th2 Cytokines and Promotes Keratinocyte Regeneration. Antioxidants (Basel) (2026). PMID 42510549
- Renke G, Chinellato L, et al.. Therapeutic Peptides in Aesthetic, Metabolic and Endocrine Conditions: Effects, Safety and Clinical Applications. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2026). PMID 42123471
More skin & beauty research peptides
GHK-Cu sits in Volta's skin & beauty research peptides catalogue, alongside the other compounds studied in this area. The whole range is on the full research catalogue, and the library of comparisons and guides is under peptide research.