KPV is a tripeptide of L-lysine, L-proline, and L-valine — the three C-terminal residues of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. The same span is catalogued as alpha-MSH (11–13) and as ACTH (11–13). All three names return the same molecule. Its chemical identity record is PubChem CID 125672: molecular formula C₁₆H₃₀N₄O₄, 342.43 g/mol, CAS 67727-97-3. ChEBI:160254 carries the same formula and CAS at neutral charge, with a monoisotopic mass of 342.2267 Da.
Watch the salt form before you weigh anything. Those figures describe the neutral free acid. Synthetic supply is frequently the acetate salt — a different mass, and a different molarity for the same weighed quantity. Read the certificate for the form you hold.
This note is a research-context description only. It is not a claim of benefit, biological effect, or suitability for any in-vivo use. KPV from Elev8 Labs ships as a laboratory reference standard.
Published research context
KPV appears in the published literature across:
- Peptide transporter biochemistry, particularly PepT1-mediated uptake in cultured cell lines
- NF-κB pathway signalling assays in epithelial and immune cell culture
- Melanocortin structure-activity relationship work comparing alpha-MSH fragments
- Rodent pre-clinical models reported from the 1990s onward
- Analytical method development for short synthetic peptides
Much of that literature sits in inflammation-pathway research. Naming the field a molecule is studied in is not a statement that it does anything for anyone. These are measurements in cell and animal models. Translation to applied human outcomes is a separate regulatory undertaking, and it has not been done here.
Regulatory status, stated plainly
KPV has no approved drug application in the United States. Drugs@FDA and the FDA labelling database return no application, no approved product, and no brand name for it. The only FDA records are bulk-ingredient powder listings, which carry no application number and confer no approval.
What researchers use KPV reference standards for
Common contexts our customers describe:
- Analytical method development — RP-HPLC and LC-MS protocols for short peptides, which elute early and need their own gradient work.
- Purity benchmarking of in-house synthesis against a validated external reference.
- Standard addition experiments — spiking a known quantity into a matrix to validate recovery.
- In-vitro cell work referencing published assay designs, always at the bench.
- Stability studies across buffer and temperature conditions, designed against the long-term, intermediate, and accelerated conditions in ICH Q1A(R2).
Every one of those is analytical or cell-culture work. None involve any use in or on a person or animal.
Quality we ship against
Our KPV reference material ships with:
- Purity ≥ 99% by RP-HPLC (UV 214 nm)
- Identity confirmed by ESI-MS against the expected 342.23 Da monoisotopic mass
- Independent analytical lab COA — not self-certified
- White to off-white lyophilized powder
- Lot-level traceability across vial, COA, and shipment record
Lots that miss the floor do not ship. The catalog reflects what passed release, not what sat in inventory.
Each line above is anchored to a published procedure. Area-percent purity is comparable between laboratories only when the system suitability in USP General Chapter ⟨621⟩ Chromatography holds. What an observed mass can establish is set out in USP ⟨736⟩ Mass Spectrometry. The characteristics a method must demonstrate first are enumerated in ICH Q2(R2). "Independent" is checkable too — ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation is listed by NIST's NVLAP and the ILAC Mutual Recognition Arrangement, not on a laboratory's own marketing page.
What is out of scope
We do not discuss human use, quantities for use, combinations with other compounds, or any personal-use scenario. KPV is sometimes raised in cosmetic and personal-care contexts as well. Our supply is not a cosmetic and is not packaged, labelled, or tested for topical application by an end user. Our business ends at the analytical bench.
Analytical questions, method-development context, and lot availability are welcome at support@elev8labsrx.com.
Elev8 Labs products are reference standards for laboratory research only. Not for human consumption.