FDA
No application listedNo application naming AHK-Cu as an active ingredient is listed in Drugs@FDA. Checked 2026-10-05; the control lookup (semaglutide) returned 6 applications.
Drugs@FDA via openFDAAHK-Cu: chemistry, literature and regulatory status
Research-use information. This page summarises published literature and regulator records. It is not guidance for use, not medical advice, and not a statement that any material is suitable for use in people or animals.
What is AHK-Cu?
AHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of the tripeptide L-alanyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine. Its own literature is small: one ex vivo study on human hair follicles and cultured dermal papilla cells, and cell-culture work on a vitamin C-linked AHK conjugate. It is supplied here as a research material for laboratory use only.
What are the chemical facts for AHK-Cu?
- Name
- AHK-Cu
- Also written
- Copper tripeptide AHK
- Sequence
- Ala-His-Lys · Cu(II)
- Length
- 3 residues
- Molecular formula
C15H26N6O4(matches the formula computed from the sequence)- Average molecular weight
- 354.41 g/mol
- CAS number
88478-30-8(not confirmed in PubChem)- PubChem
- CID 7408502
PubChem has no compound record under CAS number 88478-30-8, so the number could not be confirmed there. The chemistry shown here is the copper-free peptide AHK (PubChem CID 7408502).
Chemistry checked against PubChem on 2026-10-05. Where the formula can be computed from the listed sequence, it was, and the two routes agree.
How does the literature describe the mechanism of AHK-Cu?
- AHK-Cu was examined on human hair follicles ex vivo and on cultured dermal papilla cells.[2]
- A vitamin C-linked conjugate of the AHK tripeptide, without copper, was examined on osteoblast differentiation in a cell culture model.[1]
Receptor and pathway background: Copper-binding tripeptides.
What has published research on AHK-Cu looked at?
2 studies are cited for AHK-Cu. Each is labelled by design below, and each entry says what the paper measured.
- 1 in vitro
- 1 ex vivo and in vitro study
PubMed returns 31 records for the search terms published on the method page (0 of them with a review publication type, 0 with a clinical-trial publication type), checked 5 October 2026. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 0 registered studies whose intervention matches the name (0 interventional), checked 5 October 2026.
- The wider literature on copper-binding tripeptides concerns GHK-Cu; see the copper peptide page.
Studies are listed by what they measured. Papers whose titles state an amount or schedule, or describe a clinical outcome of an approved medicine, are not listed. This is a wording rule, not a quality filter; see the method page.
What is the regulatory status of AHK-Cu?
EMA
No centrally authorised medicine listedNo centrally authorised procedure in the EMA medicines database (checked 5 October 2026) names AHK as an active substance. National authorisations are not in this dataset.
EMA medicines dataMHRA
No product document foundNo SmPC, PIL or PAR document in MHRA Products matches the exact name "AHK-Cu". Checked 2026-10-05; the control lookup (semaglutide) returned 271 documents.
MHRA ProductsWADA
Not namedThe WADA 2026 Prohibited List, in force 1 January 2026 does not name this substance. The list names substances by example, so this is not a statement that it is permitted in sport.
WADA Prohibited List 2026A regulator record is information about a database entry. It is not advice and not a statement that any use is lawful or unlawful in any country. How regulators approach research peptides.
Data dates: regulatory records 2026-10-05; WADA list 2026-10-05.
Which studies are cited for AHK-Cu?
[1] Jung JI, Park KY, Lee Y, Park M, Kim J. Vitamin C-linker-conjugated tripeptide AHK stimulates BMP-2-induced osteogenic differentiation of mouse myoblast C2C12 cells. Differentiation. 2018;101:1-7.
Examined a vitamin C-linked conjugate of the AHK tripeptide (not the copper complex) on osteoblast differentiation in a cell culture model.
[2] Pyo HK, Yoo HG, Won CH, Lee SH, Kang YJ, Eun HC, et al.. The effect of tripeptide-copper complex on human hair growth in vitro. Arch Pharm Res. 2007;30:834-9.
Examined AHK-Cu on human hair follicles ex vivo and on cultured dermal papilla cells.
Data dates: citations read from PubMed 2026-10-05.
Where else in the research library is AHK-Cu covered?
Who wrote this page and how is it checked?
Peptency editorial team, last reviewed 5 October 2026. Citations are read back from PubMed, chemistry is checked against PubChem, and regulator records are read from each regulator's own database on the dates shown. The method page lists every source, search term and rule. Corrections are welcome through the contact details on the About page.