Pair page
GHK-Cu with TB-500
Mechanism-tag overlap and published literature for GHK-Cu and TB-500, pulled verbatim from each Kalios compound profile. Kalios is a literature reference, not a recommendation.
Mechanism overlap
Mechanism tags are verbatim labels on each compound's profile. Generic tags ("peptide", "small-molecule", "research-chemical") are excluded from this overlap view. Tags are descriptive — not an inference about combined effect.
connective-tissuecopper-tripeptide-skin
angiogenesissystemic-tissue-repair
Co-administration notes from the literature
Verbatim summary text pulled from each compound's profile data. Researchers studying GHK-Cu and TB-500 have published these mechanism-level observations. Not a co-administration recommendation.
Systemic actin-mediated tissue repair plus cell migration. Complements GHK-Cu's matrix-focused mechanism. Standard pairing in advanced recovery protocols.
Copper-binding tripeptide that modulates thousands of genes toward younger expression patterns and supports collagen synthesis. Paired with TB-500 in protocols for connective tissue repair, skin quality, and the combined "a BPC-157 + GHK-Cu + TB-500 co-administration" (GHK-Cu + BPC-157 + TB-500).
Quick facts
GHK-Cu
TB-500
Literature table
Classified references from each compound profile. Click a column header to sort. Click a PMID to open PubMed. Findings are quoted verbatim from each profile's literature_summary; nothing here is added or interpreted.
| Year | Compound | Source | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | GHK-Cu | Buffoni F, Pino R, Dal Pozzo A. Effect of tripeptide-copper complexes on the process of healing of cutaneous wounds in mice. Arch Int Pharmacodyn Ther. 1995;330(3):345-360. PMID: 9060874. PMID 9060874 | preclinical, in vivo |
| 1993 | GHK-Cu | Maquart FX, Bellon G, Chaqour B, Wegrowski J, Patt LM, Trachy RE, et al. In vivo stimulation of connective tissue accumulation by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu²⁺ in rat experimental wounds. J Clin Invest. 1993;92(5):2368-2376. PMID: 8227353. PMID 8227353 | preclinical, in vivo |
| 2011 | GHK-Cu | Hostynek JJ, Dreher F, Maibach HI. Human skin penetration of a copper tripeptide in vitro as a function of skin layer. Inflamm Res. 2011;60(1):79-86. PMID: 20835751. PMID 20835751 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 2007 | GHK-Cu | Pyo HK, Yoo HG, Won CH, Lee SH, Kang YJ, Eun HC, Cho KH, Kim KH. The effect of tripeptide-copper complex on human hair growth in vitro. Arch Pharm Res. 2007;30(7):834-839. PMID: 17702486. PMID 17702486 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 1988 | GHK-Cu | Maquart FX, Pickart L, Laurent M, Gillery P, Monboisse JC, Borel JP. Stimulation of collagen synthesis in fibroblast cultures by the tripeptide-copper complex glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu²⁺. FEBS Lett. 1988;238(2):343-346. PMID: 3169264. PMID 3169264 | preclinical, in vitro |
| 2017 | GHK-Cu | 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 Sci. 2017;7(2):20. PMID: 28212278. PMID 28212278 | mechanism / discovery |
| 2012 | GHK-Cu | Campbell JD, McDonough JE, Zeskind JE, Hackett TL, Pechkovsky DV, Brandsma CA, et al. A gene expression signature of emphysema-related lung destruction and its reversal by the tripeptide GHK. Genome Med. 2012;4(8):67. PMID: 22937864. PMID 22937864 | mechanism / discovery |
| 1973 | GHK-Cu | Pickart L, Thaler MM. Tripeptide in human serum which prolongs survival of normal liver cells and stimulates growth in neoplastic liver. Nat New Biol. 1973;243(124):85-87. PMID: 4351857. (Original discovery publication.) PMID 4351857 | mechanism / discovery |
| 2026 | GHK-Cu | WADA Prohibited List 2026. World Anti-Doping Agency. wada-ama.org. | regulatory / registry |
| 2025 | GHK-Cu | FDA. Bulk Drug Substances That Raise Significant Safety Risks (Category 2) Under Section 503A / 503B. FDA.gov. Updated 2025-2026. | regulatory / registry |
| 2018 | GHK-Cu | Pickart L, Margolina A. Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide in the Light of the New Gene Data. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(7):1987. PMID: 29986520. doi:10.3390/ijms19071987. (Comprehensive modern review.) PMID 29986520 | research article |
| 2015 | GHK-Cu | Pickart L, Vasquez-Soltero JM, Margolina A. GHK Peptide as a Natural Modulator of Multiple Cellular Pathways in Skin Regeneration. Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:648108. PMID: 26236730. PMID 26236730 | research article |
| 2023 | TB-500 | Sosne G, Kim C, Kleinman HK. 0.1% RGN-259 (Thymosin β4) Ophthalmic Solution Promotes Healing and Improves Comfort in Neurotrophic Keratopathy Patients in a Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Masked Phase III Clinical Trial. Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(1):554. | human trial, Phase 3 |
| 2015 | TB-500 | Sosne G, Dunn SP, Kim C. Thymosin β4 significantly improves signs and symptoms of severe dry eye in a Phase 2 randomized trial. Cornea. 2015;34(5):491-496. | human trial, Phase 2 |
| — | TB-500 | ClinicalTrials.gov. A Phase 2 Study on Effect of Thymosin Beta 4 on Wound Healing. NCT00311766. | human trial, Phase 2 |
| 2010 | TB-500 | Ruff D, Crockford D, Girardi G, Zhang Y. A randomized, placebo-controlled, single and multiple dose study of intravenous thymosin beta4 in healthy volunteers. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010;1194:223-229. | human trial |
| 1981 | TB-500 | Low TL, Hu SK, Goldstein AL. Complete amino acid sequence of bovine thymosin beta 4: a thymic hormone that induces terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase activity in thymocyte populations. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1981;78(2):1162-1166. PMID: 6940133. (Discovery publication.) PMID 6940133 | mechanism / discovery |
| 2025 | TB-500 | WADA. 2025 Prohibited List. Section S2 — Peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics. World Anti-Doping Agency. Thymosin β4 and derivatives prohibited since 2011. | regulatory / registry |
| 2025 | TB-500 | FDA. Bulk Drug Substances That Raise Significant Safety Risks (Category 2) under Section 503A / 503B. FDA.gov. Updated 2025. | regulatory / registry |
| 2015 | TB-500 | Sosne G, Kleinman HK. Primary Mechanisms of Thymosin β4 Repair Activity in Dry Eye Disorders and Other Tissue Injuries. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2015;56(9):5110-5117. PMID: 26241398. PMID 26241398 | research article |
| 2012 | TB-500 | Goldstein AL, Hannappel E, Sosne G, Kleinman HK. Thymosin β4: a multi-functional regenerative peptide. Basic properties and clinical applications. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2012;12(1):37-51. PMID: 22074294. PMID 22074294 | research article |
| 2011 | TB-500 | Smart N, Bollini S, Dubé KN, Vieira JM, Zhou B, Davidson S, Yellon D, Riegler J, Price AN, Lythgoe MF, Pu WT, Riley PR. De novo cardiomyocytes from within the activated adult heart after injury. Nature. 2011;474(7353):640-644. PMID: 21654746. PMID 21654746 | research article |
| 2010 | TB-500 | Sosne G, Qiu P, Goldstein AL, Wheater M. Biological activities of thymosin beta4 defined by active sites in short peptide sequences. FASEB J. 2010;24(7):2144-2151. PMID: 20179146. PMID 20179146 | research article |
| 2010 | TB-500 | Crockford D, Turjman N, Allan C, Angel J. Thymosin beta4: structure, function, and biological properties supporting current and future clinical applications. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010;1194:179-189. PMID: 20536465. PMID 20536465 | research article |
Related pair pages
More research context
Frequently asked
Have GHK-Cu and TB-500 been studied together?
Researchers have published mechanistic-level co-administration discussion of GHK-Cu and TB-500. No human co-administration trials are catalogued in the Kalios profiles. The pair page lists each compound's classified literature; full citations sit on each individual profile.
What mechanisms do GHK-Cu and TB-500 share?
GHK-Cu and TB-500 do not share a specific mechanism tag on their Kalios profiles. They appear on the same pair page because at least one profile lists the other in its co-administration data.
What is the FDA status of GHK-Cu and TB-500?
GHK-Cu: Cosmetic ingredient; Category 2 for injection. TB-500: Category 2; RGN-259 Phase 3. FDA-status text is pulled verbatim from each compound profile. See /fda-pcac-2026.html for the broader FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee context.
Where can I find the full research on GHK-Cu and TB-500?
Full citation lists, dosing tables from the literature, reconstitution data, and the FDA / WADA status are on the individual compound profiles: the GHK-Cu profile and the TB-500 profile. The Kalios Stack Research Tool hub lists every compound covered.
Last updated: April 2026