GHK-Cu stands out in this catalogue for its structure: it is the only molecule that acts as a complex of a peptide with a metal, not as a peptide alone. That difference is not a detail for chemists, because in a study on experimental wounds in rats the copper complex increased collagen deposition, while a control tripeptide with a different structure had no significant effect. Below is what the research reviews describe, where the limits of those data lie, and what a vial costs.
What copper tripeptide is
GHK is a tripeptide built from three amino acids: glycine, histidine and lysine. GHK-Cu is its complex with a copper ion. The molecule occurs naturally in our body, among other places in plasma, and has a very high affinity for copper ions.
Copper binding is the mechanism here, not an add-on. Reviews describing wound healing attribute the action to the complex, and that is why commercial products are supplied as GHK-Cu.
What the research describes
GHK-Cu increases the synthesis of collagen and elastin, the formation of blood vessels and the migration of fibroblasts, the cells that build connective tissue. That is how reviews on wound healing and skin regeneration describe it.
One comparison is the most telling. In a study on experimental wounds in rats, the copper complex increased collagen deposition in a dose-dependent way, while a control tripeptide with a different sequence had no significant effect. It was the copper complex that was tested, which makes descriptions that simply talk about "the tripeptide" imprecise.
Where the limits of these data lie
The same reviews that describe the mechanism list four limitations, and for a buyer they matter more than the list of effects.
| Limitation | What follows from it |
|---|---|
| Short half-life of tripeptides, under about 30 minutes in plasma | The molecule clears from the blood quickly, so claims of long action need separate proof |
| Instability of peptide-metal complexes, especially GHK-Cu | Copper is reactive and the complex is sensitive to its surroundings, which puts demands on storage |
| Poor absorption through the skin, due to high hydrophilicity | A cosmetic with GHK-Cu on the skin surface is a different situation from delivery into tissue |
| Rapid clearance after intradermal administration, with about 95 per cent excreted | A large part of the amount given does not stay where it was meant to act |
We do not quote percentages from cosmetic materials here, such as a figure for increased collagen in seventy per cent of female volunteers. Figures like that circulate in product descriptions, but we could not trace the original publication, so we do not repeat them as fact.
What is in the vial
We stock one item: GHK-Cu copper tripeptide by Bio-Peptide. The pack contains 100 mg of powder and two 1 ml ampoules of solvent, and costs 40 EUR. That works out at 0.40 EUR per milligram, clearly less than most peptides in the catalogue.
The figure has a simple explanation. The vial holds ten times more material than a typical peptide pack, because the molecule is small and light, and the amounts described in connective tissue research are counted differently from those for secretagogues. The concentration calculation after adding solvent is covered in the guide to reconstitution.
Why storage matters more here
The instability of the peptide-metal complex is not a theoretical caveat. Copper reacts easily and the complex is sensitive to its surroundings, so temperature and light matter more for this molecule than for short peptides without a metal. Conditions for the powder and the finished solution are in the guide to powder and solution, and you can check the packaging is original on the check your product page.
Legal status
GHK-Cu is not a registered medicine, and we sell it as material for laboratory research. Cosmetics containing this ingredient are a separate product category under a separate legal regime, which this vial does not fall under. What research material status means in practice is explained in the guide to the legal status of peptides.
Frequently asked questions
How does GHK differ from GHK-Cu?
GHK is the tripeptide alone, and GHK-Cu is its complex with a copper ion. In the rat wound study it was the copper complex that increased collagen deposition.
Does a GHK-Cu cream work the same as an injection?
They are two different situations. Reviews list poor absorption through the skin as one of the main limitations of this molecule.
Why does the vial hold as much as 100 mg?
Because the molecule is small, and the amounts described in connective tissue research differ from those for peptides acting on the pituitary. That is also why the price per milligram is low.
How much GHK-Cu stays at the site of administration?
Not much. After intradermal administration about 95 per cent is excreted, as the same reviews describe.
Are there human studies?
The data come mainly from animal work and cell cultures. The percentages circulating in cosmetic materials have no available original publication, so we do not repeat them.
This is information about the product and the state of research, not medical advice. We sell GHK-Cu as material for laboratory research.
Vial size, price per milligram and stability limits are given on the GHK-Cu page.
Sources
- Adnan SB, Maarof M, Fauzi MB, Fadilah NIM. Exploring the Role of Tripeptides in Wound Healing and Skin Regeneration: A Comprehensive Review. International Journal of Medical Sciences, 2025, 22(16): 4175-4200. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12595317/
- Wojcieszuk O, Starczewski Ł, Babik A et al. BPC-157 and GHK-Cu in Wound Healing and Tissue Repair: A Review of Clinical Efficacy and Safety. Quality in Sport, 2026, 54. https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2026.54.70818
- 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, 92(5): 2368-2376. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI116842