BPC-157
- Also called
- Body Protection Compound-157, PL 14736
- Category
- Tissue Research Peptides
- Length
- 15 amino acids
- Molecular weight
- ≈ 1,419 Da
- Supplied as
- Lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder in a sealed vial
- Status checked
- October 2026
01What it is
Human gastric juice contains a larger protein that researchers named "body protection compound." BPC-157 is a 15-amino-acid stretch of it, made in a lab by building the chain one amino acid at a time, then purifying and freeze-drying it into a powder. It was first described by a research group in Zagreb in the early 1990s. It isn't an approved medicine in the US or anywhere else.
02Where it stands legally
| FDA approval | None. It isn't an approved drug for any use. |
| Compounding | Taken off the FDA's "Category 2" list in April 2026. In July 2026 FDA's compounding advisory committee narrowly voted to recommend adding it to the list pharmacies can use (reported as 8–6), against the advice of FDA's own staff. The vote is advisory: pharmacies still can't legally compound it unless the FDA adds it through rulemaking. |
| Sport | On the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list (S0, non-approved substances) since 2022. |
| Sold here as | Research use only. Not for human or animal consumption. |
03Storage
| Sealed vial (powder) | Store sealed at room temperature, away from heat and light. |
04Quality: what a good COA shows
| Identity (mass spectrometry) | A main peak near 1,419 Da. A different mass means a different molecule. |
| Purity (HPLC) | 98% or higher, with the chromatogram shown, not just a number. |
| Lot number and date | Matches the vial you have. A COA without a lot number proves nothing. |
| Red flags | No lab name, no chromatogram, the same COA reused for every lot, a "100%" purity claim. |
05Common questions
How much should I take?
We don't give dosing or usage guidance for any research peptide. BPC-157 isn't approved for human use, so there's no established safe dose. The only person who can advise you on putting a substance in your body is a licensed clinician who knows your health.
Is it legal to buy?
In the US it can be sold for laboratory research. It can't be sold as a drug, supplement or treatment, and pharmacies can't currently compound it.
Why do some sites say it was "approved" in 2026?
It wasn't. Coming off the Category 2 list removed one barrier, and the July committee vote is a recommendation the FDA doesn't have to follow. Nothing has been approved, and it can't be compounded yet.
What's the difference between BPC-157 and TB-500?
They're unrelated molecules from different parent proteins: BPC-157 is 15 amino acids from a gastric protein, TB-500 is a 7-amino-acid fragment of thymosin beta-4. TB-500 fact sheet →
06Sources
- FDA, Bulk drug substances used in compounding under section 503A (category lists, 2026).
- FDA, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee, July 23–24, 2026 meeting materials; vote as reported by NCPA and AJMC (July 2026).
- World Anti-Doping Agency, Prohibited List 2026, S0 Non-approved substances.