70.0 B
GHK-Cu
Also known as: Copper peptide, GHK-copper
Strong Clinical Evidence Category 2 Restricted
Research Evidence 90.0/100
Safety Profile 50.0/100
36 Clinical Trials
Unknown: 2 PHASE4: 5 PHASE3: 4 PHASE2, PHASE3: 1 PHASE2: 9 PHASE1, PHASE2: 4 PHASE1: 3 NA: 7 EARLY_PHASE1: 1
- Parvovirus B19 Infection in Hereditary Hemolytic Anemias Patients Unknown Phase UNKNOWN Sohag University
- The Clinical Study of Botulinum Toxin Type A Injection in the Treatment of Wilson Disease Unknown Phase COMPLETED The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- Surgical Debulking Prior to Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy in Well Differentiated Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors PHASE4 RECRUITING Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center
- Trial Assessing the Impact on Facial Skin Quality, Hydration, and Skin Barrier of Three (3) Hydrafacial Treatments in Adults of All Skin Types. PHASE4 COMPLETED Austin Institute for Clinical Research
- An Investigational Scan (64Cu-DOTA-Trastuzumab PET/MRI) in Imaging Patients With HER2+ Breast Cancer With Brain Metastasis PHASE4 RECRUITING City of Hope Medical Center
Showing 5 of 36 trials.
18 Research Papers
- Palmitoyl copper peptide and acetyl tyrosine complex enhances melanin production in both A375 and B16 cell lines. Biochem Biophys Res Commun unknown
- Dietary copper-driven colonic dysbiosis mediates oxidative stress and butyrate deficiency to facilitate the spread of resistome in pigs. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes unknown
- Dynamic enzyme-mimetic peptide hydrogel for the treatment of bacterial-infected inflammatory wounds. J Colloid Interface Sci unknown
- Site-Specific Detection of Copper-Peptide Coordination in Solution Phase by Two-Dimensional Infrared Spectroscopy. J Phys Chem Lett unknown
- Determination of thiram by a peptide-Cu mimetic enzyme with peroxidase-like activity. Food Chem unknown
Showing 5 of 18 papers by citation count.
FDA Data
Not FDA-Approved
GHK-Cu has not been evaluated by the FDA for safety or efficacy. It is not approved for human therapeutic use in the United States.
This peptide is classified as FDA Category 2 — it is prohibited from use in compounding pharmacies effective 2024. Obtaining it requires unregulated sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GHK-Cu FDA approved?
No, GHK-Cu is not FDA approved. It is classified as FDA Category 2 and is banned from compounding pharmacies.
How many clinical trials has GHK-Cu been studied in?
GHK-Cu has been studied in 36 registered clinical trials. CheckPeptides tracks phase, status, and sponsor data for each trial.
What is the trust score for GHK-Cu?
GHK-Cu has a CheckPeptides trust score of 70.0/100 (grade: B). This score is based on clinical trial volume, research paper quality, FDA data, and evidence classification.
Last verified: April 7, 2026
Quick Facts
- Classification
- Copper-binding tripeptide
- Molecular Weight
- 400.9 Da
- PubChem
- CID 139035031 ↗
- Regulatory Status
- N/A
Score Breakdown
Research Evidence 90.0/100
Safety Profile 50.0/100
Evidence Summary
- Clinical Trials
- 36
- Research Papers
- 18
- Trust Score
- 70.0/100
- Grade
- B