KPV Human Studies: 151 Records Screened, No Treatment Reports
By Peptide Care Index · Updated October 2026
No human KPV treatment study was identified in our October 2026 search. Peptide Care Index screened 151 unique PubMed records and found no report of KPV being given to living people. Four ClinicalTrials.gov searches also returned no records. The tables below separate human-cell experiments, animal work, and trials of other peptides. See the searches and limits.
Key KPV human studies findings
- 0 human KPV treatment reports identified: Peptide Care Index's October 14, 2026 title and available-abstract screen covered 151 unique PubMed records from two named searches. This is a search result, not a claim that no study exists anywhere. Screening ledger.
- 151 records, not 151 KPV studies: The main PubMed search returned 133 records; the alias search returned 33; 15 appeared in both. Reviews and unrelated uses of “KPV” remain in the downloadable ledger. Search log.
- 0 records in each of four ClinicalTrials.gov searches: Queries for KPV, “Lys-Pro-Val,” “lysine-proline-valine,” and “alpha-MSH(11-13)” each returned zero on October 14, 2026. Exact registry queries.
- 75 human colon samples, in duplicate, were used for PepT1 staining in a 2016 paper: Its KPV treatment experiments were in mice. The human samples were not evidence of patients receiving KPV. Viennois et al..
- 168 included patients belong to a K(D)PT trial: The sponsor's report lists 162 in the safety and full analysis sets. K(D)PT is a different peptide from KPV. Trial synopsis, page 3.
What do the KPV papers actually study?
The papers below describe laboratory work, animal experiments, and one clinical trial of a different peptide. None supplies a human treatment result for native KPV. This is a selected map of useful examples, not a count of every KPV paper ever published.
| Paper | What was tested | Where the work happened | Does it show KPV given to people? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catania et al., 1998 | Melanocortin fragments, including α-MSH(11–13), a name used for KPV | Blood samples from HIV-infected patients, tested outside the body | No. Peptides were added to removed blood samples. |
| Dalmasso et al., 2008 | KPV uptake and inflammatory signals | Human intestinal and T-cell lines; two mouse colitis models | No. Oral treatment was tested in mice. |
| Land, 2012 | KPV and airway inflammatory signals | An immortalized human bronchial cell line | No. This was a cell experiment. |
| Böhm et al., 2012 | α-MSH, with KPV and KdPT comparisons | Human blood-cell and tissue experiments | No. KPV also failed to reproduce the reported α-MSH basophil effect. |
| Viennois et al., 2016 | PepT1 expression and KPV effects on colitis-associated tumors | Human colon tissue staining; KPV treatment in mice | No. Human tissue supplied target information, not KPV treatment outcomes. |
| Pawar et al., 2017 | KPV movement across skin with delivery aids | Excised human cadaver skin in the lab | No. There were no living participants. |
| Xiao et al., 2017 | KPV-loaded nanoparticles in a hydrogel | Cell experiments and mouse colitis | No. This was a preclinical cell and mouse study. |
| Sung et al., 2025 | KPV after fine-dust exposure | HaCaT human skin cells and a three-dimensional skin model | No. A lab skin model does not establish clinical skin benefits. |
| Cheng et al., 2026 | An engineered KPV-containing delivery conjugate, proKPV | Cell experiments and mouse colitis and lung-injury models | No. Results do not establish what ordinary KPV capsules do in people. |
| October 2026 macrophage paper | KPV and lipid-driven inflammatory signals | RAW264.7 macrophages, a mouse cell line | No. This was a cell experiment. |
| Gatti et al., 2006 | Mainly the linked dimer (CKPV)₂, with KPV among comparators | Human blood cells in the lab and rats | No. The paper supplies no patient treatment results. |
| Kucharzik et al., 2017 | Oral K(D)PT added to existing ulcerative-colitis treatment | A randomized, placebo-controlled human trial | It is a human trial, but the tested drug was K(D)PT, not KPV. |
Sources: the primary papers linked in each row. Models and molecule identities checked October 14, 2026. Download the study map CSV for identifiers, read depth, and screening reasons.
KPV stands for lysine–proline–valine, the three amino acids that form the peptide. It is related to the end of the longer hormone α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, or α-MSH. A result for α-MSH, a chemically changed fragment, or a linked KPV dimer does not by itself show that native KPV has the same effect. Dalmasso et al.; Gatti et al..
Do human cells or human skin count as human studies?
They count as research using human material. They do not show what happens when a living person takes KPV. The missing step is clinical exposure: a person receives the peptide, and researchers record what happens.
Why does a paper about “HIV-infected patients” appear here?
The 1998 Catania paper tested cytokine production in blood samples from HIV-infected patients. Researchers added melanocortin peptides to those samples outside the body. Its title can sound like a patient-treatment study until you read the methods. Primary abstract.
What did the human skin study measure?
The 2017 Pawar study measured KPV passing through removed human skin. It compared laboratory delivery methods, including microneedles and an electric-current method called iontophoresis. It did not measure symptom relief, blood levels, or adverse effects in living volunteers. Primary paper.
What did the human colon samples show?
The 2016 Viennois paper used a tissue array containing 75 samples in duplicate to study the peptide transporter PepT1. The KPV treatment work was done in mice. A transporter's presence in a human tumor sample does not show that giving KPV to a patient prevents or treats cancer. Methods and results.
The same distinction applies to a “Humans” label in a literature database. Read the study model and intervention before calling a paper a clinical trial.
Was the ulcerative colitis trial a KPV human study?
The human trial published by Kucharzik and colleagues in 2017 tested K(D)PT, not KPV. The EU registry names the active substance as L-lysyl-D-prolyl-L-threonine acetate. The difference includes both the form of proline and the final amino acid. Official trial record.
| Name | Amino-acid sequence | How to count the trial |
|---|---|---|
| KPV | Lysine–proline–valine | No native-KPV human treatment report was identified in this audit. |
| K(D)PT, also written KdPT | Lysine–D-proline–threonine | Count the ulcerative-colitis trial as K(D)PT evidence. |
Sources: KPV primary paper and K(D)PT registry ingredient entry. Checked October 14, 2026.
The sponsor's synopsis lists 168 included patients, with 162 in the safety and full analysis sets. Those totals cover the trial, including its placebo group. They are not a count of KPV recipients. Sponsor synopsis, page 3.
The linked dimer (CKPV)₂ needs its own label too. Gatti's 2006 paper describes two KPV sequences connected by a cysteine–cysteine linker. A remark that this dimer was under clinical investigation does not turn the paper's lab and rat results into a native-KPV human trial. Primary abstract.
Are any KPV clinical trials registered?
Each of our four ClinicalTrials.gov searches returned 0 records on October 14, 2026. We searched all study statuses and study types through the registry's API. These results apply to this registry and these queries.
| Exact search term | Records returned | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| KPV | 0 | October 14, 2026 |
| “Lys-Pro-Val” | 0 | October 14, 2026 |
| “lysine-proline-valine” | 0 | October 14, 2026 |
| “alpha-MSH(11-13)” | 0 | October 14, 2026 |
Source: live ClinicalTrials.gov API results, checked October 14, 2026. These are overlapping searches; do not add them together as separate trial populations.
A future trial could appear under a new development code. A study may also be registered elsewhere or not yet published. That is why the conclusion is “no treatment report identified in this search”, rather than “no one has ever studied KPV in a person.”
What can we say about KPV benefits and safety in people?
This audit supplies no clinical estimate of KPV's benefit or side-effect rate in people. Cell and animal findings can support further research. They cannot tell a patient their chance of improvement or harm.
FDA's evaluation dated May 12, 2026 independently reported no human clinical studies or exposure data for KPV free base or acetate. It also found no human pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic studies by any route. Those terms describe how a substance moves through the body and what it does there. FDA briefing, pages 19–20 and 24–25.
Even the laboratory findings need care. In the 2012 basophil paper, α-MSH suppressed a cell-activation response, but KPV and KdPT did not produce that effect. A benefit shown for the longer hormone cannot simply be assigned to its fragment. Böhm et al..
Likewise, proKPV and KPV-loaded nanoparticles were built to change delivery. Their mouse results do not establish absorption or benefit from a standard KPV capsule, skin cream, or injection in people. Cheng et al., 2026; Xiao et al., 2017.
For the separate question of access rules, see the FDA peptide compounding list and its KPV entry. The July 2026 FDA peptide meeting record explains the review context. A regulatory discussion is not a new clinical study. Our peptide comparison chart keeps evidence labels visible across compounds.
How did we search for KPV human studies?
Peptide Care Index built this search snapshot on October 14, 2026. We looked for reports in which native KPV, including a reported salt form, was given to living people. Trials, case reports, and observational treatment reports could qualify; a favorable result was not required.
What were the exact PubMed searches?
Both searches used titles and abstracts, with no species, language, publication-type, or date filter:
KPV[Title/Abstract] OR "Lys-Pro-Val"[Title/Abstract] OR "lysine-proline-valine"[Title/Abstract]— 133 records."alpha-MSH(11-13)"[Title/Abstract] OR "MSH 11-13"[Title/Abstract] OR "alpha-MSH 11-13"[Title/Abstract]— 33 records.
We joined the result sets by PMID, PubMed's record identifier. 15 records appeared in both searches, so the combined set contained 151 unique records: 133 + 33 − 15 = 151. The downloadable search log contains the exact API URLs.
What did we read and record?
We screened all 151 titles and 150 available abstracts. One record, PMID 3835132, had no abstract and concerned poliomyelitis. Four available abstracts were explicitly truncated in PubMed; their record identifiers and read limits are retained in the screening file.
For each record, we kept its PMID, title, search membership, abstract availability, screening decision, reason, primary record URL, and check date. Reviews and unrelated acronym matches stayed in the file so readers can reproduce the denominator.
For the selected study map, we also checked primary abstracts, accessible full texts, and the EU K(D)PT registry and sponsor synopsis. Each map row states its read depth. We checked the FDA briefing separately against its dated conclusion.
What are the limits?
This is a targeted evidence audit, not a full-text systematic review. A missing or incomplete abstract can hide details. The search can miss papers that use a different name, are not indexed in PubMed, or have not yet been published.
We did not search every worldwide trial registry or subscription literature database. We used the EU record to check the identity of the K(D)PT trial, not to claim a complete EU search. The 12-row study map is illustrative; its size is not the total size of KPV research.
No treatment effect, human dose, patient response rate, or adverse-event rate can be calculated from this zero-report finding. It describes the evidence located, not proof that KPV works, fails, or is safe.
What can you download?
All files are free and require no email address:
- PubMed screening ledger — 151 records: the retrieved records and each screening decision.
- Selected study map — 12 primary records: molecule, model, read depth, identifiers, and why each record does or does not establish human KPV treatment.
- Exact search log — 6 searches: two PubMed queries and four ClinicalTrials.gov queries, with returned counts and check dates.
What changed: This first release adds the dated search snapshot, record-level screening decisions, and molecule-by-molecule study map. The evidence was checked October 14, 2026. Future releases will keep this URL and update the finding when the evidence changes.
How can you cite this page?
Use this wording when citing the result:
Peptide Care Index's October 14, 2026 targeted audit screened 151 unique PubMed records and identified no report of native KPV being administered to living people. Each of four specified ClinicalTrials.gov searches also returned zero records.
Ready-to-copy reference:
Peptide Care Index. KPV Human Studies: 151 Records Screened, No Treatment Reports. Research checked October 14, 2026. https://peptidecareindex.com/research/kpv-human-studies/
For a claim about a specific experiment, cite the original paper linked in the study map. For our screening result, cite this audit and its dated dataset.
You may reuse our original screening decisions, summaries, and tables with Peptide Care Index named as the source. Underlying papers and third-party material retain their own attribution and reuse terms.
Frequently asked questions
Has KPV been tested in humans?
No report of native KPV being given to living people was identified in our October 14, 2026 targeted search. We screened 151 PubMed records and ran four ClinicalTrials.gov searches. Research using human cells, removed blood, or excised skin is listed separately in the study map.
Are there oral KPV human studies for gut health?
We identified no human oral-KPV treatment report in the searched records. The Dalmasso and Xiao papers tested oral treatment in mice; the Kucharzik human ulcerative-colitis trial tested the different peptide K(D)PT. Dalmasso, Xiao, K(D)PT registry.
Is KPV proven safe for humans?
The evidence located in this audit does not establish human safety. Without clinical exposure and follow-up data, it cannot supply a reliable side-effect rate or a safe human dose. FDA's dated evaluation also found no human clinical safety or exposure data. FDA briefing, pages 24–25.
Is K(D)PT the same thing as KPV?
No. KPV is lysine–proline–valine; K(D)PT is lysine–D-proline–threonine. The clinical trial of K(D)PT belongs to that compound and cannot be counted as a trial of native KPV. Official ingredient record.
Sources
All sources and database results below were checked October 14, 2026. Publication years describe the underlying work, not new 2026 patient data. PubMed abstracts were retrieved directly through NCBI EFetch where the ordinary web page did not load.
- PubMed / NCBI E-utilities. Main and alias queries, PMID sets, and results are specified in the search log and screening download.
- ClinicalTrials.gov API. Four exact queries are specified in the registry table and search log.
- FDA. KPV free base and KPV acetate evaluation, dated May 12, 2026. Human evidence discussion, pages 19–20 and 24–25.
- Catania et al., 1998. Melanocortin peptides inhibit production of proinflammatory cytokines in blood of HIV-infected patients. DOI: 10.1016/S0196-9781(98)00055-2.
- Dalmasso et al., 2008. PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV uptake reduces intestinal inflammation. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2007.10.026. Online in 2007; journal issue in 2008.
- Land, 2012. Inhibition of cellular and systemic inflammation cues in human bronchial epithelial cells by melanocortin-related peptides. PMID: 22837805.
- Böhm et al., 2012. Modulation of basophil activity: a novel function of the neuropeptide α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2011.11.012.
- Viennois et al., 2016. Critical role of PepT1 in promoting colitis-associated cancer and therapeutic benefits of the anti-inflammatory PepT1-mediated tripeptide KPV in a murine model. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcmgh.2016.01.006.
- Pawar et al., 2017. Transdermal iontophoretic delivery of lysine-proline-valine (KPV) peptide across microporated human skin. DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2017.03.017.
- Xiao et al., 2017. Orally targeted delivery of tripeptide KPV via hyaluronic acid-functionalized nanoparticles efficiently alleviates ulcerative colitis. DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2016.11.020.
- Sung et al., 2025. Lysine-Proline-Valine peptide mitigates fine dust-induced keratinocyte apoptosis and inflammation. DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2025.102837.
- Cheng et al., 2026. Inflammation-triggered self-immolative conjugates enable oral peptide delivery by overcoming gastrointestinal barriers. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aea2989.
- Lysine-Proline-Valine attenuates oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced foam cell formation and inflammatory responses in RAW264.7 macrophages, 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.tice.2026.104036. Published online October 7, 2026.
- Gatti et al., 2006. Inhibitory effects of the peptide (CKPV)₂ on endotoxin-induced host reactions. DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2005.08.009.
- Kucharzik et al., 2017. Tripeptide K(D)PT is well tolerated in mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis: results from a randomized multicenter study. DOI: 10.1097/MIB.0000000000001000. EU registry 2011-002462-20; sponsor synopsis.
Peptide Care Index Research is the research and reference section of peptidecareindex.com.