BPC-157 research peptide UK: sequence, purity, storage and COA
BPC-157 for UK laboratories: sequence, molecular weight and CAS, where it appears in the research literature, storage and reconstitution.
BPC-157 is the most requested research peptide in the UK, and the one with the widest spread in quality between suppliers. This guide covers what the compound is, the chemistry a laboratory needs to know before working with it, the areas of the published literature it appears in, how to store and reconstitute it, and exactly how Alphex BPC-157 is verified before it reaches your bench. It is written for researchers; all material is supplied for laboratory and in-vitro use only.
What BPC-157 is
BPC-157 (Body Protection Compound-157) is a synthetic pentadecapeptide: fifteen amino acids with the sequence Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val (GEPPPGKPADDAGLV). It is a partial sequence derived from a protein identified in gastric juice, and it has been produced synthetically for research since the 1990s under names including PL 14736 and Bepecin. It has no marketing authorisation anywhere as a medicine and is supplied by Alphex strictly as a research chemical.
Structurally it is unusual for a short peptide: the three consecutive proline residues near the N-terminus give it a rigid, well-defined section, and the sequence contains no cysteine, methionine or tryptophan, which are the residues most prone to oxidation. That composition is one reason BPC-157 is comparatively stable in solution relative to many research peptides of similar length, a point that matters when planning assays.
Specification
- Sequence: GEPPPGKPADDAGLV (15 residues)
- Molecular formula: C62H98N16O22
- Molecular weight: 1419.5 g/mol
- CAS number: 137525-51-0
- Form supplied: lyophilised powder in a vacuum-sealed glass vial, acetate salt
- Purity specification: 99+% by RP-HPLC at 220 nm; identity confirmed by ESI-MS within 1 Da of theoretical mass
- Sizes: 5 mg and 10 mg vials
The batch-matched Certificate of Analysis is the authoritative record for the vial you receive and can be requested before you order.
Where BPC-157 appears in the research literature
BPC-157 has a large preclinical literature, almost entirely in animal and cell models, and it is important to describe that literature accurately: it is exploratory, it is concentrated in a small number of research groups, and it does not establish any use outside the laboratory. The recurring themes are:
- Tissue repair models. The majority of published work examines the compound in rodent models of tendon, ligament, muscle and gastrointestinal injury, typically measuring histological and biomechanical outcomes.
- Angiogenesis and the nitric oxide system. Several groups have investigated its interaction with vascular endothelial growth and NO-pathway signalling in vitro and in vivo.
- Gastrointestinal models. Consistent with its origin, a body of work looks at gastric and intestinal lesion models.
- Stability studies. A smaller literature characterises its behaviour in gastric juice and aqueous solution, which is where the stability observation above comes from.
Researchers designing a study should go to the primary literature rather than supplier summaries, including this one, and note that a great deal of what circulates online about BPC-157 is not derived from peer-reviewed sources.
Handling, storage and reconstitution
Lyophilised: store the sealed vial at -20 C for long-term storage or 2-8 C for periods of a few weeks. Keep it in the dark and let the vial reach room temperature before opening so that condensation does not form on the powder.
Reconstitution: BPC-157 dissolves readily in water. For assay work most laboratories reconstitute in bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol) when the solution will be sampled more than once, or in sterile water or buffer for single-use preparations. Introduce the solvent slowly down the inside wall of the vial and swirl gently; do not shake, which can foam and denature peptides. A typical working stock is 1-5 mg/mL, adjusted to the assay.
In solution: BPC-157 is more forgiving than many peptides, but reconstituted stock should still be refrigerated at 2-8 C, protected from light, and used within a few weeks. For longer storage, aliquot and freeze at -20 C and avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles. The full method, including how to recognise degradation, is in our note on storage, reconstitution and shelf life.
Net peptide content: as with all lyophilised peptides, the gross weight in the vial includes bound water and counter-ion (acetate). If your assay is concentration-critical, account for net peptide content rather than assuming the nominal mass; the note on what HPLC purity actually tells you explains the difference.
How Alphex verifies BPC-157
Every batch of Alphex BPC-157 passes the same pipeline as the rest of the catalogue before it is vialled: solid-phase synthesis to the defined sequence, reverse-phase HPLC at 220 nm against a reference standard with an acceptance threshold of 99+% area purity. The result is written onto a Certificate of Analysis that carries the same batch number as the label on your vial, with the chromatogram included and the issuing laboratory named. Stock is held in the UK and dispatched the same day for orders before 2pm Monday to Friday. The method is described in full in how Alphex tests every batch.
The purity threshold matters for BPC-157 in particular because it is a synthetic peptide with three consecutive prolines, and proline couplings are among the steps most prone to producing deletion sequences during synthesis. Those deletion products are structurally close to the target and are exactly what a 98% specification would allow twice as much of. Ask any supplier for the chromatogram, not just the number.
Buying BPC-157 in the UK: what to check
The UK market for BPC-157 includes UK-stocked suppliers, drop-shippers relabelling imported stock, and marketplaces with no testing at all. Before ordering from anyone, run the checks in our 12-point supplier checklist: is the stock actually in the UK, is a batch-matched COA available before purchase, is the testing laboratory independent and named, is the HPLC threshold stated, and is the chromatogram shown. Our comparison of supplier types is in where to buy research peptides in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Is BPC-157 legal to buy in the UK for research?
Yes. It is not a controlled substance and can be purchased and possessed for laboratory research. It is not licensed as a medicine, and suppliers cannot sell it for any other purpose. The position is summarised in UK research peptide compliance.
What is the difference between BPC-157 acetate and arginate salt?
Both are the same peptide with a different counter-ion from purification. Alphex supplies the acetate form, which is the standard research form. The counter-ion affects gross vial weight and, marginally, solubility; it does not change the sequence.
Can I see the COA before I order?
Yes. Use the COA request form and we send the in-stock batch certificate, chromatogram included.
Which vial size should a laboratory choose?
The 5 mg vial suits pilot work and single assays; the 10 mg vial has a lower per-mg cost for repeated or multi-arm work. Prices and stock status are live on the product page.
Alphex BPC-157 is supplied for laboratory and in-vitro research by qualified researchers only. It is not authorised for human or veterinary use.
Research use only. Alphex products are supplied exclusively for laboratory and in-vitro research by qualified researchers. They are not authorised for human or veterinary use, and nothing in this note is advice on any such use.
Published 4 June 2026. Alphex reviews research notes when the testing method, the catalogue or UK guidance changes.