GHK-Cu

GHK-Cu is a small peptide bound to copper ^[11]. The peptide, called GHK, is a chain of three amino acids ^[20]. A chemist first found it in human blood in the early 1970s ^[20]. Its full chemical name is glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine-Cu2+ ^[11].

Copper peptide creams and serums have been sold for skin care for decades ^[20]. More recently, many people have started to inject it under the skin ^[20]. FDA treats the injected form and other forms differently ^{[1] [2]}.

GHK-Cu is split by route. For routes other than injection, it is in Category 1: FDA's list of substances pharmacies may use while FDA decides ^{[2] [3]}. That is not approval, and FDA is still deciding whether to add it to the federal list. Injected GHK-Cu is in limbo: it came off Category 2 and was not added to Category 1 ^{[1] [2]}. That does not make it lawful to compound. Checked 25 October 2026.

Category 2 is FDA's list of substances that may raise significant safety risks ^[1]. For Category 1, FDA says it does not plan to act against a pharmacy that meets the policy's conditions ^[3]. That is a choice not to act, not approval of GHK-Cu as a drug ^[3].

In April 2026, the groups that nominated GHK-Cu withdrew. FDA then took the injected form off Category 2 and the other forms off Category 1 ^{[1] [2] [6]}. In May 2026, one group said it meant to withdraw only the injected form ^[2]. FDA then put the other forms back in Category 1 ^[2]. Removal from Category 2 does not by itself let pharmacies use a substance ^[7].

FDA says its Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee will discuss GHK-Cu before the end of February 2027 ^{[4] [2]}. FDA has posted no date for that meeting ^[4]. A news report on the injected form says the committee will look at it then ^[20]. The committee gives advice only, and FDA decides by writing a rule ^[6].

The evidence grade is limited-human: the few trials in people tested products on the skin ^[15]. No published human study shows that injecting it is safe ^[20]. A study on the skin says nothing about what an injection does.

Skin trials in people: in a 2006 trial, 13 people used skin care with or without GHK-Cu after laser treatment around the mouth ^[9]. Blinded reviewers found no difference in redness, wrinkles or skin quality ^[9]. People who used GHK-Cu did rate their skin as better ^[9]. In a 1992 trial of 86 people with leg ulcers, a tripeptide copper cream did no better than a cream with no drug ^[10]. The study summary does not say which tripeptide it used ^[10]. A 2026 review found only two randomized trials of GHK-Cu for looks among 20 studies ^[14]. It reports that GHK-Cu reduced wrinkle depth compared with controls ^[14]. Another 2026 review says most human trials are small and test face creams ^[15].

Injection in animals: in rats, GHK-Cu injected into small chambers under the skin raised collagen and other wound tissue ^[11]. In rats after knee ligament surgery, GHK-Cu injected into the knee helped at 6 weeks but not at 12 weeks ^[12]. In mice with lung scarring, GHK-Cu injected into the belly reduced the scarring ^[13]. A result in an animal does not show what happens in people.

A 2026 review for sports doctors found no clinical data for GHK-Cu in muscle, bone or joint problems ^[17]. A recruiting trial is testing a GHK-Cu gel on small skin wounds in healthy adults ^[19]. Its only site is in China ^[19].

For routes other than injection, a licensed pharmacy may make GHK-Cu under FDA's Category 1 policy ^{[2] [3]}. FDA says it does not plan to act against that compounding when the policy's conditions are met ^[3]. This covers forms such as those used on the skin. It does not cover injection ^[2].

There is no legal way to get injected GHK-Cu in the US today ^{[1] [2]}. No approved drug contains GHK-Cu ^[5]. A pharmacy may use a substance like it only if it is in an approved drug or on FDA's list ^[3].

The one open trial of GHK-Cu we found tests a skin gel, and its only site is in China ^[19]. Any open trial would appear in the trials block below, with the date the registry was last checked.

NPR reports that many people buy injectable GHK-Cu from online sellers ^[20]. Doctors told NPR there is no assurance of what is in those products ^[20]. FDA has warned a seller of research-use peptides that a "research use only" label does not stop a product from being a drug ^[22]. That letter did not name GHK-Cu ^[22].

Pharmacies are the other channel that a federal record names ^[5]. In 2020, FDA warned a compounding pharmacy that its GHK-Cu products did not meet the rules for compounding ^[5]. NPR also reports that a clinic offers GHK-Cu injections made by a US pharmacy, despite the limits ^[20]. FDA warns that injected GHK-Cu may set off the immune system and may carry impurities ^[1].