What's on the label is the measured result — net peptide mass, not gross powder weight, plus RP-HPLC purity, on a lot-numbered COA for every batch.
Net peptide mass and RP-HPLC purity — a lot-numbered COA for every batch.
Net peptide mass + HPLC purity, per lot.
PCAC will review 7 peptides for the 503A bulks list, BPC-157, KPV, TB-500, MOTS-c, Emideltide, Semax, Epitalon. Read our briefing →
PCAC will review 7 peptides for the 503A bulks list. Read →
FDA PCAC reviews 7 peptides in July. Read →
Copper tripeptide-1
PeptideXpo buyer fit
This PeptideXpo page exists for buyers comparing GHK-Cu inside a wider peptide catalog or distributor assortment. It should not compete with the dedicated copper-chemistry owner page served on a specialist copper-peptide channel; the differentiated value here is whether GHK-Cu belongs in the same sourcing program as Matrixyl, Snap-8, AHK-Cu, repair peptides, and bulk/OEM peptide supply.
Overview
GHK-Cu (INCI: Copper Tripeptide-1) is a copper-binding tripeptide consisting of glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine bound to a divalent copper ion. The molecule was originally isolated from human plasma in 1973 and is the textbook example of an endogenous copper-peptide complex, plasma concentrations decline with age, which is the biology that motivates GHK-Cu's use in anti-aging cosmetic formulation and dermal-repair research. The visible blue color of the lyophilized powder is diagnostic for intact copper binding, and a colorless or pale solution after reconstitution is the first indicator that the complex has dissociated. For the full cosmetic-OEM formulation playbook, see our [GHK-Cu formulation guide](/insights/ghk-cu-cosmetic-formulation-guide). PeptideXpo supplies GHK-Cu at ≥99.0% HPLC purity. The release packet for cosmetic-grade buyers includes the standard analytical scope (HPLC, mass spec, water content) plus copper-content verification by either atomic absorption or quantitative HPLC against a copper-saturated reference, critical because the bioactivity scales with intact Cu(II) coordination, not just peptide mass. Standard 50 mg and 100 mg lyophilized vials cover research-scale work; bulk kilo-scale orders for cosmetic OEMs ship as bulk lyophilized powder with custom packaging through the OEM service. INCI name and CAS are reproduced on the SDS for every shipment to support cosmetic-finished-product notification workflows (CPNP in EU, equivalent registries elsewhere).
Who buys this, and why
Cosmetic-peptide buyers fall into two groups: established beauty / med-aesthetic brands extending an existing line, and OEM clients building a private-label catalog from scratch. The first group usually wants bulk active plus stability data in their existing carrier matrix; the second usually wants a finished formulation under their label. Both need INCI naming verified, regulator-specific safety files (CPNP for EU, FDA OTC monograph for US where relevant), and packaging-compatibility data.
Primary buyer fit: medical aesthetic clinics and med spas, regional distributors and re-sellers, and academic and contract research laboratories.
Specifications
Documentation available on request
Regulatory note
GHK-Cu is supplied as a cosmetic-grade INCI ingredient (Copper Tripeptide-1), not for compounded human-use preparations, it is not on the FDA July 2026 PCAC 503A-bulks agenda. Cosmetic-grade material available for med-spa, beauty OEMs, and finished-product formulators worldwide; INCI name supplied on SDS for cosmetic-notification workflows (CPNP in EU, equivalent registries elsewhere).
Frequently asked questions
The blue color of GHK-Cu (both lyophilized powder and reconstituted solution) comes from the d-d electronic transitions of the Cu(II) ion when properly coordinated by the GHK peptide ligand. A colorless or pale-blue solution indicates copper dissociation, the peptide and the metal are still present, but the active complex has fallen apart. This is the single most informative visual QC check for GHK-Cu integrity at receipt and during use. Buyers should verify that the lyophilized cake is uniformly blue and that reconstituted solutions retain visible color.
GHK-Cu's activity depends on intact copper coordination, and several common cosmetic-formulation ingredients will strip the copper: EDTA and other chelators (sequester Cu²⁺ away from the peptide), high-concentration AHA/BHA acids (protonate the histidine and lysine ligands), and reductive antioxidants (reduce Cu²⁺ to Cu(I), which has different coordination preferences). Formulators incorporating GHK-Cu into serums and creams should use chelator-free water, formulate at near-neutral pH (5.5-7.0 is the working range), and place the copper peptide downstream of any reductive antioxidants. INCI compatibility data for the major cosmetic-base systems can be supplied on request as part of the OEM development workflow.
PeptideXpo's GHK-Cu is produced to a single ≥99.0% HPLC specification that exceeds cosmetic-grade requirements in most jurisdictions, so the same material serves both cosmetic OEM and research-lab buyers. The practical difference is in the documentation packet: cosmetic-grade orders include the INCI name, CAS, and a cosmetic-grade specification sheet for notification workflows; research orders typically add bacterial endotoxin testing and microbial limits for buyers using GHK-Cu in injectable research preparations. The peptide itself is the same molecule across both grades.
Related peptides
Acetyl octapeptide-3 · cosmetic peptide
5-mer
Palmitoyl pentapeptide-4
3-mer
Copper peptide AHK
