What Is BPC-157? Chemical Structure, Research Status, and Regulatory Reference

Q: What is the CAS number and molecular formula of BPC-157?

CAS Registry Number 137525-51-0. Molecular formula C62H98N16O22, average molecular weight approximately 1419.5 g/mol (PubChem CID 9941957), monoisotopic mass 1418.70415882 Da.

Q: Does BPC-157 have a confirmed receptor or mechanism of action?

No single dedicated receptor for BPC-157 has been confirmed. An independent 2025 narrative review (McGuire et al., Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine) describes multiple overlapping preclinical pathways under investigation, including VEGFR2/Akt/eNOS signaling and growth-hormone-receptor expression, without identifying one canonical receptor, and concludes the compound should be considered investigational.

Q: Is BPC-157 legal to buy or sell for research use?

Its regulatory status is unsettled and under active review, not a fixed yes/no. It is not FDA-approved as a drug and has no legitimate human-prescription pathway today. Its compounding status is being decided through the FDA's 503A bulks-list process; procurement and compliance decisions should be based on FDA.gov's current listing, not on vendor claims, and this page is not legal advice.

WARNING: LABORATORY RESEARCH USE ONLY. This material is synthesized and distributed strictly for B2B development, laboratory research, and analytical studies. It is not a drug, dietary supplement, or cosmetic. Under no circumstances is this chemical compound intended for human or veterinary diagnostic or therapeutic application. All research must be conducted by qualified laboratory personnel using appropriate safety controls.

Last reviewed: 2026-09-22 · Research use only.

BPC-157 is a synthetic 15–amino-acid peptide, CAS 137525-51-0, corresponding to a partial sequence of a larger protein reported in human gastric juice. It is one of the most widely discussed research peptides in circulation, and also one of the most inconsistently described: no dedicated receptor for it has been confirmed, and its regulatory status in the United States has changed three times since 2023 and is under active review as of this writing. This page is Boss BioTech USA's canonical chemical reference for BPC-157 — verified specifications, the current state of its molecular pharmacology, and a dated regulatory-status reference — for laboratory and procurement personnel evaluating the material. For our other compound reference, see What Is Retatrutide? Chemical Structure, Receptor Profile, and Laboratory Handling Reference.

1. BPC-157 Chemical Profile & Specifications

Parameter	Specification / Analytical Value
Common Name	BPC-157 (also cited as Bepecin, PL 14736, PL-10)
CAS Registry Number	137525-51-0
Molecular Formula	C₆₂H₉₈N₁₆O₂₂
Molecular Weight	≈ 1419.5 g/mol (average, free base)
Monoisotopic Mass	1418.70415882 Da
Amino Acids	15
Sequence	H-Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala-Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val-OH
Origin	A partial sequence of BPC ("body protection compound"), a protein reported in human gastric juice; the 15-residue peptide itself is produced synthetically, not isolated from natural material
Purity Grade	No batch-specific Certificate of Analysis has been published for this compound yet — see §4
Physical State	Lyophilized powder (standard supply form for synthetic peptides of this class)

BPC-157's molecular formula and sequence are not in dispute — PubChem (CID 9941957) and Wikipedia's independently-sourced infobox agree on the CAS number, formula, and sequence. PubChem's compound record rounds the average molecular weight to 1419.5 g/mol; Wikipedia states 1419.556 g/mol. This is the same figure at different precision, not a genuine conflict.

For any specific material received, a batch-specific Certificate of Analysis — once published for this compound — would govern over this general table, the same relationship documented on our Retatrutide Certificate of Analysis page for that compound.

2. Molecular Pharmacology: Investigated Signaling Pathways

BPC-157's molecular pharmacology is unusual among research peptides in one specific respect: no single dedicated receptor has been confirmed. An independent 2025 narrative review (McGuire et al., Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine) surveying the preclinical literature describes several overlapping signaling pathways under investigation rather than one canonical mechanism, including VEGFR2/Akt/eNOS nitric-oxide signaling and ERK1/2 signaling. A separate primary study (Chang et al., Molecules, 2014) reports upregulated growth-hormone receptor expression in cultured tendon fibroblasts exposed to the peptide as one of the more abundantly affected genes in that in vitro model.

These findings describe cellular and molecular signaling investigated in preclinical (in vitro and animal) models. They are not evidence of a benefit, and this page does not present them as one. McGuire et al. (2025) is explicit that human clinical evidence remains minimal — the review located only a small number of pilot-scale human studies — and concludes that BPC-157 "should be considered investigational" pending larger, controlled trials. No FDA drug approval exists for BPC-157 for any indication, and no legitimate human-prescription pathway exists today. Any biochemical or cell-signaling investigation involving this material should be treated strictly as in vitro / preclinical research.

3. Regulatory & Compounding-Status Reference

BPC-157's U.S. regulatory posture has moved through several distinct classifications in under three years and is, as of this writing, under active federal review. This section summarizes public regulatory-agency actions for research and procurement awareness. It is not legal advice, compounding and legal status vary by jurisdiction and continue to evolve, and the authoritative current record is always FDA.gov directly — not this page, and not any vendor's claim.

Date	Action	Status this established
2022	World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) adds BPC-157 to the Prohibited List	Banned at all times, in and out of competition, under category S0 (Non-Approved Substances) — the category applied to any substance not approved by a governmental health authority for human therapeutic use
September 29, 2023	FDA places BPC-157 in Category 2 of the interim policy for bulk drug substances nominated for 503A/503B compounding	Identified as presenting significant safety risk (immunogenicity concerns for certain routes of administration; API-characterization and peptide-impurity complexities); not eligible for compounding under the interim policy in that category
By April 22, 2026	FDA's nomination for BPC-157 is withdrawn; the substance moves from Category 2 to FDA's "nominated but withdrawn" list	No longer under a Category 2 safety-risk classification; also not on the approved 503A Bulks List — effectively unlisted, pending further action
May 11, 2026 (memo date; published in the meeting's briefing materials)	FDA review staff's briefing document to the advisory committee evaluates BPC-157 (free base and acetate) for the 503A Bulks List	FDA staff conclude that "a balancing of the criteria weighs against BPC-157 (free base) and BPC-157 acetate being placed on that list." Reasons given include: both forms considered not well-characterized physically and chemically; inconsistent naming outside USAN/INN/IUPAC conventions; missing or inadequate data on critical quality attributes such as peptide-related impurities, aggregates, bioburden and bacterial endotoxins; immunogenicity concerns for injectable forms; and limited effectiveness and safety data for the reviewed use
July 23, 2026	FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) meets and discusses BPC-157 (free base and acetate) for possible inclusion on the 503A Bulks List, reviewed specifically for the use of ulcerative colitis	Committee votes 8–6, with one abstention, to recommend adding BPC-157 to the 503A Bulks List — the opposite of the FDA staff recommendation above
Ongoing	Neither the staff recommendation nor the committee vote is a final decision	The committee's vote is a non-binding recommendation. FDA's briefing package states the agency "will not issue a final determination on the issues at hand until input from the advisory committee process has been considered and all reviews have been finalized." Final authority rests with the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Formal rulemaking has not concluded, and pharmacies are not permitted to compound BPC-157 under 503A until it does

Two points worth stating plainly for a procurement or compliance audience:

None of these classifications is FDA drug approval. BPC-157 is not an FDA-approved drug for any indication, has no legitimate human-prescription pathway today, and the compounding pathway under discussion — even if finalized — is a distinct legal mechanism from new-drug approval.
FDA's own reviewers and its advisory committee currently disagree, and neither position is final. FDA review staff recommended against listing; the committee voted to recommend listing. So "FDA rejected BPC-157 for compounding" and "FDA approved BPC-157 for compounding" are both inaccurate as of this writing. An accurate summary names both positions and notes that no final determination has been issued.
This is a fast-moving process. The sequence above spans roughly 34 months and includes a full reversal (Category 2 → withdrawn) followed by an active reconsideration. A regulatory claim about BPC-157 that is not dated should be treated skeptically; check FDA's own bulk-drug-substance pages directly for the current record before relying on any secondary characterization, including this one.

For athletic or competitive contexts specifically: BPC-157 has been prohibited under WADA's S0 category since 2022, independent of the FDA's separate compounding-related process described above — an athlete's anti-doping status and a compounding pharmacy's regulatory status are governed by different bodies and different questions.

4. Laboratory Handling & Analytical Quality Assurance

Handling and storage. Lyophilized peptide handling — long-term storage, reconstitution solvents, and freeze-thaw avoidance — follows the same solid-state chemistry regardless of sequence. Rather than duplicate that material here, see Boss BioTech USA's compound-agnostic reference: Do Lyophilized Research Peptides Need Cold-Chain Shipping?, which covers ambient-transit stability, storage protocols, and post-arrival inspection workflow for lyophilized peptides generally.

Analytical quality assurance. No first-party Certificate of Analysis (HPLC/MS or FTIR) has been published for BPC-157 to date — Boss BioTech USA's only published batch analytical data at this time covers Retatrutide (see lot 06242026's full CoA). When lot-specific data for BPC-157 becomes available, it will be published here in the same format: transcribed in full, attributed to its lot and report number, and read against the certificate's own printed specification rather than a general claim. For how to interpret an HPLC purity figure once one exists — what "purity" does and does not measure, and what method detail has to accompany the number to make it interpretable — see what "99% purity by HPLC" means on a peptide Certificate of Analysis.

Boss BioTech USA's current BPC-157 reference-material listing is available on the main site: BPC-157 product reference.

5. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is BPC-157? A: BPC-157 is a synthetic 15–amino-acid peptide (sequence Gly-Glu-Pro-Pro-Pro-Gly-Lys-Pro-Ala- Asp-Asp-Ala-Gly-Leu-Val), CAS 137525-51-0, corresponding to a partial sequence of a larger protein called BPC ("body protection compound") reported in human gastric juice. It is supplied strictly as a laboratory research reagent and is not FDA-approved for any human or veterinary use.

Q: What is the CAS number and molecular formula of BPC-157? A: CAS Registry Number 137525-51-0. Molecular formula C₆₂H₉₈N₁₆O₂₂, average molecular weight ≈1419.5 g/mol (PubChem CID 9941957), monoisotopic mass 1418.70415882 Da.

Q: Does BPC-157 have a confirmed receptor or mechanism of action? A: No single dedicated receptor has been confirmed. An independent 2025 narrative review (McGuire et al., Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine) describes multiple overlapping preclinical pathways under investigation — including VEGFR2/Akt/eNOS signaling and growth-hormone-receptor expression — without identifying one canonical receptor, and concludes the compound should be considered investigational.

Q: Is BPC-157 approved by the FDA? A: No. BPC-157 is not FDA-approved as a drug for any indication. It has moved through several FDA compounding-related classifications: placed in 503A/503B Category 2 (significant safety risk) in September 2023, later withdrawn from that nomination, and as of July 2026 under renewed review by the FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee for possible inclusion on the 503A Bulks List. None of these classifications is drug approval — see §3.

Q: Is BPC-157 legal to buy or sell for research use? A: Its regulatory status is unsettled and under active federal review, not a fixed yes/no. It is not FDA-approved as a drug and has no legitimate human-prescription pathway today; its compounding status is being decided through the FDA's 503A bulks-list process. Procurement and compliance decisions should be based on FDA.gov's current listing, not on vendor claims, and this page is not legal advice.

Q: Is BPC-157 banned by WADA? A: Yes. The World Anti-Doping Agency has prohibited BPC-157 at all times, in and out of competition, under category S0 (Non-Approved Substances) since 2022 — the category applied to any substance not approved by a governmental health authority for human therapeutic use.

Q: What is the current status of BPC-157 on the FDA's 503A Bulks List? A: It is not on the list, and no final determination has been made. FDA review staff's briefing document for the July 2026 meeting concluded that the criteria weigh against listing either BPC-157 (free base) or BPC-157 acetate. It cited characterization gaps, immunogenicity concerns and limited supporting data. On July 23, 2026, the FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee voted 8–6, with one abstention, to recommend adding both forms to the 503A Bulks List, for the reviewed use of ulcerative colitis. That was the opposite of the staff recommendation. The vote is non-binding: final authority rests with the HHS Secretary, and pharmacies cannot legally compound BPC-157 under 503A until formal rulemaking is complete.

6. Scholarly References

National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary, CID 9941957 (BPC-157: molecular formula, molecular weight, monoisotopic mass, sequence). https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/9941957
McGuire, F. P., Martinez, R., Lenz, A., Skinner, L., & Cushman, D. M. (2025). Regeneration or Risk? A Narrative Review of BPC-157 for Musculoskeletal Healing. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine, 18(12), 611–619. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12178-025-09990-7
Chang, C.-H., Tsai, W.-C., Hsu, Y.-H., & Pang, J.-H. (2014). Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 Enhances the Growth Hormone Receptor Expression in Tendon Fibroblasts. Molecules, 19(11), 19066–19077. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules191119066
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks (Category 2 of the interim policies; bulk drug substances nominated but withdrawn). https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. July 23-24, 2026: Meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee. https://www.fda.gov/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-calendar/july-23-24-2026-meeting-pharmacy-compounding-advisory-committee-07232026
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2026). FDA Briefing Document, Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee (PCAC) Meeting, July 23–24, 2026: BPC-157-Related Bulk Drug Substances (BPC-157 (free base) and BPC-157 acetate). Evaluation memo dated May 11, 2026; see §III, Conclusion and Recommendation. https://www.fda.gov/media/193343/download
U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. BPC-157: Experimental Peptide Creates Risk for Athletes (WADA S0 Non-Approved Substances category). https://www.usada.org/spirit-of-sport/bpc-157-peptide-prohibited/
Salzman, S., & Kekatos, M. (2026, July 23). FDA advisory committee votes to add popular peptide BPC-157 to drug compounding list. ABC News. https://abcnews.com/Health/fda-advisory-committee-votes-add-popular-peptide-bpc/story?id=134913891 (cited for the July 23, 2026 PCAC vote count and process details.)

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