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Lexicon
Bioregulators

Vesugen

A Khavinson cytogen peptide aimed at the blood vessels and vascular wall.

3 min read 9 sources

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Vesugen vial with the black TPD label on a white podium, next to a short molecule chain of blue and white spheres in a bright lab
No registered trial · not approved

Summary

At a glance

Sources checked on 26 Oct 2026

Length
3 amino acids

Lys-Glu-Asp (KED), listed in the Khavinson programme as vascular protection2

Mushroom spines
+20 %

Mouse nerve cells in an Alzheimer model, cell culture3

Only human study
41 men

Russian before-and-after analysis, not registered8

In the registry
0 trials

no trial with Vesugen on ClinicalTrials.gov, as of 26 Oct 20269

  • Vesugen is the tripeptide Lys-Glu-Asp (KED) from the Russian Khavinson programme. There it is assigned to the blood vessels.2
  • In cultures of vessel wall cells KED normalised the endothelin-1 that is raised in atherosclerosis. It also increased sirtuin-1, a protein of DNA repair.6
  • In mouse nerve cells in an Alzheimer model the number of mushroom-shaped spines rose by 20 percent. In Alzheimer mice KED protected the spines from loss.34
  • In humans there is only a small Russian analysis of 41 men with vascular erectile dysfunction, not registered and without a described comparison group.89
  • Almost all data come from one line of research. Everything here is preclinical research, not a recommendation.19
Profile

Updated May 2026

Class
Short bioregulator peptide

Khavinson cytogen

Use
Subcutaneous

in mg

Target tissue
the blood vessels and vascular wall
Status
Data mostly from the Khavinson program
Sizes
20 mg

1 size in the shop

Contents 15 sections
  1. At a glance
  2. What is Vesugen?
  3. How it works
  4. What you need
  5. Reconstitution
  6. Dosing
  7. Injection
  8. What the research shows
  9. Research status
  10. Side effects
  11. Storage
  12. Related compounds
  13. FAQ
  14. Glossary
  15. Sources

What is Vesugen?

Vesugen is a short peptide from the Russian Khavinson program, which deals with tissue-specific bioregulators. These very short peptides (usually 2 to 4 amino acids) are meant to act specifically on a particular tissue, Vesugen is aimed at the blood vessels and vascular wall.

Up front: most research comes from a single research line and mostly from Russia, large independent studies are missing.

Comparison

Same family, different building blocks

Short peptides from the Khavinson programme with their amino acid sequence according to a review. Tap a card to open its entry.

Tripeptide, blood vessels Vesugen KED
Dipeptide, immune system Vilon KE Tetrapeptide, liver Livagen KEDA Tetrapeptide, heart Cardiogen AEDR Tripeptide, brain Pinealon EDR

The assignment to a tissue comes from the Khavinson group itself. It has not been confirmed independently. 2

How it works

The theory behind the Khavinson peptides: they are meant to act at the level of gene regulation and restart age-related declining functions of a tissue. For Vesugen a supportive effect on the blood vessels and vascular wall is described.

How well this concept transfers to humans is little established outside the originating research.

Where it acts

Where Vesugen acted in experiments

Tap a point or a card. All from cell and animal studies, there is no confirmed receptor.

  1. Vessel wall

    Endothelial cells: raised endothelin-1 normalised, more sirtuin-1 (cell culture)6

    Observed in trials
  2. Nerve cells

    More mushroom spines in an Alzheimer model, less loss in Alzheimer mice4

    Observed in trials

Known targets2

Compound Tripeptid KED: one described target, Possible route into the cell, only modelled on the computer (docking).

Amino acid transporter LAT1
Gene
SLC7A5
UniProt
Q01650
ChEMBL
CHEMBL4459
Action
Possible route into the cell, only modelled on the computer (docking)
Glass blood vessel cut lengthwise with several wall layers, small blue molecules moving in, a glowing DNA double helix inside
The Khavinson concept assigns Vesugen to the vessels. Symbolic image.

What you need

Supplies

2 things, numbered as in the picture

Tick off what you already have. Vial and BAC water are our real shop photos at the same size.

Vesugen vial and bacteriostatic water at the same size with the black TPD label, next to two U-100 insulin syringes, two alcohol swabs and a sharps container with a blue lid

  1. Vesugen vial

    The vial (lyophilized powder, usually 20mg).

    In the shop

  2. Water and supplies

    Bacteriostatic water, U-100 insulin syringes, alcohol swabs.

    In the shop Amazon (opens a new tab)

As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links open Amazon - no extra cost for you.

Reconstitution

Use the peptide calculator. A 20mg vial with 2ml water gives 10mg per ml. Just add the water to the vial and let it dissolve.

Step by step

Dissolving the powder

Four steps, the same for every vial size.

  1. 1Wipe the cap

    Clean the rubber stopper with an alcohol swab.

  2. 2Add BAC water

    Just add it, it does not matter if it hits the powder directly.

  3. 3Swirl or shake

    Until everything has dissolved, both are fine.

  4. 4Draw up

    With the U-100 insulin syringe.

Less water higher concentration fewer units on the syringe Example: 20 mg + 2 ml = 10 mg/ml

Dosing

Dosing

Dosing, titration and syringe

Loading the dosing information …

  • Getting started and stepping up, drawn as a staircase
  • Units on the U-100 syringe for every step
  • How long one vial lasts

Injection

The injection is subcutaneous, into the fat layer under the skin. Common spots are the abdomen (keep about two finger-widths clear of the navel), the front and the inner side of the thigh, or the back of the upper arm.

The short version:

Injection

Where and at what angle

Pick a spot or switch the angle. Subcutaneous means: into the fat layer, not the muscle.

Rotate the spot each time, never the same one twice in a row.

90°More fat under the skin

Rule of thumb: where there is more fat under the skin, insert straight at 90 degrees. In lean people with little fat, 45 degrees, so the needle stays in the fat layer. Simplified diagram.

  1. Clean the spot with an alcohol swab and let it dry

  2. Pinch up a small fold of skin

  3. Insert the needle: at 90 degrees where there is more fat under the skin, at 45 degrees in lean people with little fat

  4. Inject slowly, wait a moment, then withdraw

  5. Put the needle straight into the sharps container

Rotate the site each time so the tissue does not get irritated. Never the same spot twice in a row.

What the research shows

The Khavinson program has published numerous works on tissue-specific bioregulators over decades (overview: Khavinson, 2002), including effects on organ function and, in animal models, on lifespan. But the read must stay honest: the data come mostly from one research line, large independent studies are missing.

Study results

What the trials measured

Interactive: switch tabs, tap points, show or hide arms. Arms are named relative to each other, no dosing advice.

More mushroom spines in an Alzheimer model3

Increase in percent, cell culture from the mouse hippocampus

Mushroom spines3 under amyloid damage
Vesugen (KED) 20%
Pinealon (EDR, comparison) 71%

Mushroom spines are regarded as sites of stable connections between nerve cells. Pinealon (EDR) restored the value to normal in the same experiment, Vesugen less so. This has not been tested in humans.

Glass network of fine blood vessels fanned out like a leaf on a wooden stand in front of a bright window
The data come mainly from cell cultures. Symbolic image.

Research status

Where the research stands

Where the compound stands on the way from lab research to approval. As of 26 Oct 2026. 9

  1. Preclinical Cell and tissue cultures, Alzheimer mice, one line of research
  2. Phase 1 no registered trial
  3. Phase 2 no registered trial
  4. Phase 3 no registered trial
  5. Approval not yet
Not approved and no registered human trial.9

So far there is no registered trial in humans. 9

Side effects

  • Well tolerated in the available reports, mainly local reactions.
  • Solid, independent human safety data are limited.

Storage

Before mixing the powder is robust, normal room temperature (around 20 to 25 degrees) is fine, ideally kept in the dark. After mixing, keep in the fridge (2 to 8 degrees), do not freeze. It stays good there for at least 4 to 6 months with barely any loss of potency, in practice considerably longer. Swirl or shake to mix, both are fine.

Shelf life

How long it keeps

Undissolved (powder) Room temperature, around 20 to 25 degrees, dark

Robust, no fridge needed. Keeps for several months without trouble.

Dissolved (mixed) Fridge, 2 to 8 degrees, do not freeze

At least 4 to 6 months with barely any loss of potency. The bacteriostatic water brings a preservative.

  • Keep it dark
  • Dissolved: 2 to 8 degrees
  • Note the mixing date on the vial
Nine vials with white powder and blue caps in the door shelf of a bright fridge
Powder dark at room temperature, once dissolved into the fridge (2 to 8 degrees), stable there for at least 4 to 6 months. Symbolic image.

Related

Related compounds

Same common ground: all in the TPD lexicon.

Vesugen
Pinealon Tripeptide EDR, stronger in the same Alzheimer model Vilon Dipeptide KE, immune system Livagen Tetrapeptide KEDA, liver Cardiogen Tetrapeptide AEDR, heart Bronchogen Tetrapeptide AEDL, bronchi Epitalon Tetrapeptide AEDG, pineal gland Thymalin Peptide mixture from the thymus

FAQ

Common questions about Vesugen

Short answers, each backed by the sources below.

Is Vesugen approved or studied in humans?

Not approved. As of 26 October 2026 ClinicalTrials.gov lists no trial with Vesugen. PubMed has a small Russian analysis of 41 men, otherwise the data come from cell cultures and mice, almost all from the group around Khavinson.98

What is Vesugen made of?

Of three amino acids: lysine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid, KED for short. In a thymus study by the same group the same tripeptide is called T-38. According to the Khavinson concept it acts specifically on the vessels.25

What is known about the vessels?

In cultures of vessel wall cells KED lowered the endothelin-1 that is raised in atherosclerosis and restenosis. It also increased sirtuin-1. Another study found more of the division marker Ki-67 in vessel cells from old animals. This was only measured in the lab.67

What does Vesugen have to do with Alzheimer's?

In mouse nerve cells damaged by amyloid the number of mushroom spines rose by 20 percent with KED and by 71 percent with the related Pinealon. In Alzheimer mice both protected the spines from loss. This has not been studied in humans.34

What does the study in men show?

A Russian group analysed 41 men with vascular erectile dysfunction before and after treatment with Vesugen. Blood flow in the penile arteries was better afterwards. The abstract describes no comparison group and there is no registry entry.8

Which side effects are known?

There are no solid data because Vesugen has never been tested in a registered human trial. The published work consists almost only of cell and animal experiments.9

Glossary

Terms explained briefly

Dotted words in the text open these explanations directly.

Bioregulator
The Khavinson group's term for short peptides meant to regulate tissue functions.
Dendritic spines
Small protrusions on nerve cells where connections to other nerve cells sit.
Endothelin-1
A messenger that narrows vessels. It is often raised in atherosclerosis.
Endothelium
The innermost cell layer of blood vessels.
Khavinson peptides
Short peptides from the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. Each is meant to target one specific tissue.
Ki-67
A marker for cells that are currently dividing.
Lyophilisate
Freeze-dried powder. Without water a peptide keeps much longer.
Preclinical
Studied in cells or animals, not yet in humans.
Sirtuin-1
A protein involved in DNA repair and ageing processes.
Subcutaneous
Into the fat layer just under the skin.
Tripeptide
A chain of exactly three amino acids. For Vesugen lysine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid.

Evidence

Sources

Show all 9 sourcesHide sources 4 Studies1 Trial registry4 Database checked 26 Oct 2026

Studies

  1. Short peptides, their sequences and transport into the cell (review with docking)

    Khavinson et al., International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2022

    DOI 10.3390/ijms23147733 PMID 35887081
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed, PMC
  2. Tripeptides and spines in an Alzheimer cell model

    Kraskovskaya et al., Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine, 2017

    DOI 10.1007/s10517-017-3847-2 PMID 28853087
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed
  3. KED and EDR in Alzheimer mice

    Khavinson et al., Pharmaceuticals, 2021

    DOI 10.3390/ph14060515 PMID 34071923
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed
  4. Tripeptide T-38 (Lys-Glu-Asp) and thymus cells

    Khavinson et al., Journal of Amino Acids, 2011

    DOI 10.4061/2011/517137 PMID 22312461
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via doi.org, Crossref, PubMed

Trial registry

  1. Search on ClinicalTrials.gov (no trial with Vesugen)

    ClinicalTrials.gov, U.S. National Library of Medicine

    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2

Database

  1. Review of peptides and ageing (PubMed record, journal without DOI)

    Khavinson, Neuro Endocrinology Letters, 2002

    PMID 12374906
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via PubMed
  2. KED in vessel cells in atherosclerosis and restenosis (PubMed record, without DOI)

    Kozlov et al., Advances in Gerontology, 2016

    PMID 28539025
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via PubMed
  3. Vesugen and cell division in vessel cells (PubMed record, without DOI)

    Khavinson et al., Advances in Gerontology, 2014

    PMID 25051766
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via PubMed
  4. Vesugen in 41 men with vascular erectile dysfunction (PubMed record, without DOI)

    Kitachev et al., Advances in Gerontology, 2014

    PMID 25051774
    Checked 26 Oct 2026 via PubMed

In the shop

Vesugen in the catalog

Sizes, prices and shipping times are on the product page.

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