What is GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide)?

The short answer

GHK-Cu is a tiny peptide, three amino acids joined to copper, found in human blood.

What it is
Copper-binding tripeptide found in plasma.
What people look into
Skin and hair

1 source
Status as of October 4, 2026
How we source
Ellum doesn't sell peptides.

By Ellum EditorialPublished October 6, 2026Updated October 11, 2026AI use

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What it is

Type: Copper tripeptide (glycyl-histidyl-lysine copper)
Also known as: copper peptide, copper tripeptide-1, glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine copper
How it works: Copper-binding tripeptide found in plasma.

Regulatory status

Cosmetic How we label status

As of October 4, 2026, GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide) is sold in the US as a cosmetic.

See GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide) in the Index →

Federal (FDA): Not FDA-approved as a drug; cosmetic ingredient (topical)
503A compounding: Non-injectable: Category 1 (removed 2026-04-22; 'will be added back'); injectable: no category (as of May 14, 2026)
PCAC history: Scheduled: PCAC 'before the end of February 2027' (no date set)

Timeline

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Date	What happened	Source
May 14, 2026	FDA list of bulk drug substances nominated under section 503A, updated May 14, 2026, adds GHK-Cu back to category 1 (under evaluation) except for injectable routes.	FDA, event of May 14, 2026, on fda.gov

US enforcement actions

1 US enforcement action, in 2026.

Actions by US federal and state agencies whose documents name GHK-Cu (copper tripeptide). Each row links to the government's own document.

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Date	Agency	Action	Document
April 1, 2026	US Justice Department	Indictment	Justice Department document, indictment, April 1, 2026, on justice.gov

Forms and brands

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Name	Kind	Status	FDA status	As of
GHK-Cu (injectable)	Form	Not FDA-approved	Not FDA-approved	October 4, 2026
GHK-Cu (topical cosmetic)	Form	Cosmetic	Cosmetic (not a drug when sold with appearance claims)	October 4, 2026

References

Sources as of October 4, 2026

FDA: www.fda.gov/media/94155/download