Peptide Bioregulators
A to Z

What are Khavinson peptides?

Khavinson peptides, also called peptide bioregulators, are the organ extracts and short synthetic peptides developed by V. Kh. Khavinson, V. G. Morozov and colleagues, mainly at the St Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. The program began with polypeptide extracts of calf organs, such as the thymus preparation thymalin, and then isolated or designed di-, tri- and tetrapeptides from them (Morozov and Khavinson, 1997).

The organizing idea is tissue specificity: as the group states it, each synthetic peptide, which it calls a cytogen, acts on the tissue whose extract it was designed from (Khavinson, 2001). Proposed mechanisms include entry into the nucleus with sequence-selective DNA binding (Fedoreyeva et al., 2011) and uptake by peptide and amino acid transporters (Khavinson et al., 2022).

How strong is the evidence? Weak by the usual standards. Nearly all of it comes from one group and its collaborators, often in Russian-language journals, and most is explant, cell and rodent work reading a few markers. Independent replications are few, and two outside tests were negative: a Paris perifusion study, co-authored with the group, found no effect of epitalon on rat pineal melatonin secretion (Djeridane et al., 2003), and a placebo-controlled trial found the dipeptide Glu-Trp no better than placebo (Noy et al., 2005).

Several names have one indexed paper or none. None is an approved drug in the United States (Drugs@FDA, via openFDA, October 2026). Disguised Alpha lists seven of these as lyophilized powders, and vilon only as part of a blend, for laboratory research use only. Nothing on this page is guidance for use in people.

Peptide bioregulators list, A to Z

This peptide bioregulators list follows the group's 2022 review table (Khavinson et al., 2022), with each sequence checked against primary papers and PubChem.

What was studied for each peptide

Bronchogen (Ala-Glu-Asp-Leu)

Bronchogen is the tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Leu, listed by the group as a bronchoprotector (Khavinson et al., 2022). Lung explants from young and old rats grew more with it at 0.05 ng/mL (Zakutskii et al., 2006), and in human embryonic bronchial epithelial cells it raised the differentiation factors CXCL12 and Hoxa3; the paper reports the peptides' effect as stronger in late-passage cultures (Khavinson et al., 2012).

The animal work comes from a St Petersburg pulmonology institute, without Khavinson as an author. In rats exposed to nitrogen dioxide for 60 days, a model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a month of bronchogen was reported to reverse goblet cell hyperplasia, squamous metaplasia and emphysema and to raise secretory IgA (Kuzubova et al., 2015). Disguised Alpha does not list it; see the Bronchogen research guide.

Cardiogen (Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg)

Cardiogen is the tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Arg, listed by the group as a cardioprotector (Khavinson et al., 2022). Its indexed record is very thin. A PubMed search for the name returns about 80 records, only four of them on the peptide; most of the rest name a French cardiac genetics network, Filière Cardiogen, in author affiliations, and a few concern the CardioGen-82 rubidium generator or cardiogenic shock.

The core model is organotypic culture: heart explants from young and old rats grew more at 0.05 ng/mL (Zakutskii et al., 2006). The remaining reports cover fibroblasts, histone binding and a rat tumor model, nearly all from the originating institute, and no human study is indexed. Disguised Alpha lists Cardiogen in a 20MG vial; our cardiogen research guide covers each paper.

Cartalax (Ala-Glu-Asp)

Cartalax is the tripeptide Ala-Glu-Asp, which the group lists as a chondroprotector that also regulates skin fibroblasts (Khavinson et al., 2022). Direct cartilage work is recent and thin. In human mesenchymal stem cells aged by repeated passage, it raised expression and synthesis of the chondrogenic markers SOX9, aggrecan, type II collagen and COMP at 200 ng/mL, while a cartilage polypeptide complex needed 2,000 ng/mL (Myakisheva et al., 2023).

That paper is in Russian with an English abstract. Other indexed work covers skin fibroblasts, kidney cells and rat bone models, almost all from the same institute, and no human study appears in PubMed. Disguised Alpha lists Cartalax in a 20MG vial; our Cartalax research guide covers the rest.

Chonluten (Glu-Asp-Gly)

Chonluten is the tripeptide Glu-Asp-Gly, and its tissue label is not consistent. The group's 2022 table lists it as a gastroprotector and stress protector (Khavinson et al., 2022), while the only paper whose PubMed abstract names it calls it a bronchial bioregulator derived from lung.

That paper, from an Italian university group with Khavinson as a co-author, tested five of these peptides in the human THP-1 monocytic cell line. All five raised tyrosine phosphorylation of mitogen-activated kinases, and chonluten lowered TNF production by monocytes exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide and roughly doubled the share of apoptotic cells relative to the other peptides (Avolio et al., 2022).

Under the institute code T-34, the same sequence appears in two 2012 papers: one on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory gene expression in a gastric ulcer model (Khavinson et al., 2012), and a rat skin explant study in which T-34 was the one tripeptide tested that did not stimulate proliferation in explants from young rats (Voicekhovskaya et al., 2012). No human study is indexed. Disguised Alpha does not list it; see the Chonluten research guide.

Cortagen (Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro)

Cortagen is the tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Pro, designed from an amino acid analysis of Cortexin, a brain cortex peptide preparation (Anisimov et al., 2004). In the group's organotypic cultures it stimulated explants of rat brain cortex (Khavinson, 2001). In 6-month-old female CBA mice given the peptide for five days, a cDNA microarray of 15,247 heart transcripts found 234 clones, about 1.5 percent, with significant changes in expression (Anisimov et al., 2004).

In cultured lymphocytes from people aged 75 to 88, it was one of five short peptides that activated ribosomal genes and decondensed tightly packed chromatin (Khavinson et al., 2004). Other indexed reports include rat, mouse, chicken and human cell studies, most from the same network and several in Russian. Disguised Alpha does not list it; see the Cortagen research guide.

Crystagen (Glu-Asp-Pro)

Crystagen is the tripeptide Glu-Asp-Pro, which the group's 2022 table lists as an immunoprotector (Khavinson et al., 2022). It is among the least documented names on this page: the only paper whose PubMed abstract names it is a Russian-language report from the originating institute on the ageing spleen. It compared four short peptides: vilon and a peptide coded R-1 activated T-helper cells, thymogen activated B cells, and crystagen also activated B cells but did not induce cell renewal in the ageing spleen (Chervyakova et al., 2014).

The English abstract does not state the species or the culture system. No other PubMed abstract names it, though institute papers give its sequence under the code T-36 or as EDP, among them the rat skin explant study cited above (Voicekhovskaya et al., 2012). Disguised Alpha does not list it; see the Crystagen research guide.

Epitalon (Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly)

Epitalon, also written epithalon, is the tetrapeptide Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, derived from epithalamin, a bovine pineal peptide complex (Avolio et al., 2022). It is the most studied single peptide here, across fly, rodent, monkey and cell models, and our epitalon research guide summarizes them.

Its best-known claim now has some outside support: a London group reported telomere lengthening in normal human cells through hTERT and telomerase, and in breast cancer lines through alternative lengthening of telomeres (Al-Dulaimi et al., 2025). That paper carries a published correction. Against that, a perifusion study of young and old rat pineal glands found no effect on melatonin secretion at 10⁻⁴ to 10⁻⁶ M (Djeridane et al., 2003). Disguised Alpha lists epitalon in 10MG and 50MG vials.

Livagen (Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala)

Livagen is the tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala, listed by the group as a hepatoprotector (Khavinson et al., 2022); PubChem files it under the same name as CID 87919683. In organotypic culture it stimulated explants of rat liver, the tissue whose peptide complex it was designed from (Khavinson, 2001). Much of its indexed work is chromatin research in cultured lymphocytes, including cells from people aged 75 to 88.

There, livagen activated ribosomal genes and decondensed tightly packed chromatin, and with epitalon it also changed the structural heterochromatin of chromosomes 1 and 9 (Khavinson et al., 2004). These are cell-culture findings on chromosome structure, not measurements of liver function. The remaining reports, several in Russian, mostly come from the same network. Disguised Alpha does not list it; see the Livagen research guide.

Ovagen (Glu-Asp-Leu)

Ovagen is the tripeptide Glu-Asp-Leu. PubMed has no study that names Ovagen in its title or abstract, and a search for the name returns mostly unrelated records, many on a veterinary hormone product of the same name. The peptide name appears in the group's 2022 table, which links EDL to kidney and liver (Khavinson et al., 2022).

Under its sequence, EDL has a small kidney literature from a Ukrainian medical university working with the institute. In rats with gentamicin-induced nephropathy or with ischemia and reperfusion injury of the kidney, EDL was reported to prevent oliguria and azotemia, lower protein and sodium in the urine, preserve antioxidant enzyme activity and limit lipid peroxidation (Zamorskii et al., 2017). Disguised Alpha does not list it.

Pancragen (Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp)

Pancragen is the tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp, which several of the developers' papers give as the C-terminal amide, H-Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp-NH2 (Khavinson et al., 2007). That matters when comparing mass data, since the amide is about one dalton lighter than the free acid. Pancreas explants from young and old rats grew more with it at 0.05 ng/mL (Zakutskii et al., 2006), and in human embryonic pancreatic cells it raised the differentiation factors CXCL12 and Hoxa3; the paper reports the peptides' effect as stronger in aged cultures (Khavinson et al., 2012).

In Wistar rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, it was reported to lower blood glucose and to normalize adhesion of the mesenteric capillary endothelium without changing capillary permeability (Khavinson et al., 2007). All of these reports involve the originating institute. Disguised Alpha does not list it; see the Pancragen research guide.

Pinealon (Glu-Asp-Arg)

Pinealon is the tripeptide Glu-Asp-Arg, often written EDR, which the group lists as a neuroprotector (Khavinson et al., 2022). Most of its work is in neuronal and other cell cultures and in rodents, summarized in our pinealon research guide. Fluorescein-labeled pinealon, epitalon and testagen entered the cytoplasm, nucleus and nucleolus of HeLa cells and quenched labeled DNA fragments in a sequence-dependent way (Fedoreyeva et al., 2011).

An independent physics group at St Petersburg State University then found that EDR partly enters the DNA major groove, contacting guanine N7 and O6, with magnesium ions promoting the binding (Silanteva et al., 2019). Disguised Alpha lists pinealon in a 20MG vial; see also our epitalon vs pinealon comparison.

Prostamax (Lys-Glu-Asp-Pro)

Prostamax is the tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Pro, which the group lists as a regulator of prostate function (Khavinson et al., 2022); PubChem files it under the same name as CID 9848296. The prostamax peptide has a small indexed record. Prostate explants from 3-week-old and 18-month-old rats grew more with it at 0.05 ng/mL (Zakutskii et al., 2006).

Most of the rest is chromatin research in cultured lymphocytes from elderly donors; in cells from people aged 75 to 88, prostamax activated ribosomal genes and, like epitalon and livagen, decondensed the pericentromeric structural heterochromatin of chromosome 1 (Khavinson et al., 2004). Beyond the explant work, we found no indexed study of prostamax in prostate tissue from animals or people. Disguised Alpha does not list it; see the Prostamax research guide.

Testagen (Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly)

Testagen is the tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly, which the group's 2022 table lists as a regulator of the male reproductive system (Khavinson et al., 2022). The testagen peptide has just two indexed papers under its own name. In the first, labeled testagen entered HeLa cell nuclei and appeared to favor CAG-containing DNA fragments (Fedoreyeva et al., 2011). In the second, Romanian chemists found that it inhibited copper corrosion in salt solution by about 86 percent (Dobriţescu et al., 2025).

Under the sequence alone, a Chita group described Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly as designed from pituitary peptide complexes and tested it, with Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly, in chickens whose pituitary had been removed, reporting higher thyrotropin and thyroid hormone levels (Kuznik et al., 2008). We found no indexed study of testagen in testicular tissue. Disguised Alpha lists it as Testagen, a 20MG research vial; see the Testagen research guide.

Thymalin (thymus extract) and thymogen (Glu-Trp)

Thymalin is not a single peptide but a polypeptide preparation extracted from calf thymus with mild acid; the group isolated the dipeptide Glu-Trp from it by reversed-phase HPLC, and the synthetic dipeptide became thymogen (Morozov and Khavinson, 1997). A 2020 review by the developers reports both as registered medicines in the Russian Federation (Khavinson et al., 2020).

In the human THP-1 monocytic line, both raised tyrosine phosphorylation of mitogen-activated kinases (Avolio et al., 2022). Glu-Trp is also the only peptide here we found in clinical trials run independently of the group, as the angiogenesis inhibitor IM862.

A phase II study in metastatic renal cell carcinoma saw no objective responses (Deplanque et al., 2004), and a randomized, double-blind phase III trial in 202 HIV-positive people with Kaposi sarcoma found response rates of 23 percent against 21 percent on placebo, with shorter time to progression (Noy et al., 2005). Disguised Alpha lists thymalin in a 10MG vial; thymogen is not listed. See our thymalin research guide, thymogen research guide and thymic peptides explainer.

Vesugen (Lys-Glu-Asp)

Vesugen is the tripeptide Lys-Glu-Asp, which the group lists as a vasoprotector and neuroprotector (Khavinson et al., 2022). Some papers use the code T-38, which the National Library of Medicine's MeSH record files under vesugen. The vascular label rests on a few cell studies.

In organotypic and dissociated cultures of vascular cells, T-38 and a dipeptide tested with it raised the proliferation marker Ki-67, lowered p53 and reduced synthesis of the adhesion molecule E-selectin (Khavinson et al., 2014). In human prostatic fibroblasts, vesugen raised the differentiation factors CXCL12 and WEGC1; the paper reports the peptides' effect as stronger in aged cultures (Khavinson et al., 2012). Disguised Alpha lists vesugen in a 20MG vial, and our vesugen research guide covers the full record.

Vilon (Lys-Glu)

Vilon is the dipeptide Lys-Glu, which the group introduced as a synthetic immunomodulatory dipeptide (Morozov and Khavinson, 1997). In organotypic culture it stimulated rat thymus explants (Khavinson, 2001). The main animal study gave Lys-Glu to female CBA mice on five consecutive days each month from six months of age until natural death. It reported higher physical activity and fewer spontaneous lung adenomas, with no change in free-radical measures or estrous function; that paper's abstract reports survival gains only for the pineal tetrapeptide tested alongside it (Anisimov et al., 2001).

It also activated ribosomal genes in cultured lymphocytes from people aged 75 to 88 (Khavinson et al., 2004). In female HER-2/neu transgenic mice, which develop mammary tumors on their own, vilon was linked to a higher incidence of mammary cancer and earlier tumors than saline (Anisimov et al., 2002). The vilon peptide is listed at Disguised Alpha only as part of a blend; see the Vilon research guide.

Frequently asked questions

What are Khavinson peptides?

The organ extracts and two- to four-residue synthetic peptides developed by V. Kh. Khavinson's group in St Petersburg and proposed to act on specific tissues (Khavinson, 2001). "Peptide bioregulator" is the group's own label, not a recognized drug class.

What is Testagen?

The tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly (KEDG), which the developers link to the male reproductive system (Khavinson et al., 2022). Neither PubMed paper that names it examines reproductive tissue. Disguised Alpha lists it as Testagen, a 20MG research vial.

What is Vilon?

The dipeptide Lys-Glu (KE), a synthetic immunomodulator from the same thymus program as thymalin and thymogen (Morozov and Khavinson, 1997), studied in rat thymus explants, mice and cell cultures. Disguised Alpha lists it only as part of a blend.

Is Prostamax a peptide?

Yes. Prostamax is the tetrapeptide Lys-Glu-Asp-Pro (KEDP): four amino acids joined by peptide bonds. PubChem lists it as CID 9848296, with the formula C₂₀H₃₃N₅O₉ and a molecular weight of 487.5 g/mol.

Are bioregulator peptides proven?

No. The evidence comes mostly from one group's explant, cell and rodent work, with few independent replications. The clearest outside tests were negative: epitalon did not change rat pineal melatonin secretion (Djeridane et al., 2003), and Glu-Trp was no better than placebo in a phase III trial (Noy et al., 2005).

Which bioregulators does Disguised Alpha carry?

Epitalon, Pinealon, Vesugen, Cardiogen, Cartalax, Testagen and Thymalin, as lyophilized research materials. Vilon is listed only as part of a blend. The other peptides on this page are not listed.

Related links

• Peptide bioregulators explained
• Epitalon research guide
• Pinealon research guide
• Epitalon vs pinealon
• Vesugen research guide
• Cardiogen research guide
• Cartalax research guide
• Thymalin research guide
• Thymic peptides explained

Disguised Alpha products are for research use only. They have not been evaluated for safety or effectiveness in humans. Not for human consumption. All products are intended for laboratory research purposes only.