AHK-Cu
Copper peptide AHK
Overview
AHK-Cu is the Ala-His-Lys variant of the Pickart copper-tripeptide motif: a histidine-anchored Cu(II) coordination compound in which a single alanine sits where GHK-Cu carries an N-terminal glycine. The change is one methyl group, but at the level of metal binding it is not cosmetic — the alanyl-α-amino donor reshapes the geometry around the copper, shifting the formation constant and the affinity profile the molecule presents to scalp and follicular targets. For the chemistry-led ingredient houses Cupratec works with, that distinction is why AHK-Cu earns its own monograph rather than being filed under GHK-Cu. Cupratec releases AHK-Cu at ≥99.0% HPLC and treats the release file, not the powder, as the deliverable. Every atelier-scale lot carries a quantified Cu²⁺:peptide molar ratio (target 1:1, deviation reported), reversed-phase HPLC with diode-array detection to prove a single coordinated peak, copper cross-check by atomic absorption, and a UV-Vis trace through the visible region — the d-d signature shifts modestly relative to GHK-Cu and λmax is logged against an internal AHK-Cu master. A Pantone-anchored CIELAB ΔE reading sits beside the spectrum so an ingredient-house QC group has the colour data before any in-house dye-binding work. Fills are 20 mg and 50 mg lyophilized vials, with gram-scale lots on the same documentation pack for contract-monograph development. Accelerated stability points are held on the lot record under NDA.
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.
Specifications
- CAS
- (complex, confirm with QA)
- Sequence
- AHK
- Purity (HPLC)
- ≥ 99.0%
- Common vial sizes
- 20 mg, 50 mg
- MOQ
- On request
- Lead time
- 10–18 days
- Storage
- Refrigerated, protect from light
Documentation available on request
- Certificate of Analysis (COA)
- HPLC Chromatogram
- Mass-spec identity
- INCI naming and CAS
- Cosmetic-grade specification sheet
- Stability data in carrier formulations
- Challenge / preservative-efficacy reference
- SDS / MSDS
Regulatory note
Sold as a cosmetic ingredient for use in finished products where the receiving formulator's regulatory framework permits. Finished-product safety, INCI compliance, claims substantiation, and notification (CPNP, FDA, etc.) remain the responsibility of the brand owner. SDS and INCI documentation supplied with each shipment.
Frequently asked questions
How is AHK-Cu different from GHK-Cu in practice?▾
Both ligands wrap a single Cu(II) through the histidine imidazole and a deprotonated peptide-bond nitrogen, but the N-terminal residue (alanine versus glycine) sits inside the coordination pocket and alters the donor geometry. The downstream consequence is a different formation constant and a different binding affinity at scalp and follicular targets — the published cosmetic literature places AHK-Cu primarily in hair and follicular work, with GHK-Cu carrying the broader dermal-repair record. The two are mutually compatible in shared carrier systems, so an ingredient house building a combined scalp-plus-skin monograph can specify both actives without coordination-chemistry conflict, provided the chelator and pH guardrails are honoured uniformly across the carrier.
What's the recommended use level for AHK-Cu in a hair-regrowth serum?▾
Cosmetic formulation literature lands AHK-Cu in scalp and follicular finished products at roughly 0.1–1.0% on a finished-mass basis — appreciably lower than the GHK-Cu window in dermal-repair work because the follicular distribution kinetics push the dose-response curve to the left. The carrier should stay chelator-free, near-neutral, and run on copper-clean process water; reductive antioxidants belong on a separate polarity layer or downstream of the copper-peptide phase. Ingredient houses qualifying a finished scalp serum can request the lot-specific copper-content figure to anchor their internal release spec, and in-house dye-binding assays through shelf life are a sensible parallel readout to confirm the coordination has held through the carrier.
Can AHK-Cu be combined with minoxidil in a finished topical formulation?▾
Mechanistically the pairing is reasonable — minoxidil drives vasodilation and extends anagen phase, while AHK-Cu contributes copper-mediated signalling at a different molecular layer. The chemistry of getting them into one carrier is harsher: the propylene-glycol-plus-ethanol vehicles that keep minoxidil in solution challenge the AHK-Cu coordination sphere, and the working pH for minoxidil stability sits at the low end of where AHK-Cu wants to live. A formulator pursuing the combination should plan compatibility runs in the proposed carrier with copper-content readouts at t-zero, four weeks, and twelve weeks under both refrigerated and 40 °C conditions before committing to a production base. The release-file principles documented in our [GHK-Cu formulation guide](/insights/ghk-cu-cosmetic-formulation-guide) carry over directly.
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