GHK-Cu
Copper tripeptide-1
Overview
At its core, GHK-Cu is a coordination compound — a Gly-His-Lys ligand wrapped around a single Cu(II) center, written in shorthand as the 1:1 complex of the tripeptide first reported in Pickart's 1973 plasma-fractionation work (CAS 89030-95-5, MW 340.39). Cupratec treats it as a chemistry problem first and a SKU second. The blue you see in the lyophilized cake is not pigment; it is the d-d band of square-planar Cu(II) sitting near 622 nm in the UV-Vis spectrum, and every lot that leaves the atelier is read against a master reference before it is allowed near a vial. What we ship to ingredient houses and formulators doing copper-chemistry validation is a release file, not just a powder. Each lot carries a measured Cu²⁺:peptide molar ratio (target 1:1, tolerance reported), a UV-Vis trace with the 622 nm absorbance noted, a color ΔE figure against the standing master lot, and reconstitution-stability points at pH 5, 6, and 7 so the customer's downstream base development starts from data, not assumption. Real-time and accelerated stability — 25 °C, 40 °C, and 60 °C out to six months — is held on file and can be requested under NDA. Pack sizes follow the work: gram-scale lots for chemistry-validation runs, kilo-scale campaigns for ingredient houses building a private monograph around copper-peptide actives. Documentation reproduces CAS, INCI, and the coordination-chemistry parameters that determine whether the molecule on the COA is the molecule that arrives. The longer-form notes on lot release live in our [GHK-Cu formulation guide](/insights/ghk-cu-cosmetic-formulation-guide).
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, regional distributors and re-sellers, and academic and contract research laboratories.
Specifications
- CAS
- 89030-95-5
- Sequence
- GHK
- Appearance
- Blue lyophilized powder
- Purity (HPLC)
- ≥ 99.0%
- Common vial sizes
- 50 mg, 100 mg
- MOQ
- On request (bulk preferred for cosmetic OEM)
- Lead time
- 7–14 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
GHK-Cu is supplied as a cosmetic-grade INCI ingredient (Copper Tripeptide-1), not for compounded human-use preparations, it is not on the FDA July 2026 PCAC 503A-bulks agenda. Cosmetic-grade material available for med-spa, beauty OEMs, and finished-product formulators worldwide; INCI name supplied on SDS for cosmetic-notification workflows (CPNP in EU, equivalent registries elsewhere).
Frequently asked questions
How do you certify the Cu²⁺ : peptide stoichiometry on each lot?▾
We hold a copper-saturated GHK reference and run two orthogonal measurements against every release batch: atomic absorption for total copper mass on the peptide, and reversed-phase HPLC with diode-array detection to verify a single coordinated peak rather than free peptide plus separate copper salt. Pure 1:1 stoichiometry is the target; the COA reports the measured ratio and the deviation from 1:1 so an ingredient-house QC group can decide whether the lot fits the spec they hold internally. Lots that drift outside our internal control band are rejected before they ever cross into commercial inventory.
What does the UV-Vis and ΔE workflow actually look like at the atelier?▾
Every lot is reconstituted to a defined concentration in copper-clean water and scanned across the visible region. The diagnostic feature is the broad d-d band near 622 nm — for GHK-Cu it is the molecular fingerprint of square-planar Cu(II) sitting in its His/N-terminus pocket. We log the peak λmax and the absorbance height, then compare the powder against a Pantone-anchored master swatch under D65 illumination and report a CIELAB ΔE figure. ΔE drift above an agreed threshold triggers a copper-content re-test and a hold, because the colour shift is upstream of any other QC signal a customer will run.
What stability data is on file for solution and powder?▾
Real-time stability runs at 25 °C are maintained out to 24 months on the dry powder under refrigerated, light-protected conditions; accelerated work at 40 °C and 60 °C is held to six months with periodic copper-content, HPLC purity, and absorbance pulls. Reconstituted-solution stability is tracked at pH 5, 6, and 7 in unbuffered and citrate-buffered systems so customers developing their own carrier chemistry have a baseline before they extrapolate. Full stability dossiers, including chromatograms and UV-Vis overlays, are shared under NDA when a buyer is qualifying the lot for an internal master-spec.
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