TB-500 vs BPC-157
Every row cites its source. Where a cell reflects our own reading of the evidence rather than an external source, the row says so.
| Aspect | Tb500 | Bpc157 | Mirrors | Calibration Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Synthetic 7-amino-acid fragment of thymosin beta-4; FDA lists it as Thymosin beta-4, fragment (LKKTETQ), also known as TB-500. 889 Da | Synthetic 15-amino-acid fragment of the gastric juice protein BPC (GEPPPGKPADDAGLV). 1419.5 Da | row1 | - | source |
| Species of evidence | Rat, mouse, horse and in vitro wound and tendon models for the fragment; FDA states it has not identified any human exposure data for the fragment | Rodent and rabbit models across many organ systems; 2 in vitro lines; 1 uncontrolled human case series; 0 published human randomized trials | row2 | - | source |
| Head-to-head data | One 2026 rat Achilles study (n=32, 8 per group): significant on maximum load to failure and on total Bonar (p=0.016) and Movin (p=0.017) scores versus control; combining both peptides added nothing | Same study: numerically better histology than control, not statistically significant on total scores | row3 | One exploratory rat study whose authors call the findings preliminary. It is not evidence of human benefit and we do not present it as a selling point. This is the same restraint the sister site applied when the result went the other way. | source |
| Human trials | None completed. One phase 1/2 safety study of the fragment is recruiting with no results posted. The full-length protein has 15 completed or terminated registered trials totalling 2,143 participants, but that is a different molecule | 3 small uncontrolled pilots (under 30 subjects); phase 2 hamstring RCT recruiting since 2026 | row4 | - | source |
| FDA approval | None; Drugs@FDA returns no product | None; Drugs@FDA returns no product | row5 | - | source |
| FDA compounding position | On the safety-risks list (immunogenicity from aggregation, peptide-related impurities, no human exposure data identified); July 2026 PCAC: FDA proposed NOT to include free base or acetate on the 503A list | On the same safety-risks list (immunogenicity, impurities); July 2026 PCAC: FDA proposed NOT to include free base or acetate | row6 | - | source |
| WADA 2026 status | Named under S2.3 (Thymosin-beta4 and its derivatives e.g. TB-500); prohibited at all times; S2 substances are non-Specified Substances | Named under S0 Non-Approved Substances; prohibited at all times; S0 substances are Specified Substances | row7 | The distinction is real and runs against TB-500: Specified status is what can support an argument that a substance was taken for a reason other than performance. S2 does not carry it. | source |
| Best-documented property | Actin binding: LKKTETQ is the actin-binding site of the parent protein, and the isolated 17-23 peptide reproduced anti-fibrotic activity in human cells. The marketed peptide itself is thinly characterised, and one rat study suggests a metabolite rather than the parent carries the wound-repair activity | Reported gastric-juice stability and activity by oral routes in rodent GI and ligament models | row8 | - | source |
| What is in the vial (added row) | A racing laboratory analysed marketed TB500 and TB1000 and reported content not systematically consistent with its descriptions; synthesis impurities are detectable in plasma after administration of TB4-containing products | Reviewers flag unregulated manufacturing and contamination as adverse-effect pathways; no USP monograph or pharmaceutical-grade formulation exists | none (added by this site) | - | source |
| Documented large-animal use (added row) | 10 mg subcutaneously in thoroughbred horses, administered by racing laboratories to validate detection methods; TB-500 is explicitly named as a veterinary preparation in that literature | No comparable equine administration literature; the animal record is dominated by rodent models | none (added by this site) | - | source |
Researching TB-500 vs BPC-157 itself? Its dedicated guide site is at bpc157co.com.