Bioregulators

The Khavinson short peptide series, each associated with a specific tissue. Evidence comes largely from one research group.

16 compounds in this class. 0 approved by the FDA for at least one indication. 0 have no published human trial data.

Guides in this class

Best anti-aging peptides

All 16 bioregulators compared

Compound	Evidence	Reported range	Half-life	Status
Bronchogen A short peptide bioregulator directed at the bronchial epithelium, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Cardiogen A short peptide bioregulator directed at cardiac muscle, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Cartalax A short peptide bioregulator directed at cartilage and connective tissue, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Chonluten A short peptide bioregulator directed at bronchial and lung tissue, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Cortagen A short peptide bioregulator directed at the cerebral cortex, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Epitalon A short peptide bioregulator directed at the pineal gland, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Livagen A short peptide bioregulator directed at the liver, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Ovagen A short peptide bioregulator directed at the liver and digestive tract, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Pancragen A short peptide bioregulator directed at the pancreas, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Pinealon A short peptide bioregulator directed at brain and neuronal tissue, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Prostamax A short peptide bioregulator directed at the prostate, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Testagen A short peptide bioregulator directed at the testes, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Thymogen A short peptide bioregulator directed at the thymus, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Vesilute A short peptide bioregulator directed at the bladder urothelium, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Vesugen A short peptide bioregulator directed at vascular endothelium, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only
Vilon A short peptide bioregulator directed at the thymus and immune system, from the Khavinson series developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology.	Preliminary human	100-200 mcg	Not established	Research only

Head-to-head comparisons

Epitalon vs Thymalin Epitalon vs Thymosin Alpha-1 Epitalon vs Thymogen Thymalin vs Thymogen Thymogen vs Thymosin Alpha-1

Bioregulators: common questions

What are bioregulators?

The Khavinson short peptide series, each associated with a specific tissue. Evidence comes largely from one research group. This class has 16 compounds in our directory.

Which bioregulators are FDA approved?

None of the 16 compounds in this class is FDA approved for any indication.

Which bioregulators have the strongest evidence?

By evidence level and number of human studies: Bronchogen (preliminary human, ~2 human studies); Cardiogen (preliminary human, ~2 human studies); Cartalax (preliminary human, ~2 human studies).

Can compounding pharmacies make these?

Epitalon, Thymogen are not FDA approved and not on the 503A bulks list, so there is no routine legal path to compound them. Material sold online is labelled for research use only. Status checked against FDA lists in October 2026.

References

Regulatory and primary sources

FDA: Bulk drug substances that may present significant safety risks (Category 2 and withdrawn nominations) ↗ · content current as of April 22, 2026; checked October 18, 2026
FDA: Bulk drug substances used in compounding under section 503A ↗ · how the 503A categories work
FDA: Unapproved drugs ↗ · status of products sold "for research use only"
WADA Prohibited List ↗ · peptide hormones and growth factors, class S2
PubMed (National Library of Medicine) ↗ · source of every literature reference on this site

Published literature

Khavinson VKh. Peptides and Ageing.Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2002.PubMed 12374906
Rahman OF, Lee SJ, Seeds WA. Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions.J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev 2026.PubMed 41490200 · doi:10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-25-00236
Araj SK, Brzezik J, Mądra-Gackowska K, et al.. Overview of Epitalon-Highly Bioactive Pineal Tetrapeptide with Promising Properties.Int J Mol Sci 2025.PubMed 40141333 · doi:10.3390/ijms26062691
Khavinson V, Linkova N, Diatlova A, et al.. Peptide Regulation of Cell Differentiation.Stem Cell Rev Rep 2020.PubMed 31808038 · doi:10.1007/s12015-019-09938-8
Khavinson V, Linkova N, Dyatlova A, et al.. Peptides: Prospects for Use in the Treatment of COVID-19.Molecules 2020.PubMed 32987757 · doi:10.3390/molecules25194389
Ivko OM, Trofimova SV, Trofimov AV, et al.. [Peptidergic regulation of expression of cellular aging marker proteins in buccal epithelium.].Adv Gerontol 2024.PubMed 39742404
Kloeden PE, Rössler R, Rössler OE. Artificial life extension. The epigenetic approach.Ann N Y Acad Sci 1994.PubMed 8010616 · doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1994.tb56852.x
Anisimov VN, Arutjunyan AV, Khavinson VK. Effects of pineal peptide preparation Epithalamin on free-radical processes in humans and animals.Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2001.PubMed 11335874
Silin DS, Lyubomska OV, Ershov FI, et al.. Synthetic and natural immunomodulators acting as interferon inducers.Curr Pharm Des 2009.PubMed 19355963 · doi:10.2174/138161209787846847
Deigin V, Linkova N, Vinogradova J, et al.. The First Reciprocal Activities of Chiral Peptide Pharmaceuticals: Thymogen and Thymodepressin, as Examples.Int J Mol Sci 2024.PubMed 38732260 · doi:10.3390/ijms25095042
Lin'kova NS, Poliakova VO, Trofimov AV, et al.. [Influence of peptides from pineal gland on thymus function at aging].Adv Gerontol 2010.PubMed 21510076
Sokolova GB, Sinitsyn MV, Kozhemiakin LA, et al.. [Glutoxim in the complex treatment of tuberculosis].Antibiot Khimioter 2002.PubMed 12087719
Balasaniants GS, Sukhanov DS. [Current aspects of pathogenetic therapy in tuberculosis].Ter Arkh 2011.PubMed 21961327
Sinitsyn MV, Bogadel'nikova IV, Sokolova GB. [Thiopoeitins in the treatment of tuberculosis].Probl Tuberk Bolezn Legk 2007.PubMed 17657963

Literature retrieved from PubMed on October 16, 2026, favouring human studies and reviews. Numbered markers in the text show which paper supports which statement; uncited entries are background reading.