GHK-Cu studies
91 journal papers mention GHK-Cu in the title or abstract. Here are the most cited, the latest, and a few facts about the literature.
Studies range from laboratory work to clinical trials. A paper listed here is not an endorsement and says nothing about whether GHK-Cu is safe, effective or approved for any use.
- Papers
- 91
- 83 articles, 8 reviews
- Earliest paper
- 1992
- Most papers in 2026 (33)
- Open access
- 59%
- free to read somewhere
- Reviews
- 9%
- of all papers listed
What kind of studies
Of 84 papers in PubMed that mention GHK-Cu in the title or abstract, by the study type PubMed records. Categories overlap, so they do not add up to the total.
- Randomized controlled trials1
- Other clinical trials0
- Meta-analyses and systematic reviews0
- Other reviews14
- Case reports0
- Animal studies only13
- Studies in humans33
Study types are tags assigned by publishers and PubMed indexers; very new papers are often not tagged yet, and a tag is not a quality rating. Retracted papers are excluded. Source: PubMed (NCBI).
Registered clinical studies
Studies on ClinicalTrials.gov that mention GHK-Cu in their intervention details. A registration says a study is planned or running, not what it found.
- Registered
- 4
- Completed
- 1
- Ongoing or planned
- 3
- Phase 1
- 0
- Phase 2
- 1
- Phase 3
- 0
- Systemic and Topical Geroprotective Rejuvenation Assessed by START/REST Aging Clocks
NCT07888595Enrolling by invitationEarly phase 1started 2026-10-21
- Two-Part Study of the Effects of the X39 Patch on Circulating GHK and GHK-Cu Levels in Healthy Adults
NCT07706361Not yet recruitingstarted 2027-01
- Topical GHK-Cu Gel for Acute Skin Wound Healing
NCT07437586RecruitingPhase 2started 2026-02-02
- Trial Assessing the Impact on Facial Skin Quality, Hydration, and Skin Barrier of Three (3) Hydrafacial Treatments in Adults of All Skin Types.
NCT05932732CompletedPhase 4started 2023-11-20
The five most recently updated studies. See all 4 on ClinicalTrials.gov. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov (U.S. National Library of Medicine). Studies are found by the compound's name, so a few may be about something else.
Papers per year
1997 to 2026, peak 33 papers in a year. The latest year may still be incomplete.
Where it is published
- Life Sciences3 papers
- International Journal of Molecular Sciences2 papers
- The American Journal of Sports Medicine2 papers
- Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology2 papers
- Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery2 papers
The papers
Most citedName in the title
- Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide in the Light of the New Gene Data
Loren Pickart, Anna Margolina · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2018
ReviewOpen access · CC BY158 citationsRead the open copy →
- Are We Ready to Measure Skin Permeation of Modern Antiaging GHK–Cu Tripeptide Encapsulated in Liposomes?
Karolina Ogórek, Kinga Nowak, Emilia Wadych et al. · Molecules · 2025
ReviewOpen access · CC BY9 citationsRead the open copy →
- GHK-Cu as a Bioactive Metallopeptide and Drug-Delivery Cargo: Coordination Chemistry, Formulation Science, Therapeutic Evidence, and a Translational Roadmap
Diana-Maria Mateescu, Dragos-Mihai Gavrilescu, Ruxandra-Ioana Mincioaga et al. · Pharmaceutics · 2026
ReviewOpen access · CC BYRead the open copy →
- A Systematic Review of the Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications of GHK-Cu (Glycyl-L-Histidyl-L-Lysine-Copper Complex) in Topical Microneedle Delivery: A Case for Expanded Clinical Trials
Niayesh Najafi, Hussein Maatouk, Karapet Gary Vardanyan et al. · Archives of Internal Medicine Research · 2026
ReviewOpen accessRead the open copy →
LatestName in title or abstract
- GHK-Cu as a Bioactive Metallopeptide and Drug-Delivery Cargo: Coordination Chemistry, Formulation Science, Therapeutic Evidence, and a Translational Roadmap
Diana-Maria Mateescu, Dragos-Mihai Gavrilescu, Ruxandra-Ioana Mincioaga et al. · Pharmaceutics · 2026
ReviewOpen access · CC BYRead the open copy →
- Peptides in Regenerative Medicine: A Comprehensive Review of Clinical Applications in Tissue Repair and Chronic Pain Management
Choopong Luansritisakul, Monping Chiang, Stacey L. Burns et al. · Current Pain and Headache Reports · 2026
Review
- Therapeutic peptides in gerontology: mechanisms and applications for healthy aging
Volodymyr Mavrych, Inna Shypilova, Olena Bolgova · Frontiers in Aging · 2026
ReviewOpen access · CC BY5 citationsRead the open copy →
- Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions
Omar F. Rahman, Steven J. Lee, William A. Seeds · JAAOS Global Research and Reviews · 2026
ReviewOpen access · CC BY-NC-ND5 citationsRead the open copy →
- Smart Healing for Wound Repair: Emerging Multifunctional Strategies in Personalized Regenerative Medicine and Their Relevance to Orthopedics
Carla Renata Arciola, Veronica Panichi, Gloria Bua et al. · Antibiotics · 2026
ReviewOpen access · CC BY9 citationsRead the open copy →
- A Systematic Review of the Mechanisms and Therapeutic Applications of GHK-Cu (Glycyl-L-Histidyl-L-Lysine-Copper Complex) in Topical Microneedle Delivery: A Case for Expanded Clinical Trials
Niayesh Najafi, Hussein Maatouk, Karapet Gary Vardanyan et al. · Archives of Internal Medicine Research · 2026
ReviewOpen accessRead the open copy →
- Are We Ready to Measure Skin Permeation of Modern Antiaging GHK–Cu Tripeptide Encapsulated in Liposomes?
Karolina Ogórek, Kinga Nowak, Emilia Wadych et al. · Molecules · 2025
ReviewOpen access · CC BY9 citationsRead the open copy →
Each list shows up to 40 papers.See all 91 on OpenAlex. Source: OpenAlex (CC0), journal articles and reviews with a DOI, retractions excluded, refreshed weekly, last 4 Nov 2026, 08:27 UTC. Papers are listed by their metadata only; follow the links to read them. A license shown on an open copy is the license the publisher or repository states for that copy.