Vesugen is the tripeptide Lys-Glu-Asp (KED), the member of the Khavinson bioregulator series associated with the vascular wall. It has been studied in cultured vascular endothelial cells and, more recently, in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease.
As with the rest of the series, the research is preclinical and comes mostly from one research network.
At a glance
| Also known as | KED peptide |
| Sequence | Lys-Glu-Asp (KED) |
| Length | 3 residues |
| Molecular weight | ≈390 Da |
| Series | Khavinson short peptides (bioregulators) |
| Tissue association | Blood vessels / vascular endothelium |
| Receptor | None identified |
| US status | Not FDA-approved; research use only |
The Khavinson bioregulator series
Short peptides of this kind come from a research program led by Vladimir Khavinson at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. The program began with polypeptide extracts from animal organs, then identified short di-, tri- and tetrapeptides within those extracts and produced them synthetically, each associated with a particular tissue.
No receptor has been identified for any member of the series. The group’s working model is that these very small peptides enter the cell nucleus and interact with DNA and histone proteins at specific sites, influencing gene expression and DNA methylation. That model is set out in a 2021 systematic review in Molecules, but it comes largely from the originating group and has seen little independent replication.
Structure and relatives
The KED core also appears at the start of longer members of the series, including Testagen and Pancragen. Unlike the Ala-Glu-Asp peptides such as Cartalax, Vesugen begins with lysine, which gives it a positively charged N-terminal side chain.
What the research has looked at
Vascular endothelial cells. Publications from the originating group report that KED changed the expression of proliferation and aging-associated markers in aging cultures of vascular endothelial cells. These studies are small and published mainly in Russian-language journals.
Neuronal model. A 2021 study in Pharmaceuticals gave KED and a related tripeptide (EDR) to 5xFAD mice, a model of Alzheimer’s-type pathology. The authors reported that both peptides prevented the loss of dendritic spines on hippocampal neurons seen in untreated model animals. A 2025 correction addressed duplicated figures in the paper; the authors stated the conclusions were unaffected.
Limits of the evidence
The published work on Vesugen is small, comes mostly from one research network, and is largely in cell culture and animal models, with much of it in Russian-language journals. How a peptide this short would reach the nucleus intact is the weakest link in the proposed mechanism. Findings should be read as early, preliminary research rather than established biology.
Handling in the lab
Vesugen is supplied as a lyophilized powder. Lyophilized peptides are normally kept frozen, dry and away from light, and once reconstituted are kept refrigerated and used within a short window. See our reconstitution protocol for technique, and bacteriostatic vs sterile water for diluent choice.
Frequently asked questions
What is Vesugen?
The tripeptide Lys-Glu-Asp (KED), a Khavinson-series bioregulator associated with the vascular wall, studied in endothelial cell culture and a mouse model.
Is Vesugen related to Cartalax and Cardiogen?
They belong to the same research series and share the proposed mechanism, but Vesugen has a different sequence (KED rather than AED-based) and a different tissue association.
Does Vesugen have a receptor?
None has been identified. The proposed mechanism is direct interaction with DNA and histones in the nucleus, a model not yet independently confirmed.
Is Vesugen FDA approved?
No. It is not approved by the FDA. Isla Longevity supplies it for laboratory research only.
Purity and certificates
Every batch ships with a third-party certificate of analysis, published by batch number in our COA Bank. View Vesugen and its current COA. New to reading certificates? Start with how to read a certificate of analysis.
Related reading: Peptide bioregulators explained · What is Cartalax? · What is Cardiogen? · What is Epitalon?
References
- Khavinson V, Ilina A, Kraskovskaya N, et al. Neuroprotective effects of tripeptides—epigenetic regulators in mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. Pharmaceuticals. 2021;14(6):515.
- Khavinson VKh, Popovich IG, Linkova NS, Mironova ES, Ilina AR. Peptide regulation of gene expression: a systematic review. Molecules. 2021;26(22):7053.
Research use only
Isla Longevity supplies this compound for laboratory research use only. It is not approved by the FDA for human or veterinary use and is not for human consumption. This article summarises published research and is not medical guidance.
