Pancragen
aka KEDW · Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp · Vladonix
Mechanism
Pancragen is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp, KEDW) short-peptide bioregulator developed by Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, derived from a peptide isolated from bovine pancreatic tissue. The Khavinson group reports it interacts with histones and DNA to modulate tissue-specific gene expression in pancreatic cells, with proposed effects on glucose metabolism and insulin-producing cells. Evidence is confined to single-group preclinical and small clinical studies; it is not FDA-approved and lacks independent Western validation. No CAS Registry Number is listed for this peptide in major chemical databases.
Studied uses
- pancreatic cell and endocrine-function research (research only)
- glucose metabolism and insulin-regulation models (preclinical)
- age-related metabolic and pancreatic decline studies (single-group research)
Identification
| Molecular formula | C26H36N6O9 |
|---|---|
| Sequence | KEDW |
| Typical dose | No established clinical dosing; vendor research protocols commonly cite 1-2 mg/day subcutaneous or sublingual |
| Half-life | Not characterized in peer-reviewed pharmacokinetic literature; short-peptide bioregulators are presumed to clear rapidly (minutes) |
Safety
Not FDA-approved for human therapeutic use. A Russian/Khavinson research peptide with little independent Western safety or efficacy data; sold grey-market for research use only. Not evaluated by WADA.
Vendors selling Pancragen
| Vendor | Size | Price | Listed purity | Trust |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BioLongevity Labs | 20 mg | $94.97 | — | 96 |
| Peptidology | 23 mg | $58.99 | — | 89 |
| Certified Peptides | 20 mg | $105.00 | — | 62 |
Research
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a devastating disease, due in part to its diagnosis frequently being made at an advanced stage. Ongoing efforts are aimed at identifying early-stage PC in high-risk individuals, as early detection leads to downstaging of PC and improvements in survival.
source →Pancreatic cystic disease, including duct dilation, represents precursor states towards the development of pancreatic cancer, a form of malignancy with relatively low incidence but high mortality.
source →Background/objectives Pancreatic serous cystic neoplasms (SCN) present a diagnostic challenge given their increasing frequency of detection and benign nature yet relatively high rate of misdiagnosis.
source →Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have enormous potential in producing human tissues endlessly. We previously reported that type V collagen (COL5), a pancreatic extracellular matrix protein, promotes islet development and maturation from iPSCs.
source →Background and aim The natural history of KRAS mutations in mucinous pancreatic cysts (MPCs) over time remains to be fully understood. The aim of this study was to examine the performance of DNA markers and assess changes of KRAS mutations over time.
source →Introduction Intraductal tubulopapillary neoplasm (ITPN) is a recently described rare tumor of the pancreas. Diagnostic approach and treatment are based on relatively few cases.
source →A significant proportion of patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) undergo surgical resection in order to prevent or treat pancreatic cancer at the risk of significant perioperative morbidity.
source →The aim of the investigation was comparative study of the influence tetrapeptide Pancragen (St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, St. Petersburg) on hormonal function of the pancreas compared to the effect of widely used hypoglycemic drug - glimepiride.
source →Significant increase of the elderly in the demographic structure of a modern society is one of the main reasons for increase in the number of patients with diabetes type 2 and impaired glucose tolerance.
source →Expression of differentiation markers was found to be reduced during ageing of pancreatic cells. Tetrapeptide pancragen stimulates the expression of differentiation factors of acinar (Pdx1, Ptfla) and islet of Langerhans (Pdx1, Pax6, Pax4, Foxa2, NKx2.2) cells in "young" and " aged" cultures.
source →We examined two groups of older persons: 30 healthy and 33 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitius. Nocturnal melatonin production was significantly reduced by 70% in patients with DM2 compared to healthy individuals of the corresponding age.
source →The effects of tetrapeptide pancragen (Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp-NH2) on blood glucose level and permeability and adhesion of mesenteric capillaries were studied in Wistar rats with experimental streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus. Oral pancragen produced a pronounced hypoglycemic effect during treatment.
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