Peptide Therapy

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act as natural signaling molecules in the body, influencing functions such as metabolism, cellular communication, immune activity, and tissue maintenance. Several peptide-based medications are fully FDA-approved for specific medical conditions—for example, GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide for diabetes and weight management, parathyroid hormone analogs such as teriparatide for osteoporosis, and growth-hormone–related peptides like somatropin for growth disorders. In addition to these approved pharmaceuticals, other naturally occurring or synthetically derived peptides have been investigated in scientific and clinical research settings. Although these peptides are not FDA-approved for therapeutic use, published studies have explored their potential biological roles in areas such as cellular signaling, tissue support, and immune modulation. Examples include research on BPC-157 in soft-tissue models (Sikiric et al., Curr Pharm Des., 2020), LL-37 in wound biology and immune pathways (Kahlenberg & Kaplan, Nat Rev Rheumatol., 2013), and GHK-Cu in skin biology and collagen expression (Pickart et al., J Drugs Dermatol., 2015).