COMPOUND

Compounds / Bioregulators

Pancragen

Pancragen (Lys-Glu-Asp-Trp / KEDW Tetrapeptide; pancreatic bioregulator)

Bioregulators SubQ · Oral Not FDA approved

Khavinson family bioregulator developed at the Saint Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. Synthetic tetrapeptide marketed for pancreatic function support, particularly in elderly patients with impaired glucose tolerance or T2D. Most efficacy data is from one Russian lab; independent Western replication is essentially absent. NOT a substitute for insulin or GLP-1 therapy.

At a glance

Routes
SubQ · Oral
Vial sizes
20 mg
Evidence base
3 studies 1 human · 2 preclinical

Mechanism

Per the Khavinson 'short-peptide bioregulator' hypothesis, KEDW is proposed to bind DNA along the major groove and upregulate transcription of pancreatic differentiation genes including PDX1 (master beta-cell regulator), NGN3, PAX6, FOXA2, NKX2-2, NKX6.1, PAX4. Mechanism is contested in mainstream pharmacology because tetrapeptides are normally degraded in serum within minutes. Reported effects (Khavinson group): hypoglycemic effect in rat T2D models, improved fasting glucose / glucose tolerance in elderly humans, decreased basal insulin and C-peptide, increased glucose disappearance rate; effects partially persist 3 weeks after stopping treatment.

Dosing

Any amounts shown here are reported from published studies only. 1 of 3 catalogued studies involved human subjects. COMPOUND does not publish its own dosing guidance.

Published evidence

  1. Human pilot 2012

    Russian-language clinical observation in elderly patients with impaired glucose tolerance

    Khavinson VK et al. Adv Gerontol

    Improved fasting glucose, glucose tolerance, and decreased insulin resistance in elderly subjects after pancragen course. Small sample, single-lab observational.

  2. Animal in vivo 2008

    Effect of pancragen on blood glucose level, capillary permeability and adhesion in rats with experimental diabetes mellitus

    Khavinson VK, Sevostianova NN, et al. Bull Exp Biol Med

    Oral pancragen produced pronounced hypoglycemic effect in rat T2D model; IM pancragen normalized mesenteric capillary endothelial adhesion.

    PMID 18642713

  3. In vitro 2013

    Effects of pancragen on the differentiation of pancreatic cells during their ageing

    Khavinson VK, Lin'kova NS, et al. Bull Exp Biol Med

    Pancragen stimulated expression of acinar (PDX1, PTF1A) and islet (PDX1, PAX6, PAX4, FOXA2, NKX2-2) differentiation factors in young and aged pancreatic cell cultures.

    PMID 23486591

Reported side effects

Mild hypoglycemia (theoretical)
Theoretical Mild · Theoretical given mechanism; not reported in published studies. Caution if combined with insulin or sulfonylureas.
Long-term safety unverified outside Russia
Unknown Mild · Khavinson group reports no significant AEs; no Western replication.

Interactions

  • Semaglutide (SC) Caution

    Mechanistic overlap on glucose-lowering; potential additive hypoglycemic effect.

  • Semaglutide (Oral) Caution

    Mechanistic overlap on glucose-lowering; potential additive hypoglycemic effect.

  • Tirzepatide Caution

    Mechanistic overlap on glucose-lowering; theoretical additive effect.

  • Livagen Synergy

    Hepatic + pancreatic axis; common Khavinson 'metabolic stack.'

Reconstitution and storage

20 mg vial; 2-5 mL BAC water. At 4 mg/mL, 100 mcg = 0.025 mL.

Lyophilized: room temp short-term, refrigerate for >30 days. Reconstituted: refrigerate, use within 30 days.

Open the reconstitution calculator for Pancragen