Copper Peptide GHK-Cu
(Glycyl-L-Histidyl-L-Lysine:Copper)

1973-1980

The Discovery

Finding Youth in Old Blood

Loren Pickart was studying why blood from young people could stimulate old liver cells to synthesize proteins more actively. There was something in young blood that old blood lacked. He set out to find it.

What he found was surprisingly small: a tripeptide — just three amino acids — bound to a copper ion. He named it GHK-Cu (glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine:copper). This tiny molecule could reset gene expression in old cells, making them behave more like young cells.

It was a remarkable discovery. A simple peptide, naturally present in human blood, could trigger regeneration. But in the 1970s, peptide science was young, and translating this to therapies would take decades.

1980-1995

Understanding the Mechanism

A Master Reset Switch

As Pickart and others studied GHK-Cu, they found it did far more than affect liver cells. It influenced over 4,000 genes — about a third of the human genome. Most remarkably, it seemed to push gene expression toward a healthier, younger pattern.

GHK-Cu stimulated collagen production, the structural protein that keeps skin firm. It promoted wound healing. It reduced inflammation. It triggered the breakdown of damaged tissue and its replacement with healthy tissue.

The peptide appeared to be a master regeneration signal — something the body naturally used to repair itself, but that declined with age. By age 60, GHK levels in blood were less than half what they'd been at 20.

1995-2005

The Wound Healing Years

From Lab to Clinic

Pickart founded companies to develop GHK-Cu therapeutically. The most promising application was wound healing. Chronic wounds — diabetic ulcers, pressure sores, surgical sites that wouldn't heal — affected millions of patients.

Clinical studies showed GHK-Cu accelerated wound closure and reduced scarring. The peptide triggered both phases of healing: clearing away damaged tissue and rebuilding healthy tissue. Some formulations reached the market for post-procedure skin recovery.

But regulatory pathways were slow, and wound healing products faced competition from simpler approaches. GHK-Cu wound therapies never achieved the blockbuster success some predicted.

2005-2015

The Skincare Explosion

Anti-Aging Goes Copper

While medical applications moved slowly, the cosmetics industry discovered GHK-Cu. Here was an anti-aging ingredient with actual science behind it — not just marketing claims, but published studies showing collagen stimulation and wrinkle reduction.

Copper peptide serums and creams flooded the market. Clinical studies demonstrated visible improvements: reduced wrinkles, increased skin thickness, better elasticity. Unlike many skincare ingredients, GHK-Cu actually penetrated skin and triggered real changes.

Pickart's decades of research had found its commercial home — not in hospitals treating chronic wounds, but in bathroom cabinets fighting crow's feet.

2015-Present

Beyond Skin Deep

New Frontiers

Research on GHK-Cu has expanded beyond skin. Studies suggest it may help with hair growth, reversing hair follicle miniaturization. It shows potential for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by regenerating lung tissue. Some research explores its effects on the aging brain.

The discovery that GHK-Cu influences thousands of genes has sparked interest in systemic use — not just applied to skin, but taken to promote whole-body regeneration. However, delivering a peptide systemically remains challenging.

Fifty years after Pickart's discovery, GHK-Cu sits in an interesting position: proven in skincare, promising in medicine, but still waiting for its full therapeutic potential to be realized.