reviewed april 2026|next review october 2026|88 physicians psi has verified|43193 published studies
Vesugen
Vesugen is a synthetic tripeptide (lysyl-glutamyl-aspartic acid) from the Khavinson bioregulatory medicine program, classified as a vascular bioregulator proposed to support endothelial function and cardiovascular health during aging.
Evidence landscape: 43193 published studies
43,193 published items (broad vascular query). 4 human studies and 135 animal studies.
- 4 Human
- 135 Animal
- 61 Reviews
- 42993 Other research
Not FDA-approved. Not evaluated by any Western regulatory agency. Vesugen is a research compound from the Khavinson bioregulatory medicine program in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Not available through Western pharmaceutical channels. Available through Russian supplement and research channels. Part of the Khavinson bioregulator series.
Vesugen (Lys-Glu-Asp) is the vascular bioregulator in the Khavinson organ-specific peptide series. The claim that a tripeptide can selectively modulate vascular gene expression through direct peptide-DNA interaction is one of the most ambitious in the program.
PSI Assessment
The Khavinson bioregulatory program assigns each short peptide a specific organ target. Vesugen (Lys-Glu-Asp) is the vascular bioregulator, proposed to support endothelial function and cardiovascular health during aging. Russian studies report improved endothelial function markers in elderly subjects. The mechanistic claim that a tripeptide can selectively modulate vascular gene expression through direct peptide-DNA interaction is one of the most ambitious in the program. The evidence comes predominantly from the St. Petersburg Institute. No independent Western replication exists.
A three-amino-acid vascular bioregulator from the Khavinson program. The claim that it selectively targets vascular gene expression requires independent validation.
The proposed mechanism is epigenetic modulation of genes related to vascular homeostasis and endothelial function. Vesugen (Lys-Glu-Asp) is part of the organ-specific bioregulator series from the Khavinson program. Russian studies report improved endothelial function markers in elderly subjects. The mechanistic claim that a tripeptide can selectively modulate vascular gene expression through direct peptide-DNA interaction is one of the most ambitious in the program.
What the evidence supports
Russian studies report improved endothelial function markers with vesugen administration in elderly subjects. The tripeptide structure (Lys-Glu-Asp) is characterized. The Khavinson program has produced internally consistent data across the vesugen research series.
What is not yet established
Independent replication outside the St. Petersburg Institute. Whether a tripeptide can selectively target vascular gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms. Whether the reported endothelial improvements are clinically meaningful by Western trial standards. Comparative efficacy against established cardiovascular peptides.
Research Evidence
The findings below cover vesugen's proposed vascular mechanism, the Russian clinical data, and the evidence limitations.
Evidence by condition
Evidence dimensions available for each condition Vesugen has been studied for.
| Condition | Mechanism | Animal evidence | Human evidence | Replication |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vascular Health | ||||
| Cardiovascular Aging | ||||
| Endothelial Function |
Russian studies report improved endothelial function markers in elderly subjects treated with vesugen. The Khavinson program proposes that the tripeptide modulates vascular gene expression through epigenetic mechanisms.
The evidence comes predominantly from the St. Petersburg Institute. Independent replication by Western research groups has not been published.
4 Human|135 Animal|61 Reviews
View all 43193 indexed studiesHow Vesugen Works
Vesugen (Lys-Glu-Asp) is a synthetic tripeptide from the Khavinson bioregulatory program. The proposed mechanism is epigenetic modulation of genes related to vascular endothelial function, including eNOS and adhesion molecules. This mechanism has not been independently validated.
A three-amino-acid peptide from the Khavinson program proposed to protect blood vessels from age-related damage and improve endothelial function.
For a more detailed view of the biology, here is what researchers have observed at the molecular level.
Lys-Glu-Asp tripeptide. Proposed to modulate expression of genes involved in vascular endothelial function, including eNOS and adhesion molecules. Data from Khavinson laboratory.
What is Vesugen being studied for?
Researchers are studying Vesugen across several health conditions. Each condition below is labeled with the strength of evidence that exists for that specific use, not for Vesugen overall. This means a compound can have human studies for one condition but only animal data for another.
Vascular Health
·Animal StudiesRussian studies report improved endothelial function markers with vesugen administration. The Khavinson program classifies vesugen as a vascular bioregulator.
Limitations: No independent replication outside the St. Petersburg Institute. Whether the reported improvements are clinically meaningful by Western standards is not established.
Cardiovascular Aging
·Animal StudiesVesugen is proposed to support cardiovascular health during aging by modulating vascular gene expression. Animal studies from the Khavinson program report age-related vascular parameter improvement.
Limitations: All data from a single research program. No Western-standard cardiovascular aging trials.
Endothelial Function
·PreclinicalAnimal study data from the Khavinson laboratory reports modulation of eNOS and adhesion molecule expression by vesugen.
Limitations: The claim that a tripeptide can achieve selective endothelial gene modulation has not been independently confirmed. The proposed mechanism is ambitious and unvalidated outside the originating laboratory.
Safety and Regulatory Status
FDA Status: Not FDA-approved. Not evaluated by any Western regulatory agency. Research compound from the Khavinson program.
Availability: Not available through Western pharmaceutical channels. Available in Russia through supplement channels.
Class context: Vesugen is a Khavinson bioregulator tripeptide (Lys-Glu-Asp). Low molecular weight suggests minimal toxicity risk. Independent Western safety assessment has not been conducted.
Vesugen has been used in Russian clinical practice with no significant reported safety concerns. As a simple tripeptide, toxicity risk is expected to be low. Independent Western safety assessment has not been conducted.
Peptide Structure
Technical molecular data for researchers and clinicians.
Questions and Comparisons
Questions the evidence raises for a Vesugen discussion.
Comparison and Related Research
Vesugen is the vascular-targeted peptide in the Khavinson program. The comparisons below clarify its position relative to established cardiovascular peptides.
Related compounds
Frequently Asked Questions
References
Each citation links to the original study on PubMed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine database.
- 1.A study investigating the molecular mechanisms by which vesugen (KED tripeptide) exerts vasoprotective effects during atherosclerosis and restenosis. The research demonstrated that the peptide influenced endothelial gene expression in ways that may reduce vascular inflammation and plaque progression.Kozlov KL et al., 2016 in Adv Gerontol. View on PubMed
- 2.An investigation of the anti-atherosclerotic mechanisms of short peptides including vesugen (KED). The study identified effects on endothelial cell proliferation and gene expression patterns related to vascular homeostasis, supporting the hypothesis that vesugen targets age-related vascular dysfunction.Khavinson VKh et al., 2014 in Bull Exp Biol Med. View on PubMed
- 3.A study exploring how vesugen (KED) regulates vascular endothelial cell proliferation through epigenetic mechanisms. The research proposed that the tripeptide interacts with DNA regulatory regions to modulate expression of genes involved in vascular endothelial function during aging.Khavinson VKh et al., 2014 in Adv Gerontol. View on PubMed
- 4.A systematic review of evidence for short peptide-DNA interactions and gene regulation. The review included data on vesugen (KED) alongside other bioregulatory peptides from the Khavinson program, providing the broadest available survey of the proposed epigenetic mechanism of action.Khavinson VK et al., 2021 in Molecules. View on PubMed
- 5.A review examining how short peptides, including vesugen (KED), may modulate the senescence-associated secretory phenotype in cardiovascular cells. The paper discussed the potential for vascular bioregulatory peptides to counteract inflammaging processes that drive age-related cardiovascular disease.Khavinson V et al., 2022 in Cells. View on PubMed
Medical Disclaimer
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information presented reflects published research as indexed by PSI and should not be used to make treatment decisions. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or modifying any treatment.