# BPC-157 vs TB-500: FDA status, research and differences

> BPC-157 vs TB-500: neither is FDA approved. Where each came from, what animal and human studies tested, July 2026 FDA review, and WADA status.

- Canonical URL: https://livingpluspeptides.com/compare/bpc-157-vs-tb-500/
- Last updated: October 25, 2026
- Publisher: Living+

| | BPC-157 | TB-500 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| FDA status | Not FDA approved. No approved product in any country [1] | Not FDA approved. Not part of any FDA-approved drug [2] |
| Studied for | Gut, tendon and other tissue injury, mostly in rats. Only tiny human pilot studies [1, 10] | Wound repair in lab and animal studies. FDA found no studies giving TB-500 to humans [2] |
| Route | Mostly into the abdomen in rats. Small human studies used enema, knee joint, bladder wall and IV routes [1, 12] | Under the skin in horses and into the abdomen in rats [2] |
| Key trials | Rat tendon study; 3 small human studies with 30 people in total [12, 10] | No human trials of TB-500. Human trials used full-length thymosin beta-4 [2, 11, 15] |
| What it is | 15 amino acid piece of a gastric juice protein, first described in 1993 [8, 1] | 7 amino acid piece of thymosin beta-4 (amino acids 17 to 23) with an acetyl group [2] |
| Half-life | Not known in humans. 5.3 minutes in dogs to 15.2 minutes in rats [1] | Not known in humans [2] |
| 503A compounding | Not on the 503A bulks list or in any category. FDA staff proposed against adding it in July 2026 [4, 5] | Not on the 503A bulks list or in any category. FDA staff proposed against adding it in July 2026 [4, 5] |
| WADA | Banned at all times under S0 Non-approved substances [7] | Banned at all times under S2.3, as a derivative of thymosin beta-4 [7] |

BPC-157 and TB-500 are two lab-made peptides often named together online. Neither is FDA approved, and neither may be compounded from bulk powder by a 503A pharmacy as of Oct 25, 2026 [1, 2, 4]. They are different molecules from different sources. BPC-157 is a 15 amino acid piece of a stomach protein [8]. TB-500 is a 7 amino acid piece of thymosin beta-4, a natural peptide [2].

## Where they come from

BPC-157 was first described in 1993 by researchers in Croatia. They called it a 15 amino acid fragment of a protein, named BPC, found in gastric juice [8]. FDA says its molecular targets have not been found and its mechanism is poorly understood [1].

TB-500 is a synthetic copy of amino acids 17 to 23 of thymosin beta-4, with an acetyl group added [2]. Thymosin beta-4 itself has 43 amino acids [9]. FDA says TB-500 appears to have first been made in 2003 [2]. FDA also notes that results for the natural fragment cannot simply be applied to the acetylated TB-500 [2].

## What has been studied

Most BPC-157 research is in rats. In a 2003 rat study, it was studied for repair of cut Achilles tendons, and treated rats had stronger tendons than controls [12]. Human data are very thin. A 2026 systematic review found only 3 human studies with 30 people in total and rated the evidence very low certainty [10]. One was a chart review of 16 adults with knee pain, with no control group [14].

For TB-500, FDA found no articles in which it was given to humans [2]. In mice, both thymosin beta-4 and the unmodified 7 amino acid fragment were linked to faster skin wound repair [13]. Human trials have tested full-length thymosin beta-4, not TB-500. A phase 1 IV study in 40 healthy adults found mild or moderate side effects [11]. A small eye drop trial for a corneal condition found full closure in 6 of 10 on drops vs 1 of 8 on placebo, which was not statistically significant [15]. See the [BPC-157](/peptides/bpc-157/) and [TB-500](/peptides/tb-500-thymosin-beta-4/) pages for full study lists.

## Safety

FDA says it lacks enough information to know whether either peptide would cause harm in people [3]. For both, FDA is concerned about immune reactions when they are injected, and about impurities in products [1, 2, 3].

FDA's adverse event database has reports of injection site reactions, shortness of breath, and skin and gum darkening after BPC-157 use, though FDA could not tell if BPC-157 caused them [1]. For TB-500, FDA found no clinical studies or human exposure data, so its risks in people are unknown [2].

## Legal status

FDA's 503A categories list, updated May 14, 2026, does not place either peptide in category 1, 2 or 3 [4]. FDA lists both among substances once in category 2 whose nominations were withdrawn [3]. At its July 23, 2026 advisory committee meeting, FDA staff proposed that BPC-157 and TB-500, in free base and acetate forms, NOT be added to the 503A bulks list [5]. FDA says it will not make a final decision until the committee process is complete [5]. As of Oct 25, 2026, FDA had not posted minutes or vote results on its meeting page [6]. See the [FDA Peptide Status Tracker](/regulation/tracker/) for updates.

Both are banned in sport at all times. WADA lists BPC-157 under S0 and thymosin beta-4 derivatives such as TB-500 under S2.3 [7].

## Frequently asked questions

### Is BPC-157 the same as TB-500?

No. BPC-157 is a 15 amino acid piece of a gastric juice protein [8]. TB-500 is a 7 amino acid piece of thymosin beta-4 [2].

### Are BPC-157 and TB-500 FDA approved?

No. FDA says no BPC-157 product is approved in any country, and TB-500 is not part of any FDA-approved drug [1, 2].

### Can a pharmacy compound BPC-157 or TB-500?

Not under section 503A as of Oct 25, 2026. Neither is on the 503A bulks list, and FDA staff proposed against adding them in July 2026 [4, 5].

### Has TB-500 been tested in humans?

FDA found no articles in which TB-500 was given to humans. Human trials used full-length thymosin beta-4 [2, 11].

### Has BPC-157 been tested in humans?

Only in very small studies. A 2026 review found 3 human studies with 30 people in total [10].

### Are BPC-157 and TB-500 banned in sports?

Yes. WADA bans BPC-157 under S0 and TB-500 under S2.3, in and out of competition [7].

## Sources

1. [FDA: Evaluation of BPC-157-related bulk drug substances, PCAC briefing, July 2026](https://www.fda.gov/media/193343/download)
2. [FDA: Evaluation of TB-500-related bulk drug substances, PCAC briefing, July 2026](https://www.fda.gov/media/193349/download)
3. [FDA: Certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks](https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks)
4. [FDA: Bulk drug substances nominated for use in compounding under section 503A (updated May 14, 2026)](https://www.fda.gov/media/94155/download)
5. [FDA: PCAC briefing document introduction, July 23-24, 2026](https://www.fda.gov/media/193342/download)
6. [FDA: July 23-24, 2026 meeting of the Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee](https://www.fda.gov/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-calendar/july-23-24-2026-meeting-pharmacy-compounding-advisory-committee-07232026)
7. [WADA: 2026 Prohibited List](https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2025-09/2026list_en_final_clean_september_2025.pdf)
8. [Sikiric et al. 1993, J Physiol Paris (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8298609/)
9. [Low et al. 1981, PNAS (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6940133/)
10. [Poolton et al. 2026, Acta Orthop Belg, systematic review (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42885452/)
11. [Ruff et al. 2010, Ann N Y Acad Sci (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20536472/)
12. [Staresinic et al. 2003, J Orthop Res (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14554208/)
13. [Philp et al. 2003, Wound Repair Regen (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12581423/)
14. [Lee and Padgett 2021, Altern Ther Health Med (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34324435/)
15. [Sosne et al. 2022, Int J Mol Sci (PubMed)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36613994/)

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