Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7

Mechanism of action

Produced matrix-related biomarker responses in human skin-equivalent cultures (2009); with acetyl tetrapeptide-11 it restored cellular adenosine triphosphate depleted by reactive oxygen species in skin cell lines (2021). No study isolates an effect in people.

Primary uses

• Cosmetic skin-care formulations

Typical dosing

Regulatory status

Not a drug: PubChem lists it under its INCI name as a cosmetic ingredient (CID 11962376). Drugs@FDA and the EMA medicines list hold no record for it (searched October 28, 2026).

Status as of this entry's last review, October 28, 2026. Approvals, compounding rules and sport rules change; the regulatory tracker is checked more often.

What we checked

Palmitoyl dipeptide-7 (Pal-KT) appears in skin-model, cell and product studies, never alone in people; this section records what can be checked.

Identity, computed

The calculator used elsewhere on this site does not handle this N-terminal acyl group, so the formula and weight are PubChem's, not computed here.

Regulatory status, read October 28, 2026

Drugs@FDA: 0 records for “palmitoyl dipeptide-7”. EMA medicines list: 0 records for “palmitoyl dipeptide-7”. Run for semaglutide, the same queries return 6 and 5 records (and the registry search 80 trials), so a zero here is an absence, not a broken search. Not named on the WADA 2026 and 2027 Prohibited Lists. As a substance with no current approval for human therapeutic use, it falls under section S0 (non-approved substances), which is prohibited at all times; the lists were read on October 28, 2026.

What the studies show

In human skin-equivalent cultures, Pal-KT produced matrix-related biomarker responses (Osborne et al., 2009).

Two randomized split-face studies (42 and 35 women) tested creams containing niacinamide, Pal-KT, Pal-KTTKS and carnosine on periorbital wrinkles (Kaczvinsky et al., 2009); they tested the products, not the peptide alone.

In skin cell lines, Pal-KT with acetyl tetrapeptide-11 (Ac-PPYL) synergistically restored adenosine triphosphate depleted by reactive oxygen species (Flagler et al., 2021).

A 2025 study made shorter fatty-acid conjugates of the KT dipeptide and found they outperformed Pal-KT on solubility and other properties relevant to skin delivery (Sayed Tabatabaei et al., 2025).

What we looked for and did not find

No controlled study of the peptide alone in people, no registry record and no drug approval.

References

1. [other] PubChem CID 11962376, Palmitoyl Dipeptide-7: formula C26H51N3O5, molecular weight 485.7. Read October 28, 2026. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/11962376
2. [pubmed] Osborne R, et al. "Understanding metabolic pathways for skin anti-aging." J Drugs Dermatol, 2009;8(7 Suppl):s4-7. PMID: 19623777.
3. [clinical-trial] Kaczvinsky JR, et al. "Efficacy of anti-aging products for periorbital wrinkles as measured by 3-D imaging." J Cosmet Dermatol, 2009;8(3):228-33. PMID: 19735523.
4. [pubmed] Flagler MJ, et al. "Combinations of peptides synergistically activate the regenerative capacity of skin cells in vitro." Int J Cosmet Sci, 2021;43(5):518-529. PMID: 34272744.
5. [pubmed] Sayed Tabatabaei M, et al. "Optimized cutaneous delivery of anti-wrinkle dipeptide KT via molecular modification: Preformulation, permeation, and the importance of conjugate chain length." Bioimpacts, 2025;15:27558. PMID: 39963572.

Related peptides

Guides & tools