Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12
Biopeptide EL — a palmitoyl-VGVAPG elastin "spring fragment" peptide. The VGVAPG sequence is chemotactic for fibroblasts and binds the elastin receptor complex (GLB1 / cathepsin-A / NEU-1); cosmetic firmness claims rest mostly on manufacturer data.
A synthetic lipopeptide consisting of palmitic acid conjugated to Val-Gly-Val-Ala-Pro-Gly — the "spring fragment" of elastin, a six-residue motif repeated six times in the native human tropoelastin and released during elastin proteolytic turnover. The free VGVAPG motif is a known ligand of the elastin receptor complex (ERC: a heterotrimer of GLB1/elastin-binding-protein, cathepsin-A, and NEU-1) and is chemotactic for fibroblasts and monocytes. Sederma (Croda International) conjugated palmitic acid to the hexapeptide to create a skin-penetrating topical and marketed it as Biopeptide EL™. Manufacturer clinical data (10-volunteer open study, twice-daily 4 % application, one month) reported 33 % firmness and 20 % tone improvement; not independently replicated. Cosmetic ingredient only.
Mechanism of action
The VGVAPG motif is released from elastin by elastases and matrix metalloproteinases during aging and photoaging. Free VGVAPG binds the elastin receptor complex (ERC) — a non-integrin heterotrimer composed of the elastin-binding protein (splice variant of β-galactosidase, GLB1), cathepsin-A, and neuraminidase-1 (NEU-1) — triggering ERK1/2 MAP-kinase signalling. Downstream effects in fibroblasts include chemotaxis, upregulation of MMP-1 (elastase activity) and, per manufacturer claims, stimulation of tropoelastin and collagen synthesis. The palmitoyl tail provides the lipophilicity required for stratum corneum partitioning. Cosmetic claims for firmness and tone rest primarily on manufacturer data; the underlying ERC signalling is well-characterised in elastin biology literature.
Primary uses
- Topical cosmetic anti-aging formulations (firmness / tone)
Typical dosing
The concentrations in circulation come from the ingredient's supplier, and a seller's figure is not a source on this site; no study in the sources read sets one.
Regulatory status
Cosmetic ingredient; not a drug. INCI name: Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12 (CIR-reviewed 2018). Note: two possible sequences are registered under the INCI "Hexapeptide-12" name; the biologically characterised one is VGVAPG.
Status as of this entry's last review, October 4, 2026. Approvals, compounding rules and sport rules change; the regulatory tracker is checked more often.
What we checked
Palmitoyl hexapeptide-12, sold as Biopeptide EL, attaches a fatty acid to VGVAPG, a repeating sequence of the elastin protein. PubMed holds a 2025 study tracking it in human skin layers and a 2026 safety framework that names it, but no efficacy trial; this section records what can be checked.
Identity, computed
| Sequence | Not established |
The dataset gives Pal-Val-Gly-Val-Ala-Pro-Gly. The site's calculator does not model the palmitoyl group, so the dataset's formula is not recomputed here.
Regulatory status, read October 5, 2026
Drugs@FDA: 0 records for “palmitoyl hexapeptide-12”. EMA medicines list: 0 records for “palmitoyl hexapeptide-12”. Run for semaglutide, the same queries return 6 and 5 records (and the registry search 84 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 September 27, 2026.
What the maker or sellers claim
Claim, from the ingredient's maker and cosmetic sellers: It firms skin and restores elasticity. The data come from the maker's technical material.
About the VGVAPG elastin sequence
VGVAPG is a repeating stretch of elastin. A 1984 study, cited in References, found elastin fragments with this sequence draw fibroblasts and monocytes in the laboratory. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review assessment cited in References judged palmitoyl peptides safe in cosmetics.
What we looked for and did not find
No efficacy trial, no registry record and no drug application.
| Source | Query | Results, October 5, 2026 | What it was |
|---|---|---|---|
| PubMed | "palmitoyl hexapeptide-12" | 2 | |
| PubMed | VGVAPG elastin chemotactic | 20 | |
| ClinicalTrials.gov | palmitoyl hexapeptide-12 | 0 | |
| Drugs@FDA (openFDA) | palmitoyl hexapeptide-12 | 0 | |
| EMA medicines list | palmitoyl hexapeptide-12 | 0 |
References
- [manufacturer] Sederma (Croda International). "Biopeptide EL™ (Palmitoyl Hexapeptide-12) technical data sheet."
- [review] Johnson W Jr, Bergfeld WF, Belsito DV, et al. "Safety Assessment of Tripeptide-1, Hexapeptide-12, their metal salts and fatty acyl derivatives, and Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as used in cosmetics." Int J Toxicol, 2018;37(Suppl 3):90S-102S (CIR review).
- [pubmed] Senior RM, Griffin GL, Mecham RP. "Chemotactic activity of elastin-derived peptides." J Clin Invest, 1980;66(4):859-862 (VGVAPG chemotactic characterization). PMID: 6903189.
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This entry is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Dosing information reflects published regulatory or research data and is not a recommendation. Many compounds described here are not approved for human use in the United States. Consult a licensed medical professional before considering any peptide therapy.