Reviewed & approved by Dr. Nova Reyes · Last checked 2026-10-25. ← Back to Evidence Library
Kisspeptin-54: what the evidence says
At a glance
What it is: the full-length, 54-amino-acid form of kisspeptin (also called metastin), the body's main circulating kisspeptin. It signals the brain to release GnRH, which drives the reproductive hormones LH and FSH. R1 See also the shorter fragment kisspeptin-10.
What the evidence says: small phase 2 trials at one London IVF clinic found a single injection could trigger egg maturation in IVF, including in women at high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). R1, R2, R3 No trials test the gray-market uses (libido, testosterone, bodybuilding). Unknown
Biggest risks: in the IVF trials, no woman developed moderate or worse OHSS after a single trigger. R2 Long-term and repeated-use safety outside supervised IVF is unknown. Unknown
Rating
| Human Human evidence | Limited: IVF egg-maturation trigger, small phase 2 trials from one centre R1, R2, R3 · Gray-market uses: No human data |
| Animal Animal / lab evidence | Not rated here |
| Regulatory | Not FDA-approved (no Drugs@FDA record) · Investigational · WADA 2026: not named; S0 (unapproved substances) likely applies |
| Established human dose | None. Study details lists what trials used |
Evidence verdict: Human: Limited (IVF trigger); gray-market uses: No human data Card verdict: Limited (IVF egg-maturation trigger) · Gray-market uses: No human data Card note: Varies by use, see page
This page reports what studies used. It is not dosing advice.
Legend: HUMAN data · ANIMAL / LAB data · UNKNOWN · UNVERIFIED: not yet confirmed against a primary source
What is it?
Kisspeptin-54 is a natural hormone fragment. People with genetic defects that block kisspeptin signalling do not go through puberty and are infertile, which is why researchers tested it as a fertility drug. R1 It differs from kisspeptin-10, a 10-amino-acid fragment with a shorter action, and from newer synthetic agonists such as MVT-602. R4
Does it work?
- Human IVF trigger, first study: 53 women undergoing IVF got one injection; egg maturation occurred at every amount tested, and 12 of 53 (23%) had a clinical pregnancy. No comparison group. R1
- Human Women at high risk of OHSS: in a 60-woman randomized phase 2 trial comparing amounts, eggs matured in 95% of women; live birth rate per transfer was 45%, with no moderate or worse OHSS. No standard-trigger comparison group. R2
- Human Second injection: in a 62-woman placebo-controlled trial, a second injection raised the share of women with good egg yield (71% vs 45%). R3
- Unknown Head-to-head with standard triggers (hCG, GnRH agonist): not found. The authors themselves say this is still needed. R3
- Unknown Gray-market uses (libido, testosterone, fat loss, bodybuilding): no human trials found.
Is it safe?
- Human In the IVF trials, no moderate, severe or critical OHSS was seen. R2, R3
- Unknown Effects of repeated or long-term use, and use in men outside lab studies, are not established.
- Unknown Pregnancy-related outcomes beyond the trial reports are not described in these abstracts.
Gray-market "research use only" Kisspeptin: extra risks
Unknown contents. Vials sold online as "research use only" are not made under drug-quality rules, so identity, strength and sterility are unknown. This is a general caution; we have not found independent testing data for this product. Unknown Vendor claims about effects in people are marketing, not evidence. Unknown
What we don't know
- Unknown How it compares with standard IVF triggers in a large trial
- Unknown Whether results repeat outside the Imperial College London group
- Unknown Anything about the gray-market uses in people
Is it legal?
Not FDA-approved (no Drugs@FDA record, openFDA query Oct 25, 2026); it appears only as an investigational drug in the trials above. EU, UK, Japan, China: UNVERIFIED not checked against EMA, MHRA, PMDA or NMPA. WADA: not named on the 2026 Prohibited List; S0 bans at all times any substance with no current regulatory approval for human therapeutic use.
Study details
These are amounts researchers used, not recommendations.
R1 Human Human: IVF trigger, first study (Jayasena 2014)
| Study | People / model | Route | Amount used | Follow-up | Reported | Side effects / limitations | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jayasena 2014 | 53 women in IVF | Subcutaneous, single injection | 1.6, 3.2, 6.4 or 12.8 nmol/kg | To pregnancy test | Egg maturation at all amounts; clinical pregnancy 12/53 | No comparison group; single centre | PMID 25036713 |
R2 Human Human: women at high risk of OHSS (Abbara 2015)
| Study | People / model | Route | Amount used | Follow-up | Reported | Side effects / limitations | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbara 2015 | 60 women at high OHSS risk | Subcutaneous, single injection | 3.2, 6.4, 9.6 or 12.8 nmol/kg (randomized adaptive) | Through pregnancy | Maturation in 95%; live birth 45% per transfer | No moderate+ OHSS; open-label, no standard-trigger arm | PMID 26192876 |
R3 Human Human: second injection RCT (Abbara 2017)
| Study | People / model | Route | Amount used | Follow-up | Reported | Side effects / limitations | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbara 2017 | 62 women aged 18–34, high OHSS risk | Subcutaneous | 9.6 nmol/kg, then 2nd 9.6 nmol/kg or saline at 10 h | Through implantation | Oocyte yield ≥60%: 71% vs 45% | Moderate OHSS 1/31 vs 0/31; single centre | PMID 28854728 |
R4 Human Human: kisspeptin-54 vs MVT-602 (Abbara 2020)
| Study | People / model | Route | Amount used | Follow-up | Reported | Side effects / limitations | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbara 2020 | 9 healthy women, 6 PCOS, 6 hypothalamic amenorrhea | Subcutaneous | Kisspeptin-54 9.6 nmol/kg vs MVT-602 0.01–0.03 nmol/kg | Hours | Similar LH rise; MVT-602 peaked later | Authors consulted for MVT-602 developer | PMID 33196464 |
Full reference list (PubMed entries checked Oct 25, 2026)
- Jayasena CN, et al. J Clin Invest. 2014;124(8):3667-77. PMID 25036713
- Abbara A, et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015;100(9):3322-31. PMID 26192876
- Abbara A, et al. Hum Reprod. 2017;32(9):1915-24. PMID 28854728
- Abbara A, et al. J Clin Invest. 2020;130(12):6739-53. PMID 33196464
Disclaimer
This page is for education and harm reduction, not medical advice or a recommendation to use Kisspeptin-54. Talk to a clinician you trust before using any drug, and report problems to FDA MedWatch (https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch).
Approved for Adam Greene by Dr. Nova Reyes, 2026-10-25.