What is Livagen?

What sources report

Livagen is a synthetic peptide of four amino acids: lysine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and alanine (Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala, or KEDA).¹⁷ PubChem lists it as CID 87919683, with the formula C18H31N5O9 and a molar mass of 461.5 g/mol.¹⁴ Khavinson's group made it by directed chemical synthesis, based on amino acid analysis of liver polypeptide preparations.¹ In 2001 the group reported that four of its short peptides, or "cytogens," each stimulated growth of the rat tissue they were designed from.⁶ For Livagen, that tissue was rat liver.⁶

A PubMed search for "livagen" returned 19 records in October 2026,¹⁵ and ClinicalTrials.gov lists no Livagen trial.⁴ Most studies come from the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology and a collaborating genetics group at Tbilisi State University in Georgia.¹²¹⁶ Labs that need the compound can find Livagen for sale as a freeze-dried research vial.

Chromatin in blood cells from elderly donors

These studies took white blood cells from older people and treated them with Livagen in the lab.²³ No donor was given the peptide.²³

• 2002: in lymphocytes from old people, Livagen activated ribosomal genes, loosened structural chromatin near chromosome centers, and released genes silenced by age-related packing.² The authors call this "de-heterochromatinization," or activation, of chromatin.²
• 2004: in leukocytes from people aged 75 to 88, five short peptides (Vilon, Epithalon, Livagen, Prostamax and Cortagen) all activated ribosomal genes.³ Epithalon, Livagen and Prostamax also loosened structural chromatin near the center of chromosome 1.³
• 2006: a further study reported that Epitalon, Livagen and Vilon activate chromatin in lymphocytes of old individuals.¹⁷
• 2023: in lymphocytes from people aged 75 to 88, Livagen and three other bioregulators loosened total heterochromatin and activated ribosomal genes.¹⁶ They did not loosen structural chromatin near chromosome centers, which conflicts with the 2002 and 2004 reports.¹⁶³

Damage from metals and radiation

• Cobalt (2007): in cultured lymphocytes from donors aged 80 to 91, Livagen reduced the number of chromosome changes caused by cobalt chloride.¹⁸
• Radiation and copper (2007): cells from donors aged 72 to 86 were exposed to radiation and copper chloride.¹⁹ The authors reported a "corrective activity" of Livagen on the cells' adaptive response.¹⁹ That article is in Russian.¹⁹

Liver studies

• Rat hepatocytes (2001): in liver cells from rats aged 1 to 24 months, Livagen raised protein synthesis, with the largest effect in cells from old rats.¹ Epitalon did not change protein synthesis in these cells.¹
• Liver tissue culture (2002): the authors reported that Livagen supported the structure and function of liver cell populations and cell regeneration.¹³ They based this on cell staining and measurements.¹³
• Animal models (2020 review): the developer group says Livagen and a liver polypeptide complex, Ventvil, were highly effective in liver disease models in animals and in cell studies.⁷ The models included liver fibrosis and acute and chronic hepatitis.⁷ The review says both normalized immune and antioxidant status, but its abstract gives no doses or animal numbers.⁷

Gut and enzyme studies

• Enkephalin enzymes (2003): Livagen blocked enzymes in human serum that break down enkephalins, the body's own opioid peptides.¹² Its IC50 was 20 micromolar, against 500 for Epitalon.¹² It did not bind mu or delta opioid receptors in rat brain membranes.¹²
• Digestion (2005): small-intestine peptidases did not break Livagen down even slightly.²⁰ After two weeks of Livagen by mouth, digestive enzyme activity fell in young rats and rose in old rats, often toward young-control levels.²⁰

Related peptides

Livagen was often tested next to other short peptides from the same program, including Epitalon, Vilon and Cortagen.³ See What is Epithalon?, What is Vilon? and What is Cortagen?.

Side effects

No side effect data exist for Livagen.⁴¹⁵ No clinical trial is registered,⁴ and the published cell and rat studies do not report adverse effects.¹⁵ In young rats, two weeks of oral Livagen lowered digestive enzyme activity, and what that means for health was not assessed.²⁰ Long-term safety, use in pregnancy or in children, and use with other medicines are unstudied.⁴¹⁵

Health Canada says the injectable Livagen products it seized had not been assessed for safety, efficacy and quality.⁹ It warns that such products may cause infection and allergic reactions, interact with other medicines, contain contaminants that may not be listed on the label, or may not have been made or stored safely.⁹ More background is in Peptide safety basics.

Dosage information

No human dose of Livagen is established.⁵⁴ It has no FDA-approved label and no registered clinical trial.⁵⁴ The sources reviewed give very few amounts:

• Rats (2005): Livagen was given by mouth for two weeks.²⁰ The abstract does not state the dose.²⁰
• Test tube (2003): an IC50 of 20 micromolar for blocking enkephalin-degrading enzymes in human serum.¹² That is a measure of potency in a sample, not a dose.
• Animal liver models (2020 review): the abstract gives no doses or routes.⁷

Lab and animal conditions are not guidance for people.⁵⁴ Background on how study doses are reported is in Peptide dosage basics.

Reconstitution and storage

The research vial holds 20 mg of freeze-dried powder.⁸ The supplier advises refrigerating it on arrival, away from light, and mixing it with bacteriostatic water, sold separately.⁸ It says to keep the mixed vial in the refrigerator and use it within 30 days; these are supplier statements, not published stability data.⁸

Peptide makers' general guidance applies. GenScript says peptides containing Lys, Glu or Asp tend to absorb moisture and should be kept tightly capped, ideally in a desiccator.²¹ Bachem advises letting a cold container warm to room temperature in a desiccator before opening it.²² GenScript also links Asp to an especially short life in solution and suggests aliquots stored at -20 °C, without freeze-thaw cycles, if a solution must be kept.²¹

Lab steps are in the reconstitution guide and How to store peptides. The reconstitution calculator does the concentration math.

Regulatory status

Livagen is not an FDA-approved drug: a search of FDA's Drugs@FDA data for it as an active ingredient returned no matches in October 2026.⁵ It is not on FDA's May 14, 2026 list of bulk substances nominated for 503A compounding, nor on FDA's page of bulk substances that may present significant safety risks.²³²⁴ A federal rule lets a drug meant only for test-tube or lab-animal research be shipped if it is labeled "Not for use in humans," and the shipper must use due diligence to make sure the recipient regularly does such research.²⁵ In an August 2026 warning letter to one peptide seller, FDA said evidence from the seller's website showed its products were intended as drugs for human use, despite "for research use only" labels.²⁶

Canada has named Livagen directly: Health Canada's August 1, 2025 advisory lists it among unauthorized injectable peptide drugs seized from and sold by the seller Canada Peptide.⁹ The advisory says injectable peptides are regulated as prescription drugs in Canada and that selling unauthorized drugs is illegal there.⁹

WADA's 2026 Prohibited List does not name Livagen, but its class S0 bans at all times any substance not covered by the list's other sections that has no current government approval for human therapeutic use.¹⁰ USADA says the 2027 list, in force January 1, 2027, names "peptides" in general in S0.¹¹ Livagen's status in Russia could not be confirmed from an official source.