Vilon
Also known as: Lys-Glu, KE Dipeptide
Key Facts: Vilon
- Category
- Bioregulators
- FDA Status
- Not FDA Approved
- Clinical Status
- Available in Russia - Not FDA approved
- Administration
- Oral capsules or sublingual
- Typical Dose
- 10-20 mg daily
- Frequency
- Once or twice daily
- Duration
- 10-30 day courses
Mechanism of Action
The honest answer is that Vilon's mechanism is hypothesized, not nailed down. The Khavinson group's general theory is that very short peptides can enter cells, reach the nucleus, and influence which genes get switched on, essentially acting as epigenetic regulators rather than hitting a classic surface receptor. For Vilon specifically, the proposed story is modulation of immune-related and DNA-repair gene expression and effects on chromatin in cultured lymphocytes, tying it to the thymus and to age-related immune decline. These are reasonable working hypotheses from the lab that created it, but the precise molecular targets are not well established and have not been independently confirmed at the level you would expect for a validated drug. Treat the gene-regulation mechanism as a proposed model, not settled fact.
Research Summary
Vilon's research record is real but thin and narrow. The most concrete primary studies come from Khavinson, Anisimov, and colleagues around 2000, including a paper in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine reporting that subcutaneous Vilon given to female CBA mice from six months of age increased physical activity, slightly prolonged lifespan, and reduced spontaneous tumor incidence, with a companion paper describing tumor-growth inhibition. The crucial caveats: these are rodent studies from a single research lineage, the effects were modest, and there is no independent Western replication and no registered human randomized controlled trial. Much of what is written online about immune rejuvenation and anti-aging in people extrapolates well beyond what the animal data actually support. So the accurate framing is: interesting preclinical signals in mice from one Russian group, essentially zero rigorous human evidence, and a mechanism that is still a hypothesis. It is sold as a research chemical and should not be presented as a proven therapy.
Dosing Information
Note: Animal study doses may not translate directly to humans.
Typical Dosingⓘ
Community experience
10-20 mg daily
10-20 mg daily
Once or twice daily
Khavinson dipeptide bioregulator. Oral or sublingual. Run in 10-30 day cycles for immune support.
Research Dosingⓘ
Scientific studies
Doses from Russian protocols
Doses from Studies
10-20 mg daily
Oral or sublingual
Duration
10-30 day courses
Administration
Oral capsules or sublingual
Timing & Administration
Best Time to Take
Morning
Once daily or as directed
Food Recommendation
With or without food
Why This Timing?
Immune peptides align with the body's natural immune rhythm which is more active during the day.
Possible Side Effects
Not everyone experiences these effects. Individual responses vary based on dosage, duration, and personal factors.
- ●Generally very well-tolerated
- ●Brief injection site discomfort
- ●CAUTION: Increased breast cancer in mouse models
- ●Limited human safety data
References
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11140587/
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02682106
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/12375506_A_synthetic_dipeptide_vilon_L-Lys-L-Glu_inhibits_growth_of_spontaneous_tumors_and_increases_life_span_of_mice
Research This Peptide Further
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Vilon do?
Vilon is a synthetic dipeptide, Lys-Glu (lysine-glutamic acid), one of the short peptide bioregulators developed by Vladimir Khavinson's group at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology in Russia. It is marketed in the anti-aging and immune-support space as a thymus-related bioregulator, but the real evidence base is almost entirely Russian animal studies. There are no registered Western randomized human clinical trials, so any human claims should be read with heavy skepticism.
How does Vilon work?
The honest answer is that Vilon's mechanism is hypothesized, not nailed down. The Khavinson group's general theory is that very short peptides can enter cells, reach the nucleus, and influence which genes get switched on, essentially acting as epigenetic regulators rather than hitting a classic surface receptor. For Vilon specifically, the proposed story is modulation of immune-related and DNA-repair gene expression and effects on chromatin in cultured lymphocytes, tying it to the thymus and to age-related immune decline. These are reasonable working hypotheses from the lab that created it, but the precise molecular targets are not well established and have not been independently confirmed at the level you would expect for a validated drug. Treat the gene-regulation mechanism as a proposed model, not settled fact.
Is Vilon FDA approved?
No, Vilon is not currently FDA approved. Current status: Available in Russia - Not FDA approved
What are the side effects of Vilon?
Reported side effects include: Generally very well-tolerated, Brief injection site discomfort, CAUTION: Increased breast cancer in mouse models, Limited human safety data. Individual responses vary based on dosage, duration, and personal health factors.
What is the typical dose of Vilon?
Community-reported common dose: 10-20 mg daily (Once or twice daily). Range: 10-20 mg daily. Administration: Oral capsules or sublingual. Community-reported doses. Not medical advice. Consult healthcare provider.
Related Peptides
Peptides commonly compared with Vilon or used in similar applications.
Epithalon
Clinical TrialsEpithalon (also spelled Epitalon) is a synthetic four-amino-acid peptide, Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly (AEDG), modeled on a natural pineal gland extract. It came out of decades of Russian gerontology research led by Vladimir Khavinson and is marketed as an anti-aging compound that supposedly switches telomerase back on. It has no approval from the FDA, EMA, or other Western regulators, and the human evidence is thin.
BioregulatorsThymalin
Clinical TrialsThymalin is not a single peptide but a polypeptide complex extracted from calf thymus, developed in the Soviet and Russian peptide-bioregulator tradition associated with Vladimir Khavinson. It is used in Russia and several post-Soviet countries to correct immune deficiency and is promoted as a geroprotector, with claimed effects on T and B lymphocytes, infection rates and aging. Outside that region it has no FDA or EMA approval, and the strongest human data come from a small number of studies, several from the originating research groups.
BioregulatorsChonluten
PreclinicalChonluten is a synthetic tripeptide (Glu-Asp-Gly, EDG) from the Khavinson bioregulator family, pitched as the lung and bronchial peptide, derived conceptually from the same program that produced Epitalon and Cortagen. It is researched for respiratory tissue and age-related lung decline, and it has no FDA or EMA approval. The evidence is essentially all preclinical or uncontrolled Russian clinical observation, with no randomized human trials.
BioregulatorsCrystagen
PreclinicalCrystagen is a synthetic tripeptide (Glu-Asp-Pro, or EDP) from the Khavinson family of short peptide bioregulators, studied as an immune and thymic regulator. It is a research compound, not an approved drug, with no registered human clinical trials. Note: many vendor pages list the wrong sequence; the correct one is Glu-Asp-Pro (EDP).
BioregulatorsPinealon
PreclinicalPinealon is a synthetic tripeptide, Glu-Asp-Arg (the EDR peptide), from the Russian peptide-bioregulator family designed to mimic short signaling peptides found in brain tissue. It is studied as a neuroprotective and antioxidant compound, with researchers proposing it protects neurons from oxidative stress and supports cognition. Be clear-eyed about the evidence: it is essentially all cell-culture and animal work from a small set of related labs, with no human clinical trials and no regulatory approval.
BioregulatorsCartalax
PreclinicalCartalax is a synthetic tripeptide (Ala-Glu-Asp, or AED) from the Khavinson family of short peptide bioregulators, studied as a cartilage and connective-tissue regulator. It is a research compound, not an approved drug, and no registered human clinical trials exist.
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