FOXO4-DRI vs GHK-Cu
Side-by-side comparison of FOXO4-DRI and GHK-Cu: mechanism, half-life, dose range, safety profile, and vendor pricing.
Price snapshot
FOXO4-DRI
GHK-Cu
FOXO4-DRI
FOXO4-DRI is a synthetic 34-amino-acid D-retro-inverso peptide designed to disrupt the interaction between the FOXO4 transcription factor and p53, with the specific goal of inducing apoptosis selectively in senescent…
Lowest listed price: $119.00 across 4 listings
Full FOXO4-DRI profileGHK-Cu
GHK-Cu is the copper(II) complex of the tripeptide glycyl-L-histidyl-L-lysine, a molecule Pickart and Thaler first pulled out of human plasma in 1973. The free peptide (GHK, C14H24N6O4) weighs about 340.4 Da; bind it 1:1…
Lowest listed price: $34.99 across 7 listings
Full GHK-Cu profileSide-by-side comparison
| Attribute | FOXO4-DRI | GHK-Cu |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Recovery | Skin, Hair & Aesthetics |
| Research Stage | Preclinical | Approved/marketed as a topical cosmetic ingredient (Copper tripeptide-1) with supporting small human studies. Injectable use is preclinical/off-label, research-use-only, with no human clinical trials. |
| Mechanism of Action | FOXO4-DRI works by disrupting the protein-protein interaction between FOXO4 (Forkhead box O4) and p53 in senescent cells, which releases p53 from nuclear sequestration and allows it to translocate to the mitochondrial outer membrane where it triggers the… | GHK-Cu works mostly as a copper shuttle and a signaling peptide. It binds Cu(II) with high affinity (log K around 16.4, close to albumin's 16.2) and can supply or regulate copper for copper-dependent enzymes like SOD1, lysyl oxidase, cytochrome c oxidase, and… |
| Half-Life | Not established in humans; no published human pharmacokinetic data. The D-retro-inverso construction confers resistance to human proteases, which in preclinical models extends the in vivo half-life from minutes (typical for comparable L-amino-acid peptides) to hours ([Baar et al., 2017](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28340339/)). | ~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study) |
| Typical Dose Range | No validated human dose. Self-report: 2-15 mg SC per dose (typically 5 mg), pulsed 3-7 days every 2-6 months; no human PK data. The 5 mg/kg figure seen in some sources is a mouse research dose (Baar 2017), not a human dose. | 200-500 mcg SC daily (community/RUO; no clinically established injectable dose) |
| Dosing Frequency | — | Once daily subcutaneous; some run 5 days on / 2 days off. Topical: 1-2x daily to cleansed skin. |
| Administration | — | Subcutaneous, Topical |
| Side Effects | The side effect profile of FOXO4-DRI in humans is not documented because no clinical trials have been conducted. Rodent studies from the Baar et al. 2017 publication and subsequent work report generally acceptable tolerability at doses producing senolytic… | Topical GHK-Cu is generally well tolerated; higher-concentration formulations (4-5%) raise the odds of irritation, redness, or stinging. Injectable use has no safety data from controlled trials; the main theoretical concern is copper accumulation with repeated… |
| Molecular Weight | 3587.0 g/mol | Free peptide (GHK): 340.38 Da (C14H24N6O4). Copper complex (GHK-Cu): 401.9 Da (C14H22CuN6O4, neutral 1:1 Cu(II) complex). |
| Common Vial Sizes | — | 50 mg, 100 mg |
Price History
4 data points- Half Nattys
- Ion Peptide
- Disguised Alpha
- LB
Price History
4 data points- OF
- BM
- Half Nattys
- BHG Labs
FOXO4-DRI: potential benefits
- Selective senescent cell clearance
- Potential reversal of aging markers
- Reduced chronic inflammation
- Improved tissue function
- Hair regrowth (animal studies)
- Organ rejuvenation potential
GHK-Cu: potential benefits
- Stimulates type I collagen synthesis in human fibroblasts at low nanomolar-to-picomolar concentrations (PMID: 3169264)
- Increases glycosaminoglycans (dermatan/chondroitin sulfate) and upregulates decorin in wound models (PMID: 11121126)
- Modulates matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors, partially correcting the MMP-9/TIMP-1 imbalance in a smoke-induced emphysema model (PMID: 35936787)
- Drives tissue remodeling and chemoattracts macrophages, mast cells, and capillary cells to injury sites (PMID: 18644225)
- Modulates expression of ~4,000+ human genes via the Broad Institute Connectivity Map, including DNA-repair and antioxidant genes (PMID: 25302294)
- Increases stemness and proliferative potential of epidermal basal cells and keratinocytes (PMID: 23019153)
- Acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory copper regulator in the context of aging (PMID: 22666519)
- Broad skin-regeneration effects on collagen, proteoglycans, MMPs, and immune/endothelial cell recruitment (PMID: 26236730)
Frequently asked
What's the difference between FOXO4-DRI and GHK-Cu?
FOXO4-DRI is a recovery that foxo4-dri works by disrupting the protein-protein interaction between foxo4 (forkhead box o4) and p53 in senescent cells, which releases p53 from nuclear sequestration and allows…. GHK-Cu is a skin, hair & aesthetics that ghk-cu works mostly as a copper shuttle and a signaling peptide. it binds cu(ii) with high affinity (log k around 16.4, close to albumin's 16.2) and can supply or regulate copper…. The two differ in mechanism, half-life (Not established in humans; no published human pharmacokinetic data. The D-retro-inverso construction confers resistance to human proteases, which in preclinical models extends the in vivo half-life from minutes (typical for comparable L-amino-acid peptides) to hours ([Baar et al., 2017](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28340339/)). vs ~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study)), and typical dose range.
Which has the longer half-life, FOXO4-DRI or GHK-Cu?
FOXO4-DRI has a half-life of Not established in humans; no published human pharmacokinetic data. The D-retro-inverso construction confers resistance to human proteases, which in preclinical models extends the in vivo half-life from minutes (typical for comparable L-amino-acid peptides) to hours ([Baar et al., 2017](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28340339/)).. GHK-Cu has a half-life of ~30-60 min (plasma; approximate legacy figure, no robust modern human PK study). Longer half-lives generally mean less frequent dosing but slower on/off kinetics.
Which is cheaper, FOXO4-DRI or GHK-Cu?
Lowest listed price on BodyHackGuide: FOXO4-DRI from $119.00, GHK-Cu from $34.99. Prices are pulled from the vendor listings tracked on BHG and change frequently. See the compare tables on each compound page for the current set of offers.
Can you stack FOXO4-DRI and GHK-Cu?
Stacking depends on mechanism overlap, safety profile, and goals. FOXO4-DRI and GHK-Cu should only be stacked after reviewing each compound's individual protocol page, side effect profile, and any published interaction data. Use the BodyHackGuide stack builder for a structured review before combining research compounds.
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Before you buy FOXO4-DRI or GHK-Cu
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