Vilon
Also known as: Lys-Glu dipeptide
Vilon is a synthetic Lys-Glu dipeptide proposed to enter cells, bind sequence-specific sites in gene-promoter DNA and remodel chromatin, thereby modulating expression of immune- and proliferation-related genes, an effect shown mainly in rodent and cell-culture models.
- Drug class
- Synthetic dipeptide bioregulator (research-only peptide immunomodulator/geroprotector)
- Primary targets
- Gene-promoter DNA / chromatin, Thymic epithelial cells and T-lymphocytes, Immune gene expression (e.g., IL-2)
- Dose reference
- No validated or approved human dose; Russian experimental/clinical work used short intramuscular injection courses and rodent studies used microgram-to-milligram parenteral doses (research only, not a recommendation)
- Half-life
- Not formally characterized in humans; as an ultra-short dipeptide, plasma half-life is expected to be very short (on the order of minutes)
- Developer / origin
- Vladimir Khavinson and colleagues, St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology (Russia)
- Reference year
- 2000
- Evidence score
- 2/5 - Preclinical / early
Preclinical / early
Vilon has coherent peer-reviewed mechanistic and rodent data (reduced spontaneous tumor incidence, modest mean life-span extension in mice, chromatin reactivation in elderly-donor lymphocytes, mild anti-inflammatory macrophage signaling), but no large controlled human trials, no approved indication, and limited independent replication.
Mostly animal, ex vivo, cell, or indirect evidence.
Evidence basis
- Mouse studies report inhibition of spontaneous tumors and increased mean life span (Dokl Biol Sci 2000; Mech Ageing Dev 2001)
- Cell-culture work shows chromatin deheterochromatinization in elderly-donor lymphocytes (Biogerontology 2004)
- Modest, receptor-independent immune signaling effects in THP-1 macrophages (Int J Mol Sci 2022)
- Proposed DNA-binding/epigenetic mechanism is model-based (molecular docking), not clinically confirmed
- Evidence dominated by a single research program with little independent replication and essentially no robust human RCTs
Key references
- PubMedA synthetic dipeptide vilon (L-Lys-L-Glu) inhibits growth of spontaneous tumors and increases life span of mice. Dokl Biol Sci. 2000
- PubMedEffect of synthetic thymic and pineal peptides on biomarkers of ageing, survival and spontaneous tumour incidence in female CBA mice. Mech Ageing Dev. 2001
- PubMedBioregulator Vilon-induced reactivation of chromatin in cultured lymphocytes from old people. Biogerontology. 2004
- PMCPeptides Regulating Proliferative Activity and Inflammatory Pathways in the Monocyte/Macrophage THP-1 Cell Line. Int J Mol Sci. 2022
How to read this entry
Dose references and half-life values are pulled from trial protocols, labels, reviews, or published summaries where available. They are context for research and comparison, not a personal dosing recommendation.
Status matters: approved drugs have regulated indications; investigational compounds are still being studied; research-only peptides do not have established human dosing, safety, or efficacy for consumer use.
Vilon guides
Read the matching guide or adjacent research pages for more context.
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