Evidence Grade C — Moderate human evidence. 62 published studies, 20 human. 0 registered clinical trials.
Medically reviewed by a licensed medical professional
Vilon is a dipeptide (just two amino acids) from the Khavinson bioregulator programme, originally derived from thymus extract. It is the smallest peptide in the Khavinson programme, which raises fundamental questions about whether a molecule this small can exert the specific gene-regulatory effects proposed. No controlled human clinical trials have been conducted. It has no regulatory approval.
Vilon is also known by these brand and alternate names:
62 published studies: 20 human, 40 animal, 6 in-vitro, 2 reviews
Vilon has no marketing authorisation from any major regulatory agency. No controlled human clinical trials have been conducted. Animal lifespan studies in mice reported by the Khavinson group form the evidence base.
As the smallest member of the Khavinson bioregulator peptide programme (just two amino acids), Vilon raises fundamental questions about whether a dipeptide can exert the specific gene-regulatory effects proposed. Products available through unregulated channels lack pharmaceutical quality assurance.
Research from the Khavinson group proposes that Vilon may reverse age-related changes in chromatin structure. These proposals are part of the bioregulation theoretical framework, which posits that short peptides can modulate gene expression by interacting with DNA. These mechanisms have not been independently validated.
Research from the Khavinson group reports lifespan extension and tumour suppression in mouse studies, with consistent findings spanning 30+ years. However, the research is predominantly from Russian laboratories with limited methodology descriptions by Western standards. The fundamental question of how a two-amino-acid peptide could achieve sequence-specific DNA recognition — the proposed mechanism — remains scientifically debated. No large, properly controlled, double-blind trials meeting Western standards exist. No pharmacokinetic studies have been published. Products from unregulated channels lack pharmaceutical quality assurance.
PeptideTrace tracks 0 registered clinical trials for Vilon sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov.
No trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov for this compound.
Vilon is the smallest biologically active peptide in Khavinson's bioregulator program, a dipeptide originally isolated from thymus gland extract (Thymalin). Its sequence is Lys-Glu (KE), with molecular formula C11H21N3O5 and molecular weight 275.30 g/mol (CAS: 45234-02-4; PubChem CID: 7010502; ChEBI ID: 74557; UNII: H34V7IM5ML). Available as a white lyophilized powder that is water-soluble. Remarkably for a dipeptide, research suggests Vilon resists hydrolysis in small intestine preparations and shows minimal degradation in large intestine and liver homogenates, suggesting possible oral bioavailability. Research administration routes include subcutaneous injection and oral. Also marketed as Normophthal for ophthalmic applications in Russia. Not approved by any Western regulatory agency.
Research suggests Vilon's central mechanism involves chromatin deheterochromatinization, reversing age-related accumulation of facultative heterochromatin. Lezhava et al. (2004, Biogerontology) demonstrated that in lymphocytes from elderly donors, Vilon reactivated nucleolar organizer regions and increased the proportion of transcriptionally active euchromatin, selectively targeting age-related facultative heterochromatin without affecting constitutive pericentromeric heterochromatin. Research suggests Vilon increases IL-2 gene expression in splenocytes (concentration- and time-dependent), increases CD5 and CD4 markers on developing T-cells, and normalizes T-lymphocyte counts in aged animals. DNA-microarray study in mouse heart showed Vilon altered expression of 36 genes. Research suggests regulation of IGF1, FOXO1, TERT, NFkappaB, ACE2, and AKT1/AKT2 genes in mesenchymal stem cell cultures. A Chinese synthesis study showed dose-dependent inhibition of LOVO, MKN-45, and QGY7703 tumor cell lines with over 60% inhibition rate at 30 mg/kg in vivo, while not inhibiting healthy human leukocytes.
Khavinson and Anisimov (2000; female CBA mice) showed subcutaneous Vilon (0.1 ug/animal, 5 days monthly from 6 months of age) increased physical activity, prolonged lifespan, and prevented spontaneous neoplasms. Anisimov et al. (2001; female SHR mice) showed Vilon treatment produced 2.6x more mice surviving to 23 months, maximal lifespan increased by 2 months, and lung adenoma and mammary carcinoma incidence decreased. Khavinson long-term review reported peptide preparations including Vilon increased mean lifespan by 20-40% and suppressed tumorigenesis in rodents. A clinical cohort (N=266, age >60, 6-8 years) with annual 10-day peptide treatments including Vilon reportedly normalized basic functions, though methodology and blinding details are limited in available English abstracts. A THP-1 cell study (MDPI, 2022) showed Vilon modulated ERK and JNK phosphorylation in human monocytic cells.
The information on this page is provided for educational and research reference purposes only. This is not medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any health-related decisions.
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