Compounds / Livagen
Livagen
Also known as: KEDA; Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala; KEDA tetrapeptide; liver peptide bioregulator; Khavinson liver bioregulator
Primary research focus: Liver, immune, and chromatin research (Khavinson short-peptide bioregulator)
Last updated July 2026 · Reviewed against FDA labeling and published research.
What is Livagen?
Livagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Lys-Glu-Asp-Ala, or KEDA) from the Khavinson family of short-peptide bioregulators, developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. It was derived from a liver polypeptide extract and is studied preclinically for hepatic, immune, and chromatin-related effects. It is best known in the bioregulator literature for reported effects on chromatin decondensation in aging cells. It is a research compound with no FDA approval and no completed Western clinical trials.
Khavinson short peptides are proposed to enter cells and the nucleus and bind specific DNA and chromatin regions, modulating tissue-specific gene expression rather than acting on cell-surface receptors. Livagen is reported to induce decondensation of heterochromatin in lymphocyte and hepatocyte nuclei from aged subjects, reactivating ribosomal genes silenced by age-related chromatin compaction, and to modulate enkephalin-degrading enzymes and neutrophil activity. This epigenetic mechanism is class-level, originates largely from a single research program, and has limited independent Western replication; treat it as proposed rather than established.
How it’s supplied
Not an FDA-approved or commercially manufactured medicine. It is sold as a research-grade lyophilized powder (for example, 20 mg vials) for reconstitution, and in the anti-aging market as oral or sublingual capsules (commonly around 200 micrograms each). Research-grade products are not FDA-reviewed for potency or sterility, and the capsule formulations have not been validated in controlled human studies.
Dosage Chart
Units shown are for a U-100 insulin syringe (100 units = 1 mL), calculated from the vial size and BAC water you select. Always confirm against your prescription and your syringe markings.
| Phase | Dose | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-2 | 0.5mg | 1x Daily | — |
| Weeks 3-4 | 1mg | 1x Daily | — |
| Weeks 5-6 | 1.5mg | 1x Daily | — |
| Weeks 7-12 | 2mg | 1x Daily | — |
- Rotate injection sites to reduce irritation and lipohypertrophy
- Not for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Do not exceed the recommended dose to try to speed results
Potential Benefits and Side Effects
Effects reported in published research. Not a promise of results, and not medical advice.
- Reported in preclinical research and small studies within the Khavinson tradition; not established in Western controlled trials.
- Reported decondensation of heterochromatin and activation of ribosomal genes in lymphocytes from elderly subjects.
- Reported hepatoprotective effects in animal models of liver fibrosis and hepatitis, with the largest effects in aging animals.
- Reported immunomodulatory effects, including increased neutrophil phagocytic activity.
- Proposed restoration of more youthful gene-expression patterns in aging tissue.
- No robust human adverse-effect data are available.
- The Khavinson short-peptide class is reported to have a clean safety profile in Russian use, but this is not established by Western trials for Livagen specifically.
- Human tolerability and long-term safety are unknown.
Warnings and contraindications
Important safety information. This is not exhaustive — read the full prescribing information and consult your prescriber or pharmacist.
- No FDA-approved labeling exists; the following reflect the compound's status and the limits of its evidence, not established label warnings.
- There are no controlled Western human clinical trials of Livagen; its human safety and efficacy profile is not established.
- The proposed DNA-binding and chromatin mechanism is class-level and not independently well-replicated outside the originating program.
- Reported chromatin-activation findings in elderly subjects come from small studies within that program.
- Research-grade material varies in identity and purity.
- Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been studied.
- Not established; no FDA-approved labeling. Precautionary considerations include known hypersensitivity to the peptide.
Reconstitution Steps
How to prepare the lyophilized vial. Confirm specifics with your pharmacist or prescriber.
- Confirm the amount of peptide in the vial and the volume of diluent you intend to use before starting.
- Wash your hands and gather supplies: the lyophilized vial, the diluent (typically bacteriostatic water), an alcohol swab, and a sterile syringe.
- Let the vial and diluent reach room temperature if they were refrigerated or frozen.
- Wipe the rubber stopper of both the peptide vial and the diluent vial with a fresh alcohol swab and let them air dry.
- Draw the intended diluent volume into the syringe.
- Insert the needle into the vial and slowly release the diluent down the inside wall rather than directly onto the powder, to avoid foaming.
- Do not shake. Gently swirl or roll the vial until fully dissolved.
- Inspect the solution: it should be clear and colorless with no visible particles. Do not use if cloudy or containing particles.
- Note the resulting concentration (amount divided by diluent volume) so it matches the reconstitution calculator on this page.
- Label the vial with the reconstitution date and store as directed under reconstituted storage.
US regulatory status
Classifications are public record but can change. For reference only, not legal advice.
Development: Livagen is part of the Khavinson short-peptide bioregulator program at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, reported largely in Russian-language literature. It is the hepatic-targeted member of the class, derived from a liver polypeptide complex (Ventvil). It is historically notable as one of the first Khavinson peptides studied for chromatin effects: researchers reported de-heterochromatinization and activation of ribosomal genes in lymphocytes from elderly subjects, which became a cornerstone of the Khavinson chromatin hypothesis. A 2020 review by Kuznik, Khavinson, and Linkova described hepatoprotective and immunoprotective effects of both the parent extract and the KEDA tetrapeptide in animal models of liver fibrosis and hepatitis, with the largest effects in aging animals. Independent Western replication is sparse, and there is no FDA approval, no public IND, and no registered Western clinical trial.
Notes: Livagen is not FDA-approved and has no recognized clinical use in the US. It is not on the FDA 503A bulk drug substances list and has no approval or shortage basis for compounding, so it is not eligible for 503A or 503B compounding. It is sold as a research-grade chemical (and, in some markets, as a supplement); such products are not FDA-reviewed for safety, potency, or sterility. It is not a controlled substance.
International status
Pharmacokinetics
Storage and handling
Important Notes
Practical considerations for consistency and safety.
- Livagen (KEDA) is the liver-targeted member of the Khavinson bioregulator family; do not confuse it with Epitalon (AEDG), Vilon (KE), or Cartalax.
- Its distinguishing claim is chromatin decondensation and reactivation of ribosomal genes in aged cells.
- The evidence base is preclinical and largely Russian, from a single research program, with limited independent replication.
- It is a research compound, not an FDA-approved drug, and research-grade material varies in purity.
Lifestyle Factors
- Khavinson bioregulators are typically studied in short cyclic courses (for example, 10 to 30 days) rather than continuous daily use.
- Human lifestyle interactions are unstudied for Livagen.
References
Related compounds
Important disclaimer
This page is an educational reference, not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment recommendation, and not a substitute for your prescriber or pharmacist. Approval and regulatory status varies by compound and can change. Always confirm against current prescribing information and consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any decision about a medication.