Compounds / Testagen
Testagen
Also known as: KEDG; Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly; KEDG tetrapeptide; Khavinson testicular bioregulator; synthetic analog of Testoluten (A-13)
Primary research focus: Testicular and male reproductive research (Khavinson short-peptide bioregulator)
Last updated July 2026 · Reviewed against FDA labeling and published research.
What is Testagen?
Testagen is a synthetic tetrapeptide (Lys-Glu-Asp-Gly, or KEDG) from the Khavinson family of short-peptide bioregulators, developed at the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology. It is the testis-directed member of the family and the defined-sequence synthetic counterpart to Testoluten (A-13), the corresponding tissue-extract Cytogen. It is studied preclinically for testicular function and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. It is a research compound with no FDA approval and no completed Western clinical trials.
Khavinson short peptides are proposed to cross cell and nuclear membranes and bind specific DNA sequences, modulating tissue-specific gene expression rather than acting through cell-surface receptors. This mechanism is class-level, derives largely from a single research program, and has limited independent Western replication; treat it as a working hypothesis rather than established fact. For Testagen, the proposed activity is in testicular tissue, with reported effects on gene expression relevant to Leydig and Sertoli cell function and steroidogenesis, and downstream interest in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Note that this is a proposed gene-regulatory effect on testicular tissue, not a direct hormonal action: Testagen is not a testosterone, a gonadotropin, or a GnRH analog, and it does not supply or directly stimulate hormone release the way those agents do.
How it’s supplied
Not an FDA-approved or commercially manufactured medicine. It is sold as a research-grade lyophilized powder (commonly 20 mg vials) for reconstitution, and in some markets as oral capsules. Research-grade products are not FDA-reviewed for potency or sterility.
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 | 100mcg | 1x Daily | — |
| Weeks 3-4 | 150mcg | 1x Daily | — |
| Weeks 5-8 | 200mcg | 1x Daily | — |
| Weeks 9-12 | 250mcg | 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 within the Khavinson tradition; not established in Western controlled trials.
- Reported normalization of testicular gene expression in aging models.
- Reported support of Leydig and Sertoli cell function in preclinical systems.
- Proposed support of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis regulation.
- Proposed tissue-selective bioregulation at physiological concentrations.
- 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 Testagen 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 completed Western human clinical trials of Testagen; its human safety and efficacy profile is not established.
- The proposed DNA-binding mechanism is class-level and not independently well-replicated outside the originating program.
- Marketing that frames it as a testosterone booster overstates the evidence: it is not a hormone, and testicular gene-expression effects in preclinical models do not establish a clinical testosterone effect in people.
- Symptoms of low testosterone or male infertility warrant medical evaluation rather than self-treatment with a research compound; there are evidence-based options (for example, gonadorelin, hCG, or testosterone therapy under a clinician).
- 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, and hormone-sensitive conditions where altering gonadal function could be undesirable.
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: Testagen is the testis-directed member of the Khavinson short-peptide bioregulator family from the St. Petersburg Institute of Bioregulation and Gerontology, standing as the defined synthetic counterpart to the tissue-extract Cytogen Testoluten (A-13). Compound-specific published evidence is limited and preclinical, and the supporting material is largely class-level: the Khavinson group's peptide-DNA binding work and gene-expression reviews rather than testis-specific human trials. Independent Western replication is sparse. There is no FDA approval, no public IND, and no registered Western clinical trial. As with Prostamax and Epitalon, the pattern to watch is that the tissue-extract parent (Testoluten) and the synthetic peptide (Testagen) are different products whose evidence does not automatically transfer.
Notes: Testagen 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; such products are not FDA-reviewed for safety, potency, or sterility. It is not a controlled substance. Note that it is not an anabolic steroid and is not scheduled as one, despite marketing that associates it with testosterone.
International status
Pharmacokinetics
Storage and handling
Important Notes
Practical considerations for consistency and safety.
- Testagen is not a hormone and not an anabolic steroid; it is a short peptide proposed to influence testicular gene expression. Marketing framing it as a testosterone booster overstates the evidence.
- It shares the KED core with Vesugen, Livagen, and Prostamax, and differs from Epitalon (AEDG) by a single residue; verify identity against the certificate of analysis.
- Its extract counterpart is Testoluten (A-13); the two are different products and their evidence does not transfer.
- The evidence base is preclinical and largely Russian, from a single research program, with limited independent replication.
- Low testosterone and male infertility have evidence-based treatments; those warrant clinical evaluation.
Lifestyle Factors
- Khavinson bioregulators are typically studied in short cyclic courses rather than continuous daily use.
- Human lifestyle interactions are unstudied for Testagen.
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.