2 November 2026
Peptide names and abbreviations, explained
Peptide names look like code, because they are one. Most are short labels that researchers coined for a compound, and the letters and numbers each carry a little information once you know where to look.
Letters and numbers
Many names combine a short set of letters with a number, such as CJC-1295 or TB-500. The number is usually a catalogue or development number given to the compound, not a measurement. It tells you which compound it is and nothing about how much is in the vial.
With and without DAC
CJC-1295 is sold in two versions, with DAC and without DAC. DAC stands for drug affinity complex, a chemical group added to the molecule. The two versions are different compounds, so the full name on a product matters, and the two should not be mixed up.
Chemical shorthand
Some names are plain chemistry. GHK-Cu is the three amino acids glycine, histidine and lysine, written GHK, bound to copper, whose symbol is Cu. Reading the pieces tells you what the compound is made of.
Blends
A blend combines two compounds in one vial, and the product name usually joins their names, followed by a figure for the strength. Check the product page for the exact makeup of any blend before you rely on the name alone.
Milligram figures
A figure such as 5mg or 10mg on a product is the strength: the amount of the compound in each vial, in milligrams. Every Pep Pantry price is for a kit of ten vials of one product at one strength, so the strength tells you what each vial holds and the kit is ten of them. A few products use another unit, such as IU, so read the unit as well as the number.
Why the exact name matters
Because many names look alike, always match the full name and the strength to your protocol and to your records. Two compounds with almost the same name can behave very differently in an experiment. A short note of the full name, the strength and the date you received each vial prevents most mix-ups.
Research use only
Pep Pantry products are sold for laboratory research by adults. They are not for human or veterinary use. This article explains names for laboratory readers only.