Syn-Coll (Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5)

Also known as: Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, SYN-COLL, Pal-Lys-Val-Lys, Pal-KVK

Evidence: Preclinical

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Overview

Palmitoylated tripeptide (Pal-Lys-Val-Lys) sold as Syn-Coll and marketed as a thrombospondin-1 mimic; evidence is supplier data and multi-ingredient products, with no single-ingredient trial.

Palmitoyl tripeptide-5 is Pal-Lys-Val-Lys, sold by DSM (originally Pentapharm) as Syn-Coll. A 2021 review of cosmetic peptides found that the evidence for it sits mostly in patents and supplier brochures rather than controlled studies (Resende et al., 2021). Published human data come from products that combine it with other actives: a 12-week uncontrolled microneedle patch study (Avcil et al., 2020) and a 28-day study of lactoferrin and recombinant-collagen nanoparticles carrying it (Chen et al., 2025). In a Franz-cell test almost none of it crossed the skin from a hydrogel (Shariati Pour et al., 2023). The old '350% increase in collagen synthesis' and '84 days' figures have no published source.

Benefits

Collagen stimulation and MMP inhibition (supplier data and patents only), wrinkle and firmness changes from multi-ingredient products (human, uncontrolled)

Dosing reference

Research dose: Topical; no published concentration for the single ingredient.

Topical only. No published study states a concentration of palmitoyl tripeptide-5 on its own; the human studies used it inside microneedle patches or nanoparticle carriers with other actives.

Mechanism

Proposed by the manufacturer, with no direct test published. The claim rests on thrombospondin-1, which activates latent TGF-beta through its KRFK sequence binding the latency-associated peptide (Ribeiro et al., 1999). A related lipopeptide, elaidyl-KFK, activated latent TGF-beta in human dermal fibroblasts and raised collagen output, while the variant KQK was inactive (Cauchard et al., 2004). KVK, the sequence in Syn-Coll, was not tested there, and no peer-reviewed study has measured TGF-beta activation, collagen synthesis or MMP inhibition by palmitoyl tripeptide-5 itself (Resende et al., 2021).

Evidence

Preclinical: animal or in vitro data only

Microneedle patch combining palmitoyl tripeptide-5, acetyl octapeptide-3 and other actives: 25.8% fewer fine lines and 14.2% higher dermal density at 12 weeks, uncontrolled (Avcil et al., 2020)
Lactoferrin and recombinant-collagen nanoparticles carrying the peptide: 12.53% firmness gain and reduced nasolabial wrinkles at 28 days; no control arm described in the abstract (Chen et al., 2025)
Almost no transdermal permeation from a supramolecular hydrogel in Franz diffusion cells (Shariati Pour et al., 2023)
Review of cosmetics for sensitive skin: supporting data are mostly patents and supplier brochures (Resende et al., 2021)
Human-trial status: no published trial of palmitoyl tripeptide-5 alone; human data come from combination products

References

Side effects

No primary or cumulative skin reactions in the 12-week combination microneedle patch study (Avcil et al., 2020). No single-ingredient safety study has been published. Commonly reported (anecdotal): mild irritation.

Storage

Storage: Room temperature, away from light
Lyophilized: 2 years at room temp
Reconstituted: N/A (ready to use)

Pharmacology

Half-life: No published pharmacokinetic data in any species
Bioavailability: Almost no transdermal permeation from a hydrogel in Franz cells (Shariati Pour et al., 2023); a nanoparticle carrier was reported to raise transdermal efficiency by 69.9% (Chen et al., 2025)
Molecular weight: 611.9 Da
Sequence: [Pal]-Lys-Val-Lys