Informational only. Not medical advice.INFORMATIONAL PLATFORM ONLY — NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT
Informational only. Not medical advice.INFORMATIONAL PLATFORM ONLY — NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT
Head-to-head comparison of MOTS-c and Vilon — mechanism, dosing, side effects, legal status, and pricing.
MOTS-c is a 16-amino-acid mitochondrial-derived peptide (MDP) encoded within the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, discovered by Lee and Cohen at USC in 2015 (sequence: MRWQEMGYIFYPRKLR). It is an investigational, research-only peptide studied as a metabolic regulator; it has not been approved by the FDA for any indication.
Vilon is a synthetic dipeptide (Lys-Glu / KE) from the Khavinson bioregulator series, originally derived from thymus extracts and studied in Russian preclinical models as an immunomodulator and geroprotector. Not FDA-approved; all published evidence originates from a single research group.
MOTS-c
Vilon
Category
Legal Status
Mechanism
Dose Range
Route
Frequency
Dosing Notes
COA-verified vendors · trust score ≥70 required · single-vial price — bulk/bundle deals may be lower
MOTS-c
Vilon
COA corpus from Disclosed Labs — independently tested batches only.
MOTS-c
193
COAs
99.5%
Avg purity
16
Labs
Vilon
11
COAs
99.7%
Avg purity
6
Labs
Lee et al. (Cell Metabolism, 2015; PMID 25738459) identified MOTS-c and showed that exogenous administration in mice prevented diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance via AMPK activation in skeletal muscle. Kim et al. (Cell Metabolism, 2018; PMID 29983246) demonstrated that MOTS-c translocates to the nucleus under metabolic stress and regulates antioxidant response element (ARE) genes. Reynolds et al. (Nature Communications, 2021; PMID 33473109) reported that exercise induces MOTS-c in human skeletal muscle and that MOTS-c treatment improved physical capacity in young, middle-aged, and aged mice. Human clinical data are limited to CohBar's Phase 1a/1b study of the analog CB4211 in healthy volunteers and obese NAFLD subjects, which reported acceptable tolerability and exploratory signals on ALT/AST and glucose; CohBar wound down the program in 2023. No completed Phase 2 or Phase 3 trials exist for MOTS-c or its analogs, and grey-market dosing (typically ~10 mg SubQ 2-3x/week) is not clinically validated.
Key references
Evidence is limited to Khavinson-group preclinical work. Khavinson & Anisimov (Dokl Biol Sci, 2000; PMID 10944717) reported that Vilon (L-Lys-L-Glu) inhibited spontaneous tumor growth and extended lifespan in CBA mice. A small Russian report on Vilon as an adjuvant in elderly colorectal-cancer patients (Kuznik et al., 2005; PMID 16075684) is non-randomized and unreplicated. No Western-framework clinical trials, pharmacokinetic, or dose-response studies have been published.
Key references
MOTS-c (Metabolic) and Vilon (Immune) are in different categories and target different biological pathways. This is a common pattern in multi-compound research protocols. Researchers should monitor the biomarkers from both profiles and watch for interactions listed in each compound’s contraindications. Consult a licensed healthcare provider before combining any research compounds.
This platform provides informational tools only, not medical advice. This comparison is for educational purposes only. Consult a licensed provider.
Half-life
Side Effects
Contraindications
Lab Testing
Disclosed Labs