PNC-27

Summary

PNC-27 is a designed peptide that links a fragment of the p53 protein (a natural tumor suppressor) to a sequence that carries it into cells; in lab dishes it forms pores in the membranes of cancer cells that display the protein HDM-2 and kills them while sparing normal cells. All evidence is from cell lines and a small number of mouse xenograft experiments (human tumors grown in mice), and no human trial has ever been registered or published. It is not FDA approved and never has been reviewed; in January 2017 FDA warned cancer patients not to use PNC-27 products sold online after finding bacterial contamination in a sample.

What is PNC-27?

PNC-27 is a synthetic 32 amino acid peptide: residues 12 to 26 of the p53 HDM-2 binding domain fused to the penetratin membrane transit sequence. It is also known as PNC 27, p53 HDM-2 binding peptide, PNC-27 anticancer peptide.

How does it work?

The p53 derived segment of PNC-27 binds HDM-2 (MDM2), which is expressed on the plasma membrane of many cancer cells but not on normal cells. On binding, the peptide oligomerizes and forms transmembrane pores, causing rapid necrotic cell death within hours (the authors call this poptosis). Later work suggests PNC-27 also disrupts mitochondrial membranes in cancer cells. Cells lacking membrane HDM-2 are not affected in these assays.

What does the evidence say about PNC-27?

In vitro work from one research group shows PNC-27 kills a range of cancer cell lines (pancreatic, breast, leukemia, cervical, and others) by membrane pore formation, with no effect on untransformed cells at the same concentrations. Mouse xenograft experiments with the related PNC-28 peptide showed tumor shrinkage. No human trial, dose finding study, or pharmacokinetic study has been published, so the evidence is graded animal-only and human efficacy and safety are unknown.

Human evidence

No indexed human trial identified. No clinical trial of PNC-27 appears in the published literature, and FDA has stated it has not evaluated or approved PNC-27 for any disease. Products sold online as nebulized solutions, intravenous solutions, or suppositories have never been tested in people.

Animal evidence

Mouse xenograft studies with the sister peptide PNC-28 reported necrosis and shrinkage of human pancreatic cancer implants. PNC-27 itself has been characterized mostly in cell culture: it kills HDM-2 positive cancer cell lines within hours by pore formation and has no cytotoxicity toward normal fibroblasts, keratinocytes, or hematopoietic cells in the same assays. Toxicology, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity in animals have not been reported.

Key studies

Conditions studied

Is PNC-27 legal in the United States?

FDA and compounding status

Not an FDA approved drug and never submitted for FDA review. PNC-27 has not been nominated for the 503A bulks list and does not appear in any FDA compounding category, so licensed pharmacies cannot lawfully compound it. FDA issued a public warning in January 2017 telling cancer patients not to buy or use PNC-27 products after laboratory testing found bacterial contamination in a solution marketed for inhalation.

WADA status

WADA prohibited. Athletes subject to anti-doping testing should treat this as prohibited at all times unless the current prohibited list says otherwise.

Regulatory timeline

No regulatory events recorded.

Full tracker for PNC-27 or the category-wide tracker.

What published studies of PNC-27 used

Ranges below are reported from published studies and labeling only. PeptideAgent does not recommend doses or protocols.

Not established in human literature. Cell culture studies used micromolar concentrations in vitro; no animal or human dose can be derived from them.

Routes reported

What are the side effects and interactions of PNC-27?

Side effects

Interactions

Contraindications

How do people access PNC-27 legally?

Typical cost: Not available through licensed channels. Products sold as research chemicals are not lawful for human use and are not verified for identity or purity.

• Rules by state
• Verified provider directory

What's actually offered, and what that means for you

Licensed compounding pharmacies, clinics, and telehealth prescribers openly offer many unapproved peptides, and prescribers write prescriptions for them. That does not make PNC-27 lawful. PNC-27 is not FDA approved and not on the 503A bulks list, so a pharmacy has no lawful basis to compound it. [6] [7]

Enforcement is uneven. FDA mostly acts through warning letters to compounders and online sellers, Category 2 safety listings, and import alerts that let it detain shipments, rather than stopping every pharmacy. State pharmacy boards oversee pharmacies day to day, and their rules differ. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

What changes for you

• No FDA review of the product: FDA does not check a compounded drug's safety, effectiveness, or quality before it is sold. [11]
• Identity, purity, sterility, and dose accuracy can vary from batch to batch. [7]
• Insurance rarely covers it, so you usually pay cash.
• For tested athletes, PNC-27 is prohibited at all times on the WADA list, whatever the source. [5]

What to check

These checks lower some risks, but they do not make an unlawfully compounded product lawful or safe. Check for:

• A 503A pharmacy licensed in your state (your state board of pharmacy publishes license lookups). [11]
• A real evaluation by a licensed prescriber, not just an online form.
• A certificate of analysis for the specific batch.

Frequently asked questions

Decisions about starting, stopping, or combining any treatment belong with a licensed clinician who knows your history.

Sources

Numbered citations above point to these primary sources. PubMed entries link to the indexed abstract.