The big peptide money grab has begun

No one has tried To sell you Peptides yet? If not, they probably will soon. Once a subject of particular interest among bodybuilders and biohackers, peptides have become an increasingly popular class of substances promoted by both fringe influencers and the current US Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Earlier this year, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. broadcaster Joe Rogan said that the government intends to ease restrictions on peptide production. This week, it could finally happen: On July 23 and 24, the Food and Drug Administration will debate whether a group of peptides should be reclassified so pharmacies can legally make custom blends, a process known as compounding. The move would reverse a decision made by the Biden administration in 2023, which prevented the escalation of some peptides.

Despite the profession of scientists at the agency Recommended against itSeveral industry insiders told WIRED that they believe the FDA will approve the reclassification anyway, since a committee has been formed to conduct the evaluation. Includes peptide boosters. Some players in the world of telehealth are already operating on the assumption that the floodgates will open soon. “We’re getting everything ready to go,” says Meera Ahmed, CEO of telehealth platform Mochi Health, which originally focused on telehealth. GLP-1 pharmaceutical. “We have pharmacies that have done all their safety testing, and are putting prices together.”

Some of the largest telehealth companies have looked forward to this moment for more than a year. Virtual healthcare company Hims & Hers Health purchased a peptide manufacturing facility in February 2025 and is currently developing clinical protocols for the peptides, according to Chief Medical Officer Anant Venjamuri, who is scheduled to testify at the FDA chair. Joshua Fritzler, head of compounding pharmacy for Olympia Pharmaceuticals, says the company was preparing in advance for the expected changes, “and spent a lot of money creating these formulas” to be ready if the FDA gives the go-ahead.

“There is an understanding in the industry that something big is happening,” he says.

The GLP-1 boom has warmed people to the idea of ​​injecting drugs at home, and has proven to be a cash cow for pharmacies and virtual clinics. But now, many of these companies are keen to expand their horizons. Some of the company’s compounding pharmacy clients are already testing peptides that are likely to be very popular, says Cole Thomas, director of sales and operations at drug and technology marketing platform RxConnexion. One of these types, BK-157is described as a therapeutic compound and is one half of a group known as the “Wolverine Stack.” (BPC stands for “body protection complex.”)

Cameron Bravo, a research scientist at biotech company Sapho Bio, says his company has already been approached about testing a variety of peptides as well. (Mochi Health is one client.) Sapho Bio conducts tests to “validate” the formulations customers bring in, ensuring the mixtures are not contaminated and are properly sealed. So far, BPC-157 has been tested, as well as more obscure offerings such as MOTS-c, which was promoted as an “exercise in a bottle” by evangelists. Some of the pharmacies the company works with are already testing multiple products, at significant cost. “They’re probably investing close to $100,000 in these projects before they’re fully sold out yet,” he says.

Even if this week’s meeting goes exactly the way peptide boosters want it to go, with the committee approving all the material up for discussion, it won’t result in an immediate green light for the vendors. The next step includes a review period, during which the FDA will propose rules and the public will be able to comment. “It’s a long-term process,” says Gerard Olson, who was most recently director of research at LegitScript, a company that provides certifications for telehealth providers and pharmacies.