Side by side

1. 1.Activates the KISS1R receptor (also called GPR54) on GnRH neurons in the hypothalamus.
2. 2.Those neurons release GnRH into the portal blood, which prompts the pituitary to release LH and FSH.
3. 3.LH and FSH then drive sex-hormone production and, in women, egg maturation and ovulation.
4. 4.Because the effect is at the top of the chain, a single dose produces a measurable LH surge within minutes — which makes it a useful research tool.

• Hypothalamic amenorrhoea and low-GnRH states
• Ovulation triggering in IVF for women at high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome
• Diagnosis of delayed or absent puberty
• Hypogonadism research in men
• Placental biology and cancer biology (laboratory)

• Dose-dependent LH release within 30–60 minutes of an intravenous dose
• Egg maturation achieved with kisspeptin-54 in small IVF studies, with a lower hyperstimulation signal than standard triggers
• Restored LH pulsatility in some women with hypothalamic amenorrhoea during infusion
• All human data come from small, short mechanistic studies

• No serious adverse events reported in the small published studies
• Transient flushing and mild abdominal discomfort reported
• Long-term safety is unknown because exposure has been brief
• Any effect on early pregnancy is not characterised

Research context only — no approved product exists. Human studies used single intravenous boluses in the 1.6–12.8 nanomoles-per-kilogram range, or short subcutaneous infusions. Fertility applications must be supervised by a reproductive endocrinology team.

Research context only