Biopeptide Complex is a proprietary technology used in Larens cosmetics, based on bioactive marine peptides obtained from fish collagen hydrolysates. Unlike many popular cosmetic peptides (such as Matrixyl or Argireline), which are synthesised in a lab, Biopeptide Complex is derived from natural fish material and is protected by patent documentation. In this article we explain what it's made from, how it works, and how it differs from classic peptide solutions on the market.
Biopeptide Complex is a complex of bioactive marine peptides, developed and patented under numbers PL206813 and US7285638. The inventor of the technology is Prof. Andrzej Frydrychowski. The technology was awarded a silver medal at the international invention fair Brussels Eureka in 2006.
The complex is used in Larens products as the main active ingredient of the peptide line — the best-known product based on this technology is Biopeptide Serum Spray, with a pH of 3.0–4.0.
The above information comes from manufacturer materials (patent documentation, official WellU/Larens materials) and is presented as manufacturer information.
The starting material for Biopeptide Complex is fish collagen hydrolysate. According to the official Nutrivi product catalogue, the collagen sources used in the technology are: silver carp, grass carp, and Atlantic salmon. The hydrolysis process breaks down long collagen chains into shorter, bioactive peptide fragments — this is precisely what distinguishes marine peptides from peptides synthesised chemically from scratch.
Fish origin has practical significance: fish collagen hydrolysates are considered highly bioavailable and have an amino acid profile similar to the collagen present in human skin, which is one of the arguments for their use in cosmetology.
Biopeptide Complex belongs to the broader category of bioactive marine peptides — peptides obtained from marine organisms (most often fish), rather than synthesised in a lab from scratch. A full discussion of this category, including a comparison with synthetic peptides, can be found in a separate article: Bioactive marine peptides →
Fish collagen peptides are fragments formed through the hydrolysis of collagen sourced from fish (in Biopeptide Complex's case — silver carp, grass carp and Atlantic salmon). In cosmetics they perform a function similar to other signal peptides — supporting the skin's regenerative processes, while standing out for their natural origin.
It's worth distinguishing:
Matrixyl (Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, sometimes combined with Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1) is one of the most recognisable signal peptides on the market, used in products by The Ordinary and Timeless, among others. The key difference from Biopeptide Complex lies in the raw material's origin: Matrixyl is a fully synthetic peptide, designed to imitate a specific fragment of procollagen, while Biopeptide Complex is derived from natural fish collagen hydrolysate.
Both technologies share a common goal — stimulating collagen synthesis through cellular signalling — but they differ in their approach to reaching that goal and in the origin of the starting material. Full article on Matrixyl →
Argireline (Acetyl Hexapeptide-8) is a neuropeptide that works on a completely different principle than Biopeptide Complex — it limits excessive facial muscle tension, making its action comparable (though much gentler than invasive treatments) to a smoothing alternative for expression lines. Biopeptide Complex doesn't act on facial muscles — its mechanism focuses on supporting collagen synthesis through fibroblast signalling. These are two different mechanisms that, in practice, are sometimes used complementarily in different products within the same skincare routine (e.g. Biopeptide Serum Spray and Neuropeptide Serum Eye & More). Full article on Argireline →
Copper Tripeptide-1 (GHK-Cu) is a copper peptide whose mechanism of action is based on transporting copper ions that act as an enzymatic cofactor in the skin's regenerative processes. Biopeptide Complex contains no copper — its action is based solely on bioactive peptides of fish origin. More on this category in the article: Copper peptides →
Biopeptide Complex is not collagen — it's a product of fish collagen hydrolysis, i.e. a collection of shorter, bioactive peptide fragments. Unlike full-size collagen (too large a molecule to effectively penetrate the epidermal barrier when applied topically), the peptides in Biopeptide Complex are meant to reach the living layers of the skin and perform a signalling function there.
Hydrolysed collagen is a broad term covering collagen broken into shorter chains through hydrolysis — not necessarily into bioactive peptides with a defined action profile. Biopeptide Complex can be treated as a specific, patented technology within this broader category, with an effect on collagen synthesis documented in manufacturer studies.
Biopeptide Complex is one specific, patented implementation of the broader category of bioactive marine peptides. Not every marine peptide is Biopeptide Complex, but Biopeptide Complex is a marine peptide in terms of raw material origin.
According to manufacturer materials, studies conducted using the SIRCOL method (Medical University of Wrocław, 2012) recorded a 671% increase in collagen synthesis with the use of Biopeptide Complex technology. The SIRCOL method is a standard method for quantifying soluble collagen, used in in vitro studies.
The technology also received a silver medal at the Brussels Eureka fair in 2006 — an international exhibition of innovations and inventions.
The above data comes from manufacturer materials and is presented as manufacturer information, not as an independently verified clinical study. Those interested in the full study methodology are encouraged to contact the manufacturer for original documentation.
The table below compares Biopeptide Complex with the three most commonly mentioned types of cosmetic peptides, described above. The comparison is illustrative — it doesn't replace an analysis of a specific product's full INCI.
| Feature | Biopeptide Complex | Matrixyl | Argireline | Copper Tripeptide-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Origin | natural (fish collagen hydrolysate) | synthetic | synthetic | synthetic (peptide + copper ion) |
| Category | bioactive marine peptides | signal peptide | neuropeptide | copper peptide |
| Main mechanism | fibroblast signalling supporting collagen synthesis | fibroblast signalling supporting collagen and elastin synthesis | limiting facial muscle tension | transporting copper as an enzymatic cofactor |
| Patent protection | yes (PL206813, US7285638) | depends on the manufacturer's base formula | depends on the manufacturer's base formula | depends on the manufacturer's base formula |
| Typical form in cosmetics | serum, spray | serum, cream | serum, cream, eye gel | serum, cream |
The method of application matters for the effectiveness of any peptide cosmetic, including products based on Biopeptide Complex. A few practical rules, consistent with general guidelines for using peptide serums:
Detailed instructions for applying a specific product (including pH and recommended frequency) should always be verified on the label and in manufacturer materials.
Biopeptide Complex technology is used primarily in products from the Larens peptide line, including:
The full, up-to-date list of products containing Biopeptide Complex should always be verified against the official shop and the current INCI of individual products.
Content prepared: August 2026. Content requires periodic review in line with INCI and manufacturer material updates.