MOTS-c pen: what it is, what it costs and where to find it

The MOTS-c pen is a pre-filled pen whose cartridge already holds MOTS-c in solution. The box states 10 mg / 3 ml: 10 milligrams of peptide dissolved in 3 millilitres of liquid, sealed in the cartridge at the factory. The pen is sold by AuraVia Research, an EU-based vendor of research compounds.

The design copies the injector pens used for approved medicines such as insulin: a plastic body, a sealed cartridge, a cap and a graduated dial mechanism. The dial is a mechanical part that sets how much liquid the pen delivers. This article does not describe how to set it, because MOTS-c has no approved human use and no validated protocol.

The key difference from the classic format is the state of the product. A MOTS-c vial holds a lyophilised (freeze-dried) powder that has to be put into solution before any experiment. The pen holds a ready-made solution, so there is no powder, no solvent and no reconstitution step.

The purity figure is the one published by the vendor for its current batch. It applies to that batch only, which is why the CoA has to match the batch number printed on your pen (see the checklist further down).

AuraVia Research sells MOTS-c in both formats, with the same amount of peptide (10 mg). This makes a direct price comparison possible. Prices checked on October 19, 2026, VAT included.

At current prices, the pen costs about 60% more than the vial for the same 10 mg. At list prices, the gap is 50%. Both products were on promotion on the day of our check. Prices change often: always check the current price on the vendor's site before you order.

The price gap pays for the cartridge, the mechanism and the cold shipping. The other difference is stability. Reference reviews on protein pharmaceuticals show that molecules in solution undergo more degradation reactions (oxidation, aggregation, hydrolysis) than in the dry state (Wang, 1999). This is why the industry freeze-dries fragile proteins (Wang, 2000). For MOTS-c, this means:

• Vial: a dry powder that keeps better, but has to be reconstituted before any experiment, with the handling and sterility questions that this step raises.
• Pen: no reconstitution, but a solution that must stay between 2 and 8 °C from the warehouse to your refrigerator, and a shorter shelf life to watch on the label.

For a general comparison of the two formats across all the compounds sold as pens, read our guide pre-filled peptide pen or vial. The same reasoning applies to the NAD+ pen, which is often looked at alongside MOTS-c.

Today, in our checks, only one vendor sells a pre-filled MOTS-c pen: AuraVia Research.

Because the warehouse is in the EU, buyers in the European Union pay no customs fees on top of the price. The vendor does not ship outside the EU. If you live elsewhere, the pen is not available to you from this vendor: you can compare vial vendors and their shipping areas on our page where to buy peptides.

Disclosure: the links to AuraVia Research on this page are affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you order, at no extra cost to you. It does not change the facts reported here.

MOTS-c (mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA type-c) is a peptide of 16 amino acids. It belongs to the family of mitochondrial-derived peptides: unlike most peptides in the body, it is encoded by the mitochondrial genome, in a short open reading frame inside the 12S ribosomal RNA gene. It was first described in 2015 (Lee et al., 2015).

Most of the data come from cell and animal models:

• Metabolism: in the 2015 study, MOTS-c given to mice on a high-fat diet was associated with better insulin sensitivity and less weight gain than in untreated controls. The authors linked these effects to the AMPK energy-sensing pathway (Lee et al., 2015).
• Gene regulation: under metabolic stress, MOTS-c moves to the cell nucleus and takes part in the regulation of nuclear genes, as described in laboratory studies (Kim et al., 2018).
• Exercise and ageing: in a 2021 study, exercise raised MOTS-c levels in skeletal muscle and in human plasma, and older mice treated with MOTS-c performed better on physical tests (Reynolds et al., 2021).

A review on mitochondrial-derived peptides sums up the state of the field: the data on energy metabolism are promising, but they come mostly from preclinical work, and human evidence is still limited (Merry et al., 2020). Results in mice do not show that MOTS-c has the same effects in humans.

MOTS-c is not an approved medicine: neither the EMA in Europe nor the FDA in the United States has authorised it for any condition. For the full picture of mechanisms, studies and open questions, read our MOTS-c guide.

A pen is checked the same way as a vial, with a few extra points that come from the solution form.

• Batch and CoA match: the batch number on the certificate of analysis must be the same as the one printed on the pen label or the box. A generic CoA with no batch number proves nothing about your pen.
• HPLC purity: the CoA should state the purity measured by HPLC, the date of the analysis and the identity of the compound. The vendor states 99.0% for its current MOTS-c pen batch.
• Cold-chain shipping: a peptide in solution should travel in insulated packaging. Ask the vendor how the parcel is packed, and put the pen in the refrigerator on arrival.
• Complete label: content (10 mg), volume (3 ml), batch number and expiry date must all be readable on the pen or the box.
• Sealed cartridge: the cartridge and the box should arrive intact, with no sign of opening, leaks or cloudy liquid.
• "Research use only" statement: a serious vendor does not present a MOTS-c pen as a medicine or a supplement.

An unusually low price is a warning sign. A pen needs a cartridge, a mechanism and cold shipping, so it costs more to produce than a vial of the same amount.

The MOTS-c pen has the same status as the MOTS-c vial. In the European Union it is sold as a research product only. It is not a medicine, it has no marketing authorisation, and the vendor states that it is not intended for human use. The pen format, which looks like a medicine pen, does not change this status.

Do not confuse it with pens for approved medicines, such as insulin or semaglutide pens, which are prescribed, made under pharmaceutical control and dispensed by pharmacies. Rules on buying, importing and possessing research peptides vary from country to country: check the law that applies to you before you order. Athletes should also know that many metabolic modulators fall under anti-doping rules.

This page is informational. It gives no medical advice and no usage instructions. For any health question, talk to a doctor.