01
drip · tiers
three tiers. one decision.
each tier bundles synthesis grade with validation depth. the claim envelope, the lab making the peptide, and the assays run on it are coupled in law. drip makes them one decision instead of three.
02
comparison
synthesis × validation, side-by-side
one creator decision. both axes scale together. both costs roll into one quoted bundle.
PROOF drip proof | VERIFIED drip verified | CLINICAL drip clinical | |
|---|---|---|---|
| synthesis | research-grade | cosmetic-GMP (ISO 22716) | pharma-grade GMP (USP/EP, DMF-referenceable) |
| synth purity | >95% | >98% | >99% |
| synth CoA scope | HPLC + MS standard | + endotoxin + residual solvents + heavy metals + microbial | + full USP monograph, pharma-grade batch records |
| synth partners | GenScript Express, Biomatik | CPC-Suzhou | Bachem, AmbioPharm, CPC-GMP line |
| synth turnaround | 5–10 days | 4–8 weeks | 8–16 weeks |
| validation | 1 efficacy assay + cytotox + irritation screen | full OECD safety panel + 2–3 efficacy + stability + preservative efficacy | everything in verified + HRIPT 50-subject + consumer perception + instrumental in-vivo (corneometer, TEWL, Cutometer) |
| validation CROs | IIVS, SGS Shanghai, BioAlternatives | Eurofins, Charles River | ProDerm, CPT Labs |
| total bundle cost | $1,700–$5,600 | $22,200–$53,800 | $52,500–$123,000 |
| total bundle time | 4 weeks | 8–12 weeks | 14–20 weeks |
| sold in | US only | US + EU + UK + Korea + Japan | US + EU + UK + Korea + Japan + on-pack claims |
| claims supportable | “designed to support X” | “dermatologically tested, safe for sensitive skin” | “clinically proven, 87% of users saw improvement in 4 weeks” |
| break-even (at $48 creator margin) | ~120 units | ~790–1,120 units | ~1,800 units |
03
why bundled
regulators, not marketing, set the coupling
why pay for pharma-grade synthesis if you’re not making therapeutic claims? you shouldn’t. proof uses fast research-grade synthesis because that’s what a market-test product needs.
but if you’re making clinical claims on a bottle, the peptide inside needs to have been made to matching standards. EU launch needs cosmetic-GMP synth and full safety validation. on-pack clinical claims need pharma-GMP synth and human-panel validation. we bundle the tiers because the law already does.
04
how to pick
for creators
US-only launch, testing market fit, claim envelope is “supports / helps / designed for”
→ proof
launching EU / UK / KR / JP, substantive marketing claims, sensitive-skin messaging
→ verified minimum
on-pack efficacy claims (“clinically proven”, “87% saw improvement”)
→ clinical required
unsure? start with proof. upgrade path is built in. tier upgrades are additive on both synth and validation. you don’t re-pay for what you already have.
→ proof
05
scaling
every creator starts at proof
proof is fast: 4 weeks to shippable inventory, and cheap (≈$2k–$6k one-time + $12 / unit COGS at 500 MOQ). it settles a prediction market, so creators get a real-world signal before committing a verified-tier check.
after the first proof batch sells through, the dashboard surfaces three scaling options. each a single button populated with real quotes off your sales velocity.
option a
re-order at same tier
restock proof. used when the market signal is positive but the claim envelope is still right. second batch is cheaper. validation and brand are sunk costs. per-unit COGS drops from ~$22–24 to ~$18.
option b
upgrade tier
promote to verified or clinical. drip quotes only the delta. one new production batch at the higher synth grade plus the incremental validation assays. nothing already in the dossier is re-paid for.
option c
scale volume only
bump MOQ from 500 to 1,000, 2,500, or 5,000 at current tier. fill-finish per-unit drops ~20% from MOQ 500 to MOQ 2,500 (Guangzhou Hodm).
upgrade deltas: proof → verified ≈ $20k–$48k, +4–8 weeks. verified → clinical ≈ $30k–$67k, +6–8 weeks. clinical from scratch is available but almost always economically worse than stepping up.
06
regulatory
which jurisdictions each tier clears
MoCRA product listing only. US-only. insufficient for EU CPSR.
MoCRA + EU CPSR (cosmetic-GMP synth is prerequisite for CPSR sign-off) + K-FDA functional notification + PMDA cosmetic. cleared for claim-bearing marketing.
all of verified + defensible for “clinically proven” on-pack claims. approaches but does not cross the drug / quasi-drug boundary.
07
faq
common questions
- does picking proof lock me into US-only forever?
- no. tier upgrades are additive. when you decide to launch EU, drip quotes only the delta from proof to verified. you keep your existing assays, brand, novelty, and storefront.
- what does “clinically proven” actually require?
- HRIPT 50-subject + consumer perception + instrumental in-vivo (corneometer, TEWL, Cutometer). that’s clinical tier. no shortcut. on-pack efficacy claims without that evidence cross into drug territory.
- can i do my own validation outside drip?
- yes. bring your own assay results and we’ll attach them to the dossier. but the synth-side bundle (CoA, batch records, GMP attestation) still routes through drip’s vendor matrix. mixed-source dossiers are uploaded to arweave with explicit provenance metadata.
- what happens to my badge while an upgrade is in flight?
- product page shows the current verified badge plus a “verified upgrade pending” status line. customers see the trajectory; the on-page science block locks until new evidence is attested.
- where do the price ranges come from?
- spec section 13.1 of the master pipeline. ranges reflect peptide length, MOQ, and CRO availability. drip’s marketplace auctions price every batch in real time. quotes shown to creators are live, not these ranges.
start at proof. upgrade when the market tells you to.