Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Scopa James Paul
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
PEPLIN INC [PLI]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director __X__ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O MPM ASSET MANAGEMENT, 601 GATEWAY BLVD., SUITE 350
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/13/2009
(Street)

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94080
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 01/13/2009   P   6,911 (1) A $ 7.03 2,872,257 I See Footnote (2)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Scopa James Paul
C/O MPM ASSET MANAGEMENT
601 GATEWAY BLVD., SUITE 350
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94080
  X   X    

Signatures

 /s/ James Paul Scopa   01/15/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Represents shares of Common Stock underlingy CHESS Depository Interests ("CDIs") acquired by the reporting person. The CDIs are economically equivalent to shares of Common Stock of the Issuer on a 1-for-20 basis. The Common Stock equivalent of CDIs were purchased as follows: 6,478 by MPM BioVentures IV-QP, L.P. ("BV IV QP"), 249 by MPM BioVentures IV GmbH & Co. Beteiligungs KG ("BV IV KG") and 184 by MPM Asset Management Investors BV4 LLC ("AM BV4"). Excludes fractional shares that result from the conversion of CDIs. MPM BioVentures IV GP LLC and MPM BioVentures IV LLC are the direct and indirect general partners of BV IV QP, BV IV KG and AM BV4. The reporting person is a member of the general partner of BV IV QP, BV IV KG and a member of AM BV4. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.
(2) Shares of Common Stock, which include shares underlying CDIs are held as follows: 2,691,999 by BV IV QP, 103,710 by BV IV KG, 76,548 by AM BV4. The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of the securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein.

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