Comparison
AOD-9604 vs CJC-1295
Side-by-side of AOD-9604 and CJC-1295. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
AOD-9604
AOD 9604 peptide: 16-amino-acid hGH fragment 176-191. Preclinical lipolytic activity, phase 2 obesity trial showed no weight loss vs placebo.
CJC-1295
CJC-1295 peptide profile: GHRH analog forms (with-DAC ~7-day half-life, no-DAC Mod GRF 1-29 ~30 min), ipamorelin pairing, recovery use, dosing, side effects.
Effects at a glance
AOD-9604
- •Modified 16-amino-acid synthetic fragment of human growth hormone (residues 176-191)
- •Preclinical models show lipolytic activity in adipose tissue without GH-axis growth effects
- •Phase 2 obesity trial (Heffernan 2001) showed no significant weight-loss difference versus placebo
- •Anecdotal protocols use 250 to 500 mcg subcutaneously daily on an empty stomach
- •No FDA approval; the obesity drug development program was discontinued in 2007
- •Granted GRAS status in some jurisdictions for compounded use; not validated for fat loss in humans
CJC-1295
- •GHRH analog that binds the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs to release endogenous GH
- •DAC variant has ~7 day half-life via albumin binding; non-DAC variant ~30 minutes
- •Teichman 2006 trial showed sustained 2 to 10 fold IGF-1 elevation at 60 to 250 mcg/kg DAC dosing
- •Anecdotal protocols pair non-DAC CJC-1295 with Ipamorelin to mimic pulsatile GH release
- •Side effects: water retention, numbness or tingling at injection site, vivid dreams, transient flushing
- •No completed phase III RCTs; research-use-only and not FDA approved
Side-by-side
| Attribute | AOD-9604 | CJC-1295 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | peptide | peptide |
| Also known as | hGH fragment 176-191, Human Growth Hormone Fragment 176-191 | CJC-1295 DAC, CJC-1295 no-DAC, Mod GRF 1-29, tesamorelin analog |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 0.5 | 168 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Dosing frequency | daily | weekly (DAC); 1-3x daily (non-DAC) |
| Routes | subcutaneous | subcutaneous |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 2 | 3 |
| Molecular weight | 1815.17 | 3367.83 |
| Molecular formula | C78H125N23O23S2 | C152H252N44O42 |
| Mechanism | Modified C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone proposed to stimulate beta-3 adrenergic receptor signaling in adipocytes, increasing lipolysis and fatty-acid oxidation without engaging the GH receptor or activating IGF-1. | Binds the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs, stimulating pulsatile growth-hormone release. The DAC modification extends plasma residence by tethering the peptide to serum albumin via a maleimide-cysteine bond. |
| Legal status | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market in most jurisdictions | Not FDA approved; research-use-only grey market; banned by WADA |
| WADA status | unknown | banned |
| DEA / Rx | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status | Not FDA approved; not scheduled; research-chemical status |
| Pregnancy | Insufficient data; not recommended | Insufficient data; not recommended |
| CAS | 221231-10-3 | 446262-90-4 |
| PubChem CID | 71300630 | 91971820 |
| Wikidata | Q4654106 | Q5012154 |
Safety profile
AOD-9604
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- transient mild headache (anecdotal)
- minimal in clinical trials
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- lactation
- no established human safety profile for chronic use
Interactions
- beta-blockers: theoretical antagonism of beta-3 adrenergic lipolytic signaling(minor)
CJC-1295
Common side effects
- injection-site reactions
- water retention
- numbness or tingling at injection site
- vivid dreams
- transient flushing
- head pressure or mild headache
Contraindications
- pregnancy
- active malignancy
- diabetic retinopathy (theoretical)
- history of pituitary tumor
Interactions
- Ipamorelin: synergistic GH release; commonly co-administered in anecdotal protocols(minor)
- insulin: GH-induced insulin resistance can shift glycemic control over weeks(moderate)
- corticosteroids: blunt GH-axis response; reduce expected efficacy(moderate)
Which Should You Take?
CJC-1295 comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 3 catalogued goals, research-only / gray-market sourcing, with a Tier-B outcome catalogued. AOD-9604 is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is fat loss, pick AOD-9604.
- → If your priority is post-training recovery, pick CJC-1295.
- → If your priority is growth-hormone axis, pick CJC-1295.
Edge case: Half-lives differ materially (AOD-9604 ~0.5 hr vs CJC-1295 ~168 hr). CJC-1295 reaches steady state faster; AOD-9604 is easier to dial in if tolerability is uncertain.
Default choice: CJC-1295. Wider use case, and broader goal coverage. Reach for AOD-9604 only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between AOD-9604 and CJC-1295?
AOD-9604 and CJC-1295 differ in category (peptide vs peptide), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, AOD-9604 or CJC-1295?
AOD-9604 half-life is 0.5 hours; CJC-1295 half-life is 168 hours.
Can you stack AOD-9604 with CJC-1295?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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