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For research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Not a drug, food, or dietary supplement.
AMIRAVOResearch Library

Sermorelin vs CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Sermorelin and CJC-1295 without DAC are both analogs of the first 29 residues of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) 3,7. Sermorelin was once an FDA-approved product (Geref) with published pediatric data, while FDA found no nonclinical or clinical data to assess the safety and effectiveness of CJC-1295 without DAC 1,7. Without the drug affinity complex, CJC-1295 lacks the albumin-binding group that gives the DAC form its multi-day half-life 5,7.

Unbranded reference vial illustrating Sermorelin; not an actual product
Sermorelin
Not approved — research use only
Unbranded reference vial illustrating CJC-1295 (no DAC); not an actual product
CJC-1295 (no DAC)
Not approved — research use only

Side by side

FieldSermorelinCJC-1295 (no DAC)
ClassGHRH analog 3GHRH analog 7
Origin and structure29-amino-acid analog of human GHRH, the shortest synthetic peptide with full GHRH activity 3Substituted form of hGRF(1-29) without the C-terminal maleimidopropionamide-lysine (DAC) group 5,7
Proposed mechanismStimulates GH secretion from the anterior pituitary 3Expected to act at the GHRH receptor, but FDA found no nonclinical studies establishing its activity 7
Half-lifeNot identified in the primary sources reviewedNo data specific to this form were identified 7
Highest human trial phaseMulticenter open-label pediatric study (110 children) supporting a former approval 4No human studies identified 7
FDA statusGeref approvals (1990, 1997) withdrawn effective 2009 after sponsor discontinuation, not for safety or effectiveness reasons; no current product 1,2Not approved; FDA proposed in 2024 that it not be added to the 503A bulks list; no DailyMed label 7,9
Published human outcomesMean height velocity rose from 4.1 to 8.0 cm/yr at 6 months in GH-deficient children 4None identified 7
Safety signalsFDA's 2013 review of postmarketing data concluded Geref was not withdrawn for safety reasons 1FDA cites immunogenicity and characterization concerns for CJC-1295 substances 7,8
WADA statusNamed under S2.2.4 as a GHRH analog; prohibited at all times 10CJC-1295 named under S2.2.4 as a GHRH analog; prohibited at all times 10
Evidence levelHuman pediatric open-label and diagnostic data 3,4No direct evidence; regulatory review only 7

Sermorelin: what the data says

Sermorelin is a 29-amino-acid analog of human GHRH, described as the shortest synthetic peptide with full GHRH biological activity, and it stimulates GH secretion from the anterior pituitary 3. A review described intravenous sermorelin as a rapid and relatively specific diagnostic test for GH deficiency 3.

In a multicenter, open-label study of 110 prepubertal GH-deficient children (86 evaluable), mean height velocity rose from 4.1 cm/yr at baseline to 8.0 cm/yr at 6 months and 7.2 cm/yr at 12 months, and 74% were considered good responders at 6 months; there was no placebo group 4. Geref was approved in 1990 and 1997, the sponsor discontinued it, approvals were withdrawn effective 18 June 2009, and in 2013 FDA determined the products were not withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness 1. Drugs@FDA lists both applications as Discontinued 2.

CJC-1295 (no DAC): what the data says

CJC-1295 was developed as a tetrasubstituted form of hGRF(1-29); the version studied in rats and people carried a C-terminal maleimidopropionamide-lysine group (the DAC) that binds serum albumin 5. FDA's 2024 review stated that the name CJC-1295 is used for both the DAC and non-DAC structures, that it is not possible to know which is meant from the common name alone, and that the non-DAC form was first referenced in the literature in 2010 after a preparation was seized by Norwegian police and customs 7.

FDA concluded that there are no nonclinical or clinical data to assess the safety and effectiveness of CJC-1295 free base or acetate, and that published human studies concern the DAC form 7. Findings on half-life, GH and IGF-I from the DAC studies therefore do not describe this compound 6,7.

Key research differences

  • Approval history: sermorelin was FDA-approved as Geref until 2009, while CJC-1295 without DAC has never been approved 1,7.
  • Human data: sermorelin has published pediatric and diagnostic studies, while FDA identified no human data for CJC-1295 without DAC 3,4,7.
  • Structure: CJC-1295 is described as a tetrasubstituted form of hGRF(1-29), while sermorelin is described as a 29-amino-acid analog of GHRH 3,5.
  • Naming risk: FDA notes that 'CJC-1295' is used for both DAC and non-DAC structures, which complicates identification 7.
  • Both are covered by WADA's S2.2.4 class of GHRH analogs 10.

Where the evidence is limited

No head-to-head study of sermorelin and CJC-1295 without DAC was identified. Sermorelin's clinical evidence dates mainly from the 1990s and is open-label without placebo control 3,4. For CJC-1295 without DAC, FDA found no nonclinical or clinical data, so its pharmacology, half-life and safety are not established 7. Data from the DAC form should not be read across to the non-DAC peptide 7.

Frequently asked questions

Are sermorelin and CJC-1295 without DAC the same molecule?
No. Both are based on GHRH(1-29), but CJC-1295 is a substituted version of that sequence 3,5.
Was sermorelin ever FDA-approved?
Yes. Geref was approved in 1990 and 1997 and withdrawn effective 2009 after discontinuation by the sponsor; FDA determined in 2013 that this was not for safety or effectiveness reasons 1.
Is there human research on CJC-1295 without DAC?
FDA's 2024 review found no nonclinical or clinical data to assess its safety and effectiveness 7.
Does CJC-1295 without DAC last as long as the DAC form?
No data specific to the non-DAC form were identified; the DAC group is the feature that binds albumin and extends half-life 5,7.
Are they prohibited in sport?
Sermorelin and CJC-1295 are both named as GHRH analogs under S2.2.4 of WADA's 2026 List 10.

References

  1. Determination That GEREF (Sermorelin Acetate) Injection Products Were Not Withdrawn From Sale for Reasons of Safety or Effectiveness (78 FR 14095) Federal Register (FDA notice). 2013
  2. Drugs@FDA application records for GEREF (NDA 019863 and NDA 020443), marketing status Discontinued, queried through openFDA openFDA / Drugs@FDA. 2026
  3. Sermorelin: a review of its use in the diagnosis and treatment of children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency BioDrugs. 1999
  4. Once daily subcutaneous growth hormone-releasing hormone therapy accelerates growth in growth hormone-deficient children during the first year of therapy Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 1996
  5. Human growth hormone-releasing factor (hGRF)1-29-albumin bioconjugates activate the GRF receptor on the anterior pituitary in rats: identification of CJC-1295 as a long-lasting GRF analog Endocrinology. 2005
  6. Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2006
  7. Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee Meeting, December 4, 2024: FDA presentations (including CJC-1295-related and AOD-9604-related bulk drug substances) FDA. 2024
  8. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks (content current as of 04/22/2026) FDA (Human Drug Compounding). 2026
  9. DailyMed drug label search for CJC-1295 (zero labels returned on 22 October 2026) DailyMed (NLM). 2026
  10. International Standard: Prohibited List 2026 WADA. 2026

For research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. Not a drug, food, or dietary supplement. This page compares published research and is not medical advice or a recommendation.