Growth Hormone Axis · Dosing reference

Sermorelin dosage

What the human evidence does and does not show, how long studies ran, and the arithmetic for working with vials.

Not approved — research use onlyBLimited human dataNone established

Full research page Cycle-length evidence Compare Prefer Amiravo on Google

Regulatory status: Not approved — research use only
Human amounts: None established in humans
Route studied: —
Frequency: Not established
Half-life: Not established
Evidence grade: Grade B · Limited human data
Vial sizes on the market: 2 mg · 5 mg · 9 mg · 10 mg · 15 mg
Other forms seen: —

What Sermorelin is

Sermorelin is a 29-amino-acid analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone that was formerly sold in the United States as Geref for children with growth hormone deficiency and as a diagnostic agent. Its approvals were withdrawn after the manufacturer discontinued it, and FDA stated this was not for safety or effectiveness reasons. It is not currently an approved product, and this entry is for research information only.

Sermorelin is a 29-amino-acid analog of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH); intravenous and subcutaneous sermorelin has been reported to stimulate growth hormone secretion from the anterior pituitary ^3. Growth hormone axis GHRH, also called growth hormone-releasing factor, is a hypothalamic peptide that acts on pituitary somatotroph cells to stimulate synthesis and pulsatile release of endogenous growth… How it works →

Key evidence

Thorner et al. (Geref International Study Group), J Clin Endocrinol Metab · 1996 · Humans (110 prepubertal children with growth hormone deficiency; 86 evaluable for efficacy)
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; 74% were considered good responders at 6 months; no change in fasting glucose or excessive IGF-1 generation was noted ^4. ⁴
Prakash and Goa, BioDrugs · 1999 · Humans (review of studies in children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency)
The review described intravenous sermorelin as a growth hormone-stimulation test with fewer false-positive responses than some other provocative tests, and reported that growth effects of daily subcutaneous sermorelin were smaller than those of somatropin in non-head-to-head comparison; the effect on final adult height was undetermined ^3. ³
FDA notice, 78 Federal Register 14095 · 2013 · Regulatory record
FDA reviewed its files and the literature, including postmarketing adverse event data, and determined both Geref products were not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness ^1. ¹

All studies on the research page

What the human evidence shows

No approved or established human dose

We searched PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov and found no human studies that administered Sermorelin. The research described on its page is from cells or animals, and animal amounts do not translate to people.

How long did human studies run?

No human study durations are recorded for Sermorelin.

Cycle-length evidence for Sermorelin

Side effects reported in studies

Transient facial flushing
Not quantified in the source abstract · Children receiving sermorelin, per a published review ³
Injection site pain
Not quantified in the source abstract · Children receiving subcutaneous sermorelin, per a published review ³

Full adverse-event data

Sermorelin draw calculator

Pick the vial strength and the water added, enter an amount, and see the concentration, the units to draw and how many draws the vial holds. Arithmetic only.

1 · Vial strength

sizes on the market

2 · Water added

3 · Amount per draw

4 · Syringe

Your mix

10 mg + 2 mL water = 5 mg/mL

10 units holds 0.5 mg (500 mcg)

Draw toEnter an amount in step 3

U-100 syringe · 100 units = 1 mL

Computed from your inputs. Not a dose or a recommendation.

Compare water volumes for this vialShow

More water = lower concentration = a larger, easier-to-measure draw. Tap a row to use it.

Water	mg/mL	Draw
0.5 mL	20	—
1 mL	10	—
1.5 mL	6.667	—
2 mL	5	—
2.5 mL	4	—
3 mL	3.333	—
5 mL	2	—

Supplies and handling

Lyophilized vial
Sealed vial with the freeze-dried cake. Check the label, lot and the certificate of analysis before opening.
Sterile diluent
The diluent named on the product documentation. Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol; sterile water does not.
Graduated syringes
Sized to the volume being measured. U-100 insulin syringes are graduated in units where 100 units = 1 mL.
Alcohol prep pads
For wiping vial stoppers before each puncture.
Nitrile gloves
Clean gloves for aseptic handling.
Sharps container
Puncture-resistant container for used needles.

Step-by-step reconstitution guide Storage and transport accessories

Storage

Storage conditions vary with the supplied form; follow the supplier's documentation and certificate of analysis. Lyophilized peptides are generally sensitive to heat, light and moisture.

Lyophilized (unmixed) vials: typically stored cold and dry, away from light, as the documentation directs. Many are stable longer frozen.
Reconstituted vials: typically refrigerated (about 2–8 °C), protected from light and not frozen.
Bacteriostatic water contains benzyl alcohol, which inhibits bacterial growth in multi-use vials; sterile water has no preservative.

Handling mistakes and troubleshooting

Added the wrong volume of diluent: The concentration changes, not the amount of compound in the vial. Recalculate with the volume actually added and relabel the vial.
Shook the vial and it foamed: Let it settle in the refrigerator. Foam is a sign of agitation; some peptides aggregate when shaken. Note it on the label.
The solution is cloudy or has particles: Do not use it. Cloudiness can indicate incomplete dissolution, contamination or degradation. Record the lot and contact the supplier with the certificate of analysis.
The powder cake looks melted or shrunken before reconstitution: This can indicate the vial was exposed to heat or moisture. Record the lot and condition on arrival.
Liquid sprayed back when the needle was removed: Pressure built up in the vial. Withdraw a small volume of air while adding diluent to keep pressure neutral.

Regulatory status

Status: Not currently FDA-approved. Geref (sermorelin acetate) was FDA-approved: NDA 19-863 (0.05 mg/amp, for evaluating pituitary growth hormone secretion) initially on 28 December 1990 and NDA 20-443 (0.5 and 1.0 mg/vial, for idiopathic growth hormone deficiency in children with growth failure) on 26 September 1997. The sponsor notified FDA of discontinuation in 2008 and FDA withdrew approval of both applications effective 18 June 2009; in 2013 FDA determined the products were not withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness ^1,2.
United States (FDA): Sermorelin has no currently marketed FDA-approved product. Geref NDA 19-863 and NDA 20-443 were approved in 1990 and 1997 and withdrawn effective 18 June 2009 after discontinuation by the sponsor, and Drugs@FDA lists the Geref products as Discontinued ^1,2. FDA determined in 2013 that the products were not withdrawn for safety or effectiveness reasons, which allows ANDAs referencing them to be considered ^1.
Sport (WADA): Sermorelin is named as an example GHRH analog, with CJC-1295 and tesamorelin, in the S2 category of WADA's 2026 Prohibited List, which is prohibited at all times ^6.

Status varies by country and changes over time. How we describe regulatory status.

Sermorelin compared with related compounds

Compound	Status	Evidence	Human amounts	Half-life
Sermorelin	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	—
CJC-1295 (no DAC)	Not approved — research use only	C	None established	No half-life data specific to the no-DAC
CJC-1295 (with DAC)	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	Estimated half-life of 5.8 to 8.1 days a
Ipamorelin	Not approved — research use only	B	None established	Terminal half-life of about 2 hours in h
Tesamorelin	FDA-approved	A	FDA label	Mean elimination half-life about 11 minu
GHRP-2	Approved outside the US	B	None established	In a Japanese package insert, the termin

Frequently asked questions

What doses of Sermorelin have been studied in humans?

None that establish an amount. Sermorelin is not approved anywhere and we found no human studies that administered it. Amiravo does not publish community or vendor figures.

Is there an established Sermorelin cycle length?

No. We found no human studies that report treatment duration for Sermorelin.

How much bacteriostatic water should be added to a Sermorelin vial?

There is no compound-specific volume. The diluent volume only sets the concentration: concentration = mass in the vial ÷ volume added (for example, 10 mg in 2 mL gives 5 mg/mL). The calculator on this page shows the arithmetic for any combination.

How many units is a given amount on an insulin syringe?

On a U-100 syringe, 100 units = 1 mL. Units for an amount = amount ÷ (concentration per unit). The calculator converts any amount you enter at the concentration you choose; a unit is a volume mark, not an amount of compound.

Is Sermorelin FDA-approved?

Not approved — research use only. Not currently FDA-approved. Geref (sermorelin acetate) was FDA-approved: NDA 19-863 (0.05 mg/amp, for evaluating pituitary growth hormone secretion) initially on 28 December 1990 and NDA 20-443 (0.5 and 1.0 mg/vial, for idiopathic growth hormone deficiency in children with growth failure) on 26 September 1997. The sponsor notified FDA of discontinuation in 2008 and FDA withdrew approval of both applications effective 18 June 2009; in 2013 FDA determined the products were not withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness ^1,2.

References

Determination That GEREF (Sermorelin Acetate) Injection, 0.5 Milligrams Base/Vial and 1.0 Milligrams Base/Vial, and GEREF (Sermorelin Acetate) Injection, 0.05 Milligrams Base/Amp, Were Not Withdrawn From Sale for Reasons of Safety or Effectiveness (78 FR 14095) Federal Register (FDA notice). 2013
Drugs@FDA application records for GEREF (NDA 019863 and NDA 020443), marketing status Discontinued, queried through openFDA openFDA / Drugs@FDA. 2026
Sermorelin: a review of its use in the diagnosis and treatment of children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency BioDrugs. 1999
Once daily subcutaneous growth hormone-releasing hormone therapy accelerates growth in growth hormone-deficient children during the first year of therapy (Geref International Study Group) J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1996
EGRIFTA WR (tesamorelin) for injection, prescribing information (growth hormone-releasing factor physiology) FDA label (DailyMed). 2025
World Anti-Doping Agency International Standard Prohibited List 2026 WADA. 2026
PubChem compound record for sermorelin PubChem. 2026

Last reviewed October 22, 2026 by the Amiravo editorial team. Editorial policy · Report an error