Informational only. Not medical advice.INFORMATIONAL PLATFORM ONLY — NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT
Informational only. Not medical advice.INFORMATIONAL PLATFORM ONLY — NOT MEDICAL ADVICE, DIAGNOSIS, OR TREATMENT
Head-to-head comparison of 5-Amino-1MQ and AOD-9604 — mechanism, side effects, legal status, and pricing.
5-Amino-1MQ is a small heterocyclic molecule (not a peptide) that acts as a selective, membrane-permeable inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). It is under preclinical investigation for obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. It is not FDA-approved and has not completed human clinical trials; it is commonly tracked alongside peptides because grey-market vendors sell it for metabolic protocols.
AOD-9604 is a 16-amino-acid synthetic peptide corresponding to the C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone (residues 177-191) with an additional N-terminal tyrosine. Developed by Metabolic Pharmaceuticals (Australia) to isolate a purported 'lipolytic' activity of GH without GH-receptor-mediated growth or diabetogenic effects. AOD-9604 is NOT FDA-approved for any indication; controlled human trials for obesity did not demonstrate clinically meaningful weight loss, and obesity development was terminated in 2007.
5-Amino-1MQ
AOD-9604
Category
Legal Status
Mechanism
Half-life
Side Effects
COA-verified vendors · trust score ≥70 required · single-vial price — bulk/bundle deals may be lower
5-Amino-1MQ
AOD-9604
COA corpus from Disclosed Labs — independently tested batches only.
5-Amino-1MQ
80
COAs
99.5%
Avg purity
12
Labs
AOD-9604
97
COAs
99.5%
Avg purity
16
Labs
Neelakantan et al. (2018, Biochem Pharmacol, PMID 29155147) reported that 5-Amino-1MQ and related selective, membrane-permeable methylquinolinium NNMT inhibitors reversed high-fat-diet-induced obesity in mice, reducing body weight, white adipose mass, adipocyte size, and plasma cholesterol without changing food intake. A separate NNMT inhibitor program (Kannt et al., 2018, Sci Rep, PMID 29483571, JBSNF-000088) produced similar metabolic effects in rodents. Dimet-Wiley et al. (2022, Sci Rep, PMID 35013352) reported microbiome changes with NNMT inhibition plus low-fat diet in DIO mice, and Babula et al. (2024, Diabetes Obes Metab, PMID 39161060) showed 5A1MQ dose-dependently limited weight and fat gain and reduced NAFLD-like liver pathology in DIO mice. No human clinical trials of 5-Amino-1MQ have been completed or published as of 2026; grey-market oral protocols are not clinically validated.
Key references
Clinical: AOD-9604 went through six randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1/2 trials across approximately 900 subjects (Stier et al., J Endocrinol Metab 2013). These established a safety profile indistinguishable from placebo — no effect on IGF-1, no impairment of glucose tolerance, no anti-AOD-9604 antibodies — but did NOT demonstrate clinically meaningful weight loss. A 24-week Phase 2b trial (~536 obese subjects) failed its primary efficacy endpoint and Metabolic Pharmaceuticals / Calzada terminated obesity development in 2007. Preclinical: Heffernan et al. (Int J Obes 2001, PMID 11673763; Endocrinology 2001, PMID 11713213) reported reduced body-weight gain and increased fat oxidation in obese mice and showed the lipolytic action did not require direct β3-AR agonism (β3-knock-out animals still responded). Ng et al. (Horm Res 2000, PMID 11146367) reported metabolic effects in obese Zucker rats without insulin-sensitivity impairment. Osteoarthritis exploration is limited to preclinical animal work — Kwon & Park (Ann Clin Lab Sci 2015, PMID 26275694) reported intra-articular AOD-9604 plus hyaluronic acid was superior to either alone in a collagenase-induced rabbit OA model; no adequately powered human OA trial has been published. Regulatory: NOT FDA-approved; widely-cited 'FDA GRAS' status has not been confirmed in the FDA GRAS Notice Inventory. PCAC voted AGAINST including AOD-9604 on the 503A Bulks List on December 4, 2024.
5-Amino-1MQ and AOD-9604 are both in the Metabolic category and may have overlapping mechanisms. Researchers should review both profiles carefully, understand the mechanisms of action, and monitor the relevant biomarkers when combining compounds in the same class. As always, consult a licensed healthcare provider before making any decisions about combining research compounds.
This platform provides informational tools only, not medical advice. This comparison is for educational purposes only. Consult a licensed provider.
Contraindications
Lab Testing
Key references
Disclosed Labs