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 CJC-1295 (no DAC) and MK-677 — mechanism, side effects, legal status, and pricing.
CJC-1295 without Drug Affinity Complex (no DAC), also known as Modified GRF(1-29), is a synthetic analog of the first 29 amino acids of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). Four amino acid substitutions at positions 2, 8, 15, and 27 confer resistance to DPP-IV enzymatic degradation while maintaining GHRH-receptor binding activity. Unlike the DAC-conjugated variant (half-life 6–8 days via albumin binding), the no-DAC form has a short half-life of approximately 30 minutes, producing brief, pulsatile bursts of GH secretion. Not FDA-approved in any form.
MK-677 (ibutamoren, MK-0677, L-163,191) is an orally active, non-peptide small-molecule growth hormone secretagogue developed by Merck in the 1990s. It is a spiropiperidine ghrelin-receptor (GHSR-1a) agonist — not a peptide and not a SARM, though it is commonly misclassified as both in grey-market retail. Merck discontinued development after mixed efficacy and adverse metabolic / cardiovascular findings; it is not FDA-approved.
CJC-1295 (no DAC)
MK-677
Category
Legal Status
Mechanism
Half-life
Side Effects
COA-verified vendors · trust score ≥70 required · single-vial price — bulk/bundle deals may be lower
CJC-1295 (no DAC)
MK-677
No pricing data yet.
Check MK-677 prices →COA corpus from Disclosed Labs — independently tested batches only.
CJC-1295 (no DAC)
2
COAs
99.4%
Avg purity
2
Labs
MK-677
5
COAs
98.3%
Avg purity
3
Labs
The parent molecule CJC-1295 (DAC form) was identified by Jetté et al. (Endocrinology, 2005; PMID 15817669) at ConjuChem as a tetrasubstituted GHRH(1-29) bioconjugate that covalently binds Cys34 of serum albumin via a maleimidopropionyl-lysine linker, extending half-life to roughly 5.8–8.1 days. In healthy adults, Teichman et al. (JCEM, 2006; PMID 16352683) showed single SubQ doses of the DAC form produced 2- to 10-fold GH elevations for ≥6 days and 1.5- to 3-fold IGF-1 elevations for 9–11 days, and Ionescu & Frohman (JCEM, 2006; PMID 17018654) demonstrated that pulsatile GH secretion was preserved (7.5-fold increase in trough GH, IGF-1 up 45%). ConjuChem halted Phase 2 lipodystrophy development around 2006–2007 after a participant death in an HIV-visceral-adiposity trial (deemed by the trial physician most likely due to pre-existing coronary artery disease rather than CJC-1295, but the program was not resumed; aidsmap news, July 2006). The no-DAC form described here ('Modified GRF 1-29') shares the same position-2/8/15/27 substitutions (which confer DPP-IV resistance; see Soule et al., JCEM 1994, PMID 7962295 for the foundational D-Ala2 half-life work) but omits the albumin-linker lysine, giving a short (~30 min) half-life similar to sermorelin. No form of CJC-1295 is FDA-approved for any indication. Grey-market compounding practice pairs the no-DAC form with ipamorelin; this combination is not clinically validated for anti-aging, body composition, or performance use, and peer-reviewed human trials of the no-DAC variant specifically are lacking — the 100–300 mcg dosing range reflects community practice, not clinical evidence.
Key references
CJC-1295 (no DAC) and MK-677 are both in the Performance 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
MK-677 has meaningful human data from Merck-sponsored Phase I/II trials. Murphy et al. (JCEM 1998, PMID 9467534) showed 25 mg MK-677 reversed nitrogen wasting during caloric restriction in healthy adults. Svensson et al. (JCEM 1998, PMID 9467542) reported ~40% IGF-1 elevation, increased fat-free mass, and higher energy expenditure over 8 weeks in obese men. Copinschi et al. (Neuroendocrinology 1997, PMID 9349662) documented improved slow-wave and REM sleep in young and older adults. Nass et al. (Ann Intern Med 2008, PMID 18981485) — the pivotal 2-year randomized trial in 65 healthy older adults — restored GH and IGF-1 to young-adult levels and increased fat-free mass, but produced modest fasting glucose elevation and insulin resistance. The Adunsky et al. Phase IIb hip-fracture trial (Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2011, PMID 21067829) was stopped early after a congestive-heart-failure safety signal (4/62 ibutamoren vs 1/60 placebo). Merck discontinued development. MK-677 is commonly mislabeled as a 'SARM' in grey-market retail — it is not; it is a ghrelin-receptor agonist and oral GH secretagogue. It has never been FDA-approved.
Key references
Disclosed Labs