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 and Sermorelin — mechanism, side effects, legal status, and pricing.
CJC-1295 is a synthetic tetrasubstituted analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29) originally developed by ConjuChem. The name historically refers to the DAC-modified (Drug Affinity Complex) form that covalently binds serum albumin, producing a 6–8 day half-life; a separate no-DAC form (also called Modified GRF 1-29) shares the same tetrasubstituted backbone but lacks the albumin-linking maleimidopropionyl-lysine and has a half-life of roughly 30 minutes. Not FDA-approved in any form; ConjuChem halted Phase 2 development around 2007 after a patient death in an HIV-lipodystrophy trial (ultimately judged by investigators to be unrelated to the drug, but development was terminated regardless).
Sermorelin is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) consisting of the first 29 amino acids of the 44-aa native hormone — the shortest fragment that retains full biological activity. It was FDA-approved in the 1990s as Geref (EMD Serono) for diagnostic testing of pituitary GH reserve and later for pediatric idiopathic GH deficiency, but was withdrawn from the US market in 2008–2009 at the manufacturer's request for commercial reasons (not safety or efficacy). It remains on the FDA Category 1 list of bulk substances nominated for use in 503A compounding, where it is now widely prescribed off-label for adult GH insufficiency and "anti-aging" indications.
CJC-1295
Sermorelin
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
Sermorelin
COA corpus from Disclosed Labs — independently tested batches only.
CJC-1295
112
COAs
98.7%
Avg purity
12
Labs
Sermorelin
76
COAs
99.4%
Avg purity
10
Labs
In healthy adults, single SubQ doses of CJC-1295 (with DAC) elevated plasma GH 2- to 10-fold for ≥6 days and IGF-1 1.5- to 3-fold for 9–11 days (Teichman et al., JCEM 2006), and pulsatile GH secretion was preserved rather than suppressed during continuous stimulation (Ionescu & Frohman, JCEM 2006). Despite these Phase 1/2 findings, ConjuChem halted Phase 2 lipodystrophy development in 2006–2007 after a trial participant died of a myocardial infarction; the event was deemed most likely due to pre-existing coronary disease, but the program was not resumed. No CJC-1295 form is FDA-approved for any indication. Grey-market use almost always refers to the no-DAC / Modified GRF 1-29 form, often stacked with ipamorelin; neither variant is clinically validated for anti-aging, body composition, or performance indications.
Key references
Sermorelin was FDA-approved in the 1990s as Geref for the GHRH stimulation test of pituitary function and, at higher doses, for pediatric idiopathic GHD. The principal review of pediatric Geref data is Prakash & Goa (BioDrugs 1999; PMID 18031173). In adults, Vittone et al. (Metabolism 1997; PMID 9005976) showed nightly sermorelin in healthy elderly men raised IGF-1 and modestly increased lean mass, and Khorram, Laughlin & Yen (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997; PMID 9141536) demonstrated that 16 weeks of nightly [Nle27]GHRH(1-29) in 19 subjects aged 55-71 restored GH/IGF-1 toward young-adult levels with small gains in lean mass and skin thickness. Walker (Clin Interv Aging 2006; PMID 18046908) reviewed the rationale for sermorelin as a more physiologic alternative to rhGH in adult GH insufficiency. EMD Serono discontinued Geref in 2008; FDA withdrew NDA approvals in 2009 and affirmed in 2013 that this was for commercial — not safety or efficacy — reasons. Unlike exogenous GH, sermorelin has not been associated with reports of acromegaly because endogenous feedback limits peak GH.
CJC-1295 and Sermorelin 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
Key references
Disclosed Labs