> ## Site index > Full index of Peptides.build at https://peptides.build/llms.txt. Use it to discover every page. # CJC-1295 vs Tesamorelin: Differences CJC-1295 and tesamorelin compared: two GHRH analogs, structural differences, healthy-adult studies versus HIV trials, prescribing, and FDA and sport status. URL: https://peptides.build/learn/cjc-1295-vs-tesamorelin/ Comparison · Performance # CJC-1295 vs tesamorelin: what is the difference? Published October 12, 2026 · Educational, not medical advice ## Short answer CJC-1295 and tesamorelin are both synthetic analogs of growth-hormone-releasing hormone, so they act on the same pituitary receptor. They differ in structure and duration, in evidence, and in regulation: CJC-1295 studies were in healthy adults and measured hormone secretion, while tesamorelin has randomized trials in HIV-associated abdominal fat accumulation and a brand-name FDA approval in that indication. Compounded forms of both are not FDA-approved. Both are prohibited in sport. - [What are CJC-1295 and tesamorelin?](#what-each-is) - [How do CJC-1295 and tesamorelin differ?](#differences) - [What does the research cover for each?](#research) - [How are CJC-1295 and tesamorelin prescribed?](#prescribed) - [Are CJC-1295 and tesamorelin FDA-approved or allowed in sport?](#status) - [FAQ](#faq) - [References](#references)
CJC-1295 vs Tesamorelin quick facts
Key differenceSame receptor, different molecule: a modified GHRH fragment (CJC-1295) versus a stabilized full-length GHRH (tesamorelin)
StructureCJC-1295: first 29 amino acids of GHRH, modified, with or without DAC. Tesamorelin: all 44, with a protective group at one end
Evidence to dateCJC-1295: pharmacokinetic and physiology studies in healthy adults. Tesamorelin: randomized trials in HIV-associated abdominal fat accumulation
Form in this catalogCJC-1295 only in the CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin blend; tesamorelin alone or in the Tesamorelin / Ipamorelin blend
Regulatory statusCJC-1295 not FDA-approved for any use; compounded tesamorelin not FDA-approved, branded tesamorelin approved for one HIV-related indication
Anti-dopingBoth prohibited at all times (WADA S2, growth hormone releasing factors)
Prescription unitsCJC-1295 in micrograms; tesamorelin in milligrams
Evidence snapshot**What kind of research is cited for CJC-1295 vs Tesamorelin?**5 cited sources: 4 human clinical trials, 1 other human study. Counts describe study type, not strength of result. Sources cited for CJC-1295 vs Tesamorelin, by study type | Study type | Sources | | --- | --- | | Human clinical trials | 4 | | Other human studies | 1 | | Animal and lab studies | 0 | | Review articles | 0 | ## What are CJC-1295 and tesamorelin? CJC-1295 is a synthetic analog built on the first 29 amino acids of growth-hormone-releasing hormone, the portion that carries the hormone's activity, with several substitutions that resist enzymatic breakdown. It comes in two forms. With DAC, a drug affinity complex, it carries a tail that binds albumin in the blood so it circulates for days; this is the long-acting form in the published studies. Without DAC, often called Mod GRF 1-29, it is cleared quickly. A prescription names one, and the vial label must match. Tesamorelin is also a synthetic GHRH analog, but it keeps the full 44-amino-acid sequence and adds a single protective group, trans-3-hexenoic acid, to the first amino acid to block the enzyme that cuts natural GHRH apart. It is not an albumin-binding design. It was developed as TH9507 and became a branded, FDA-approved injectable for one indication, which no form of CJC-1295 has ever achieved. ## How do CJC-1295 and tesamorelin differ? CJC-1295 and tesamorelin are the closest pair of compounds in this catalog, because both are GHRH analogs acting on the same receptor, and the differences are in the details rather than the mechanism. The structural difference is fragment versus full length and albumin-binding versus not. The evidence difference is healthy-volunteer hormone measurements versus randomized trials in a clinical population. The regulatory difference is that one has a branded approval, in a single HIV-related indication, and the other has none. CJC-1295 and tesamorelin side by side | Feature | CJC-1295 | Tesamorelin | | --- | --- | --- | | Class | GHRH analog (releasing factor) | GHRH analog (releasing factor) | | Structure | GHRH 1-29 fragment with substitutions; with or without DAC | Full 44-amino-acid GHRH with a protective group at one end | | Duration design | With DAC: albumin-binding, circulates for days | Enzyme-resistant, not albumin-binding | | Human studies | Pharmacokinetics, safety and hormone secretion in healthy adults, 2006 | Randomized trials and a pooled phase 3 analysis in HIV-associated abdominal fat accumulation, 2007 to 2014 | | Outcomes measured | Growth hormone and IGF-I levels; pulsatility | Metabolic measures, abdominal fat, visceral and liver fat | | FDA status | Not FDA-approved for any use | Branded product approved for one HIV-related indication; compounded form not approved | | In this catalog | Only in the CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin blend | Alone, or in the Tesamorelin / Ipamorelin blend | | Prescription units | Micrograms | Milligrams | Prescribed, pre-mixed ## Get CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin prescribed, pre-mixed US-supervised · all 50 states [CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin](https://peptides.build/protocols/cjc-1295-ipamorelin/)Blend: outside the HHS policy **$183**/mo*$1,099 billed every 6 months* Pay over time at checkout![Klarna](/media/payments/klarna.png)![Afterpay](/media/payments/afterpay.png)![Affirm](/media/payments/affirm.png) Prescription required. Your provider decides if it is appropriate. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. US-supervised · all 50 states [Tesamorelin / Ipamorelin](https://peptides.build/protocols/tesamorelin-ipamorelin/)Blend: outside the HHS policy **$183**/mo*$1,099 billed every 6 months* Pay over time at checkout![Klarna](/media/payments/klarna.png)![Afterpay](/media/payments/afterpay.png)![Affirm](/media/payments/affirm.png) Prescription required. Your provider decides if it is appropriate. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. ## What does the research cover for each? CJC-1295 research among the studies cited here is two 2006 papers in healthy adults. One was a randomized, placebo-controlled study of pharmacokinetics and safety that measured growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I secretion after the long-acting analog. The other was a physiology study in healthy men reporting that pulsatile growth hormone secretion persisted during continuous stimulation. These are hormone-level studies; they did not measure body composition, strength, recovery or any clinical outcome, and they studied the DAC form. Tesamorelin research is clinical and randomized, but all of it is in HIV-associated abdominal fat accumulation: a 2007 trial of metabolic effects in patients with HIV, a 2010 pooled analysis of two double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trials in HIV-infected patients with excess abdominal fat, and a 2014 randomized trial measuring visceral fat and liver fat in the same population. Neither compound has a published randomized trial for performance or body-composition goals in adults without HIV, and no study has compared the two head to head. ## How are CJC-1295 and tesamorelin prescribed? CJC-1295 is prescribed through Peptides.build only inside the CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin blend; tesamorelin is available on its own and inside the Tesamorelin / Ipamorelin blend. All three are compounded medications: a licensed US provider reviews an online intake, writes a prescription if appropriate, and a licensed 503A pharmacy prepares and ships the vial already reconstituted with the strength on the label. Choosing between them is a provider decision made against history, blood work and goals, not a matter of one being the stronger version of the other. The two prescriptions are also written differently: CJC-1295 amounts in micrograms, tesamorelin amounts in milligrams, so a tesamorelin draw is usually much larger on the syringe. The free CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin calculator and tesamorelin calculator on this site each convert a label strength to units for their own vials. Doses are set by the provider and never published here. ## Are CJC-1295 and tesamorelin FDA-approved or allowed in sport? CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved for any use, in either form. Compounded tesamorelin is not FDA-approved. Tesamorelin itself is FDA-approved under a brand name for one indication only, the reduction of excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Both reach patients here only as compounded medications prepared by a licensed 503A pharmacy, and compounded medications are not reviewed or approved by the FDA the way mass-manufactured drugs are. CJC-1295 and tesamorelin are both prohibited in sport at all times, and in the same category: the World Anti-Doping Agency names both under S2 as growth hormone releasing factors. Drug-tested athletes should check with their governing body before either is prescribed. Prescription, not research grade ## Prescribed CJC-1295 and Tesamorelin vs research peptides: what is different? Prescribed CJC-1295 and Tesamorelin are not research chemicals. They are prescription medications: a licensed US provider reviews your intake first, and a licensed 503A pharmacy compounds each one for you by name. Vials sold online as “research use only” skip both steps. What you pay for here is that review, a pharmacy you can name, and a label that says what is in the vial. A research seller’s certificate of analysis is a document the seller controls: it chooses the lab and the sample, and a PDF can be reused, edited or re-dated. No regulator checks it. Prescribed CJC-1295 and Tesamorelin compared with research-use-only peptides | Point | Prescribed through Peptides.build | Research use only | | --- | --- | --- | | Access | Online intake reviewed by a licensed US provider; prescribed only when appropriate. | No prescription and no clinical review of whether it suits you. | | How it's labeled | A prescription medication compounded for you by name. | Commonly sold labeled “research use only, not for human consumption.” | | Who prepares it | A licensed 503A US compounding pharmacy under state and federal oversight. | Unregulated suppliers, often with no verifiable chain of custody. | | Testing | Third-party tested. | Certificates of analysis are self-reported when provided at all. | | Purity and identity | Prepared to a prescription for a specific patient. | Purity, strength, and even identity are unverified by any independent party. | This compares two care models, not two products. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved, and we do not claim otherwise. What a prescription adds is a licensed provider deciding whether a protocol is appropriate for you and a licensed pharmacy preparing it. [Read the full guide to research vs prescription peptides](https://peptides.build/learn/research-peptides-vs-prescription-peptides/). Common questions ## CJC-1295 vs Tesamorelin FAQ ### Are CJC-1295 and tesamorelin the same thing? No, although they are close relatives. Both are synthetic analogs of growth-hormone-releasing hormone that act on the same pituitary receptor. CJC-1295 is a modified 29-amino-acid fragment, with or without an albumin-binding DAC tail; tesamorelin is the full 44-amino-acid hormone with a protective group at one end. ### Which has more human evidence? Tesamorelin has randomized clinical trials, all in HIV-associated abdominal fat accumulation. CJC-1295 has pharmacokinetic and physiology studies in healthy adults that measured growth hormone and IGF-I secretion, not clinical outcomes. Neither has trials for performance goals in adults without HIV. ### Is CJC-1295 with DAC the same as Mod GRF 1-29? No. Mod GRF 1-29 is CJC-1295 without the DAC tail, so it is cleared quickly instead of circulating for days. A prescription specifies one form and the pharmacy label must match it. ### Is either CJC-1295 or tesamorelin FDA-approved? CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved for any use. Tesamorelin is FDA-approved under a brand name for one indication only, excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy; compounded tesamorelin is not approved. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. ### Are CJC-1295 and tesamorelin banned in sport? Yes. The World Anti-Doping Agency lists both by name under S2 as growth hormone releasing factors, prohibited at all times. Drug-tested athletes should check with their governing body. Prescribed, not mixed at home ## CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin through Peptides.build A licensed US provider reviews a short online intake and decides whether a protocol is appropriate. A US 503A pharmacy prepares it already reconstituted, labels the concentration and ships it cold-chain. Dosing is set by the provider and is not published on this site. - [CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin protocol: pricing, who it is for, FAQ](https://peptides.build/protocols/cjc-1295-ipamorelin/) - [Tesamorelin / Ipamorelin protocol: pricing, who it is for, FAQ](https://peptides.build/protocols/tesamorelin-ipamorelin/) - [All performance protocols compared](https://peptides.build/protocols/performance/) - [What is tesamorelin?](https://peptides.build/learn/what-is-tesamorelin/) - [What is the CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin blend?](https://peptides.build/learn/what-is-cjc-1295-ipamorelin/) - [CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin vs Tesamorelin / Ipamorelin: what is the difference?](https://peptides.build/learn/cjc-1295-ipamorelin-vs-tesamorelin-ipamorelin/) - [Tesamorelin vs ipamorelin: what is the difference?](https://peptides.build/learn/tesamorelin-vs-ipamorelin/) Sources ## References 1. 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 and Metabolism*, 2006. [doi:10.1210/jc.2005-1536](https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2005-1536)Study type: Randomized controlled trial (healthy adults; pharmacokinetics and safety) 2. Pulsatile secretion of growth hormone (GH) persists during continuous stimulation by CJC-1295, a long-acting GH-releasing hormone analog. *Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism*, 2006. [doi:10.1210/jc.2006-1702](https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2006-1702)Study type: Human physiology study (healthy men) 3. Metabolic Effects of a Growth Hormone-Releasing Factor in Patients with HIV. *New England Journal of Medicine*, 2007. [doi:10.1056/NEJMoa072375](https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa072375)Study type: Randomized controlled trial (HIV-associated abdominal fat accumulation) 4. Effects of tesamorelin (TH9507), a growth hormone-releasing factor analog, in HIV-infected patients with excess abdominal fat: a pooled analysis of two multicenter, double-blind placebo-controlled phase 3 trials with safety extension data. *Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism*, 2010. [doi:10.1210/jc.2010-0490](https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2010-0490)Study type: Pooled analysis of two phase 3 trials (HIV-associated abdominal fat accumulation) 5. Effects of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial. *JAMA*, 2014. [doi:10.1001/jama.2014.8334](https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2014.8334)Study type: Randomized controlled trial (HIV-associated abdominal fat accumulation) Citations are listed with their study type so the evidence can be weighed. Review articles summarize other studies; animal and in vitro findings do not describe outcomes in people. This article is educational and is not medical advice. The compounded versions discussed here are not FDA-approved; compounded medications are not FDA-approved. No results are implied or guaranteed. Talk to a licensed provider about your own history before starting any protocol.