AOD-9604 vs Tesamorelin

AOD-9604 is a modified C-terminal fragment of growth hormone designed to keep a fat-metabolism signal without the growth-promoting IGF-1 response; its weight-loss trials were negative. Tesamorelin works upstream, stimulating the pituitary to release GH, and reduced visceral fat in phase 3 trials.

HPLC tested · JanoshikJanoshik CertificatesNationwide DeliveryResearch Only

🧪

AOD-9604

A modified C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone (residues 177–191 plus an N-terminal tyrosine) studied for fat metabolism without GH’s growth or glucose effects.

BEST STUDIED FOR

Incretin & metabolic

Read the cited profile →

Tesamorelin

Tesamorelin is a stabilised synthetic analogue of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH).

BEST STUDIED FOR

GHRH-analogue and visceral-fat research

R1 199View product →

Side by side · to buy

Price, purity and dispatch

Compare	AOD-9604	Tesamorelin10 mg · more sizes
Price	—	fromR1,199
Cost per mg	—	R120 / mg
Purity (Janoshik)	—	On request
Stock	—	Restocking
Dispatch	—	When restocked
Certificate	—	Request CoA
Literature	—	3 papers →
Research focus	Incretin & metabolic	GHRH-analogue and visceral-fat research
	Read the cited profile	Notify me

Prices are read live from the catalogue. Cost per mg is the vial price over its stated mg. Purity is shown only where the certificate is published. Every compound is supplied for laboratory research only.

SIDE BY SIDE

	AOD-9604	Tesamorelin
The key difference	hGH(177-191) fragment; no IGF-1 rise	Full GHRH analogue that raises GH and IGF-1
Class	Incretin & metabolic	GH secretagogues
Mechanism	The 177–191 region of GH is associated with lipolytic activity.	Tesamorelin is a stabilised synthetic analogue of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH).
Status	Reached phase 2 obesity trials in the early 2000s; not approved as a medicine. Also studied in an animal osteoarthritis model.	An approved medicine (US) for excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy; research use elsewhere.
Reported safety signals	Development-era trials reported it as tolerated; it is detected in anti-doping testing. Human efficacy for weight was not established.	Label-level trial data exist for its approved indication, including IGF-1 elevation and injection-site effects.
A key study	In obese mice, chronic AOD9604 increased fat oxidation and reduced body weight, and the effect was not mediated by the GH receptor. (Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2001, PMID 11673763)	A pooled analysis of two phase-3 trials reported that tesamorelin reduced visceral adipose tissue in HIV patients with excess abdominal fat. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010, PMID 20554713)

WHEN TO RESEARCH WHICH

Tesamorelin carries the positive clinical data for visceral fat; AOD-9604 is relevant mainly as a fragment-pharmacology model. Both are discussed here strictly as research compounds; nothing on this page is medical advice or a dosing guide.

REFERENCES (PUBMED)

[AOD-9604] Increase of fat oxidation and weight loss in obese mice caused by chronic treatment with human growth hormone or a modified C-terminal fragment — Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2001. PMID 11673763
[AOD-9604] Reduction of cumulative body weight gain and adipose tissue mass in obese mice: response to chronic treatment with synthetic hGH 177-191 peptide — Biochem Mol Biol Int 1994. PMID 7987248
[AOD-9604] Effect of Intra-articular Injection of AOD9604 with or without Hyaluronic Acid in Rabbit Osteoarthritis Model — Ann Clin Lab Sci 2015. PMID 26275694
[Tesamorelin] 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 — J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010. PMID 20554713
[Tesamorelin] Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial — JAMA 2014. PMID 25038357
[Tesamorelin] Effects of tesamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing factor, in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized placebo-controlled trial with a safety extension — J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2010. PMID 20101189

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What is the difference between AOD-9604 and Tesamorelin?

What is the regulatory status of AOD-9604 and Tesamorelin?

AOD-9604: Reached phase 2 obesity trials in the early 2000s; not approved as a medicine. Also studied in an animal osteoarthritis model. Tesamorelin: An approved medicine (US) for excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy; research use elsewhere.

What safety signals have been reported?

AOD-9604: Development-era trials reported it as tolerated; it is detected in anti-doping testing. Human efficacy for weight was not established. Tesamorelin: Label-level trial data exist for its approved indication, including IGF-1 elevation and injection-site effects.

Which studies is this comparison based on?

For AOD-9604: “Increase of fat oxidation and weight loss in obese mice caused by chronic treatment with human growth hormone or a modified C-terminal fragment” (PMID 11673763); “Reduction of cumulative body weight gain and adipose tissue mass in obese mice: response to chronic treatment with synthetic hGH 177-191 peptide” (PMID 7987248); “Effect of Intra-articular Injection of AOD9604 with or without Hyaluronic Acid in Rabbit Osteoarthritis Model” (PMID 26275694). For Tesamorelin: “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” (PMID 20554713); “Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial” (PMID 25038357); “Effects of tesamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing factor, in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized placebo-controlled trial with a safety extension” (PMID 20101189).