Tesamorelin vs CJC-1295 (no DAC)

Tesamorelin

A stabilised GHRH analogue with an FDA approval for HIV-associated lipodystrophy — the only growth-hormone-axis secretagogue with a genuine regulatory signal. Famous for selectively shrinking visceral fat.

Best for

Best when visceral fat is the target — Tesamorelin is FDA-approved with real VAT-reduction data.

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

A short-acting GHRH analogue — the GH pulse it produces is sharp, brief, and very close to what the pituitary does on its own. Stabilised against rapid breakdown, but without the albumin-binding modification that turns it into the long-acting DAC version.

Best for

Best when you want a longer-acting, adjustable research GHRH for general GH support.

Tesamorelin

FDA-approved (2010) as Egrifta for HIV-associated lipodystrophy on the strength of two phase-3 trials demonstrating 15–20% visceral adipose tissue reduction at 26 weeks. Long-term extension data out to 52 weeks confirms maintained benefit with continued dosing. Off-label use in non-HIV populations is supported by mechanistic plausibility but has not been subjected to a dedicated phase-3 trial; the safety profile is borrowed from the HIV cohort.

CJC-1295 (no DAC)

The pulse-amplification pharmacology is well-characterised in short human studies — Teichman and colleagues (2006) is the canonical reference and the half-life and pulse-shape data is solid. What is missing is long-term outcome data in healthy adults. The chronic safety profile is reassuring by absence of major signals across two decades of grey-market use, but absence of signal is not the same as a chronic safety trial.