Prepared by: Research Desk
Prepared by: Research Desk. Sources are linked for verification.
CJC-1295 is a synthetic analogue of growth hormone–releasing hormone (GHRH). It was designed to bind covalently to albumin, the most abundant protein in blood plasma, so that it stays in circulation far longer than natural GHRH [1]. It was studied in small groups of healthy adults in the mid-2000s, but no product containing it has ever been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This entry sets out what the molecule is, what the published human studies measured, and its regulatory and anti-doping status.
Status at a glance
Field | Entry |
|---|---|
Class | GHRH analogue (acts at the GHRH receptor in the pituitary) |
Structure | Modified GRF(1-29) chain plus an albumin-binding "Drug Affinity Complex" (DAC) |
FDA approval | None; no approved product |
Compounding | Named on FDA's significant-safety-risks page, in its "nominated but withdrawn" table [2] |
Anti-doping | Prohibited by WADA as a GHRH analogue (2026 List, S2.2.4) [3] |
Human evidence | Small, short studies in healthy adults measuring GH, IGF-1 and serum proteins [1][4][5] |
Status checked | 20 October 2026 |
On this site's badge system, CJC-1295 sits under Compounding: under review / restricted. The meaning of each badge is set out in Peptide FDA status explained: approved to investigational.
Identity and chemistry
The GRF(1-29) backbone
Natural GHRH is a 44-amino-acid hormone made in the hypothalamus. Its biological activity resides in the first 29 amino acids, a fragment often written GRF(1-29) or GHRH(1-29). Sermorelin, a synthetic version of that fragment, was once an FDA-approved product, listed in Drugs@FDA under application 019863 [6]. Like other short hormone fragments, unmodified GRF(1-29) is broken down by blood enzymes within minutes.
CJC-1295 starts from the same 29-residue sequence but carries amino-acid substitutions intended to make the chain more resistant to enzymatic breakdown. For background on how chains like this are built and named, see What are peptides? Types, examples and a starter A–Z list.
The Drug Affinity Complex
The distinguishing feature is the Drug Affinity Complex (DAC): a reactive maleimide-based chemical group attached to the chain. After entering the bloodstream, this group forms a covalent bond with albumin. Teichman and colleagues describe CJC-1295 as a GHRH analogue that binds covalently to endogenous albumin, and they report an estimated half-life of roughly 6 to 8 days [1], compared with minutes for native GHRH. The design borrows albumin's own long lifespan in circulation to extend exposure.
"Mod GRF 1-29" and "CJC-1295 without DAC"
The name CJC-1295 is often applied loosely. The labels "modified GRF 1-29" (mod GRF 1-29) and "CJC-1295 without DAC" refer to the substituted 29-amino-acid chain without the albumin-binding group. Without the DAC, the molecule does not bind albumin, and its behaviour in the body is expected to be much shorter-lived. It is therefore a different substance from the one in the published human studies [1][4][5], and findings from those studies cannot be transferred to it. Terms such as analogue, secretagogue and half-life are defined in the Peptide glossary: key terms from agonist to secretagogue.
The human research record
Teichman et al., 2006: GH and IGF-1 measured over days
Study type: randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind studies in healthy adult volunteers [1].
The researchers measured blood growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-1) after single and repeated administration of CJC-1295 at several levels. They reported dose-related, several-fold increases in mean GH and IGF-1 that persisted for days rather than hours, with IGF-1 remaining raised for more than a week after a single administration [1]. The title summarises the finding as "prolonged stimulation" of GH and IGF-1 secretion. These were pharmacological measurement studies; they did not assess clinical outcomes.
Ionescu et al., 2006: does the natural GH pulse pattern survive?
GH is normally released in pulses, mostly during sleep. A concern with any long-acting stimulus is that it might flatten this rhythm. Ionescu and colleagues addressed the question in a small group of healthy young men, using frequent overnight blood sampling before and after CJC-1295 [4]. They reported that pulsatile GH secretion persisted during continuous stimulation, while baseline (trough) GH and IGF-1 levels rose [4].
Sackmann-Sala et al., 2009: serum protein profiles
A follow-up analysis examined serum samples from normal adult subjects given CJC-1295 and reported changes in the serum protein profile accompanying activation of the GH/IGF-1 axis [5]. Proteomic work of this kind looks for protein signatures that change when the GH axis is stimulated, a question of general interest in endocrine research.
What the record does not show
The published human record for CJC-1295 is small and short. The studies enrolled healthy volunteers, measured hormone and protein levels, and ran for weeks rather than years. They do not establish long-term safety, and they were not designed to test any health outcome. Recent reviews in sports medicine and orthopaedics separate approved peptide drugs from unapproved ones and discuss the limits of the human evidence for many of the latter [7][8][9]. For a general framework for weighing studies like these, see How to read peptide research: an evidence checklist.
Development and FDA approval
Clinical development of CJC-1295 did not lead to an approved product, and no application for it appears as approved in FDA records. The sources cited in this entry do not document why development stopped, so this entry does not state a reason.
FDA compounding status
U.S. pharmacies compounding under Section 503A of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act may use bulk drug substances only if they meet certain criteria. FDA maintains a page explaining how nominated bulk substances are evaluated [10], and its Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee advises the agency on such substances [11].
CJC-1295 is named on FDA's page of certain bulk drug substances for use in compounding that may present significant safety risks, in the table of bulk drug substances that were nominated but later withdrawn [2]. The concerns FDA describes for substances on that page include the risk of immune reactions (immunogenicity), peptide-related impurities, difficulty characterising the active ingredient, and reports of serious adverse events [2]. FDA updates the page as nominations change, so it should be consulted directly for the current listing. Appearing on it, or having a nomination withdrawn, is not a form of approval.
Anti-doping status
The World Anti-Doping Agency's Prohibited List includes GHRH and its analogues in class S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics) and names CJC-1295 among them (section S2.2.4, growth hormone releasing factors), alongside sermorelin and tesamorelin [3]. Substances in this class are prohibited at all times, in and out of competition [3].
How CJC-1295 compares with related molecules
Molecule | Mechanism | FDA record | WADA |
|---|---|---|---|
CJC-1295 | GHRH analogue with albumin-binding DAC | Never approved; on FDA compounding safety-risk page [2] | Prohibited (S2) [3] |
Sermorelin | GHRH(1-29) fragment, no DAC | Formerly approved product, application 019863 [6] | Prohibited (S2) [3] |
Tesamorelin | Stabilised GHRH analogue | Approved product listed in Drugs@FDA, application 022505 [12] | Prohibited (S2) [3] |
Ipamorelin | Ghrelin mimetic acting at the ghrelin receptor | Not approved; studied in a rodent model of postoperative ileus [13] | Prohibited (S2) [3] |
CJC-1295, sermorelin and tesamorelin all act at the GHRH receptor; ipamorelin acts at a different receptor, the ghrelin (GH secretagogue) receptor [13]. Full entries: Sermorelin: history, FDA status and the research record and Tesamorelin: an approved GHRH analogue, explained.
Further reading
Readers who want to follow primary endocrine research in depth generally get more from a current textbook than from summaries. Two kinds are useful: an endocrinology text covering the hypothalamic–pituitary axis and hormone feedback, and a biochemistry or medicinal chemistry text explaining how molecules are modified, linked to carrier proteins and cleared from the blood.
These neutral criteria make comparing titles quicker and more reliable:
Edition date. Endocrine physiology and drug chemistry move quickly; recent editions reflect current receptor biology and assay methods.
Referencing. Chapters that cite primary literature allow claims to be checked, which matters more than polish.
Level. Introductory texts suit newcomers; graduate and reference texts suit readers already comfortable with physiology.
Format and price. Compare print and ebook prices, check whether an earlier edition covers the same ground for less, and preview the table of contents before buying.
Frequently asked questions
Is CJC-1295 approved by the FDA?
No. No product containing CJC-1295 has been approved by the FDA. The substance is named on FDA's page of bulk drug substances for compounding that may present significant safety risks [2].
What is the difference between CJC-1295 and mod GRF 1-29?
CJC-1295 in the published studies carries a Drug Affinity Complex that binds albumin and extends its half-life to days [1]. "Mod GRF 1-29", sometimes called "CJC-1295 without DAC", is the modified 29-amino-acid chain without that albumin-binding group, so it is a different and much shorter-lived substance.
Is CJC-1295 banned in sport?
Yes. WADA lists CJC-1295 among GHRH analogues in class S2 of the Prohibited List, which applies at all times, in and out of competition [3].
Did the 2006 studies show that CJC-1295 is safe?
No. The studies were short and small, enrolled healthy adults, and measured GH, IGF-1 and protein levels [1][4]. They were not designed to establish long-term safety, and FDA has since described safety concerns about compounded versions [2].
Related on this site
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Last updated: 20 October 2026.
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