Long-acting GHRH analog

CJC-1295

A synthetic GHRH analog researched for prolonged GH and IGF-1 stimulation, including albumin-binding DAC versions.

Also referred to as: CJC-1295 with DAC, DAC:GRF, long-acting GHRH analog, Modified GRF 1-29 related analog
Growth hormone axis
Research use only. This page summarizes published scientific literature. It is not medical advice, not a recommendation, and not a claim that this compound treats, cures or prevents any condition. Nothing here is a suggestion to use it.

What CJC-1295 is

CJC-1295 is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), engineered to extend stimulation of pituitary GH release relative to native GHRH(1-29). The best-known research form includes a Drug Affinity Complex (DAC) moiety that enables covalent albumin binding after injection, markedly prolonging half-life and supporting multi-day GH/IGF-1 elevations in published human pharmacokinetic studies.

Investigators value CJC-1295 as a tool compound for GH-axis pharmacology: it helped demonstrate that prolonged GHRH-receptor stimulation can raise GH and IGF-1 while still preserving pulsatile GH patterns in healthy adults. A shorter-acting related sequence (often discussed as CJC-1295 without DAC / Mod GRF 1-29) is used when labs want brief pulses instead of multi-day exposure.

Research-grade CJC-1295 is Research Use Only. It is not FDA-approved for human use and is not for human consumption. Reported ranges differ sharply between DAC and non-DAC forms; the figures below are literature references, not recommendations.

CJC-1295 has been studied in human trials, which is not true of most compounds in this library. The figures below come from that work.

How it works

CJC-1295 acts at the GHRH receptor on anterior-pituitary somatotrophs. Receptor activation increases cAMP and triggers GH secretion. In the DAC-bearing form, reactive conjugation to circulating albumin slows clearance, producing sustained GHRH-receptor tone. Downstream, elevated GH drives hepatic and local IGF-1 production. Studies report that physiologic GH pulsatility can persist even under continuous analog stimulation.

Who studies it, and why

Endocrine pharmacologists, peptide-engineering groups, and GH-axis biology labs are the main audience. Anti-doping analytics groups have also published detection methods because GHRH analogs appear on prohibited-substance lists in sport contexts.

What the research examines

GH/IGF-1 axis pharmacologylong-acting GHRH analog designpituitary somatotroph signalingbody-composition biomarker researchalbumin-bioconjugate peptide PK

These describe where the compound shows up in published work. None of them should be read as an established outcome.

How it appears in the literature

Amounts reported in published research, shown for reference. Not a protocol.

Research contextReported amountFrequencyRoute
Teichman et al. healthy-adult study of CJC-1295 with DAC2 mg – 4.5 mgsingle dose or multi-dose weekly-style cohortssubcutaneous
Commonly cited research-protocol ranges for non-DAC / Mod GRF 1-29 style analogs100 mcg – 300 mcgone to three times dailysubcutaneous
See the full CJC-1295 dosage chart, reconstitution math and calculator →

Handling & storage

Store lyophilized peptide refrigerated or frozen, away from light and humidity. After reconstitution, refrigerate and aliquot if the protocol requires repeated sampling over multiple days.

Notes on combined research

Research protocols frequently examine CJC-1295 together with a ghrelin-mimetic GHRP or GHS-R agonist such as ipamorelin or hexarelin because GHRH and ghrelin pathways can converge on GH release through complementary receptors. DAC versus non-DAC choice is usually the first experimental branch point.

CJC-1295 questions

For CJC-1295 with DAC, Teichman et al. studied about 30-60 mcg/kg subcutaneously in healthy adults. Non-DAC analogs are commonly discussed around 100-300 mcg per exposure because they clear much faster.

DAC enables albumin binding and multi-day activity. Without DAC, the peptide behaves like a short-acting GHRH analog and is typically studied with more frequent administration.

Published work reported that pulsatile GH secretion can persist during continuous stimulation by long-acting CJC-1295, with higher mean and trough GH levels.

No. Research-grade CJC-1295 is RUO laboratory material and is not an approved drug product for human use.

GHRH-receptor and ghrelin-receptor pathways both influence GH release. Combination designs are used to study synergy and dual-input control of somatotroph output.

Human PK work reported a half-life on the order of roughly one week, with IGF-1 elevations lasting days after dosing in study cohorts.

Lyophilized 2 mg and 5 mg vials are common research presentations, reconstituted to a working concentration chosen for the assay or protocol.

Read the research yourself

Verified against PubMed, one by one. A reference you cannot open is not evidence.

Reference information only. The values below summarize amounts reported in published research literature and laboratory protocol discussions. They are not dosing recommendations, not medical advice, and not instructions for use in humans. All compounds referenced are for laboratory research use only and are not for human consumption.