A synthetic fragment of growth hormone's C-terminus marketed for fat loss, but with disappointing human trial results.
Research use only — not approved as a drug anywhere. Its obesity programme was discontinued after a failed trial. It later received food-ingredient status in some contexts, which is not a therapeutic approval. Treated as prohibited in sport.
Also known as: Anti-Obesity Drug 9604, hGH fragment 176-191
Reproduces the lipolytic C-terminal domain of human GH, designed to mimic fat-breakdown signalling without GH's growth-promoting or glucose-raising actions, and does not raise IGF-1. The human receptor pathway remains poorly characterised.
AOD-9604 is a 16-amino-acid fragment of the lipolytic C-terminus of human growth hormone. Its pivotal phase 2b trial — roughly 536 obese subjects over 24 weeks — FAILED its primary endpoint: participants did not lose significantly more weight than placebo, and the anti-obesity programme was halted before phase 3. Early animal data suggested fat mobilisation without the glucose or IGF-1 effects of full GH, but this did not translate into meaningful human weight loss. Later marketing for joint and cartilage benefit rests on very thin human evidence.
We report both positive and negative trial results. For exact study protocols, read the sources — we cite them rather than repackage them.
Bars reflect the strength & volume of research evidence for each use — not a guarantee of results.
In human obesity trials the safety profile was reassuring — no significant IGF-1 elevation, no notable glucose problems, no major adverse signal. Efficacy, not safety, was the failure. Long-term and injectable-use safety is not well characterised.
CJC-1295 and ipamorelin — grouped by GH-derived 'fat-loss' framing. BPC-157 — in joint-recovery marketing. These are marketing groupings, not evidence-based combinations.
Mechanistic context only — we don't publish combinations, amounts or protocols.
Unlike tesamorelin or CJC-1295, which act on the GH axis and raise IGF-1, AOD-9604 is only the lipolytic fragment and does not meaningfully raise GH or IGF-1 — but it also failed to produce the weight loss those pathways are hoped to deliver.
No. Its main human obesity trial failed its primary endpoint. Despite heavy marketing, controlled evidence does not support meaningful fat loss.
No. It is only the tail fragment of HGH and, unlike full GH, did not raise IGF-1 or blood glucose in trials.
Human evidence is minimal and largely preclinical. Claims outpace the data.
No reviews yet. If you've used AOD-9604, be the first to share what it helped with and any side effects.
⚠️ Educational research information only — not medical advice. Many peptides are sold strictly for laboratory research and are not approved treatments. The evidence scores reflect research interest and strength, not efficacy or safety for any individual. Always consult a qualified professional.