hGH fragment comes up often in conversation and rarely with the context attached. Here we lay out the basics in order, then work through the practical considerations.
Updated 2026-03-07. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
Regulatory status varies by country. In the United States, AOD-9604 is not approved as a prescription drug. It is sometimes sold as a research chemical or dietary supplement, though such marketing may fall outside legal frameworks. The World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits its use in sport. Researchers must obtain it through legitimate suppliers and follow institutional rules. Its legal classification continues to evolve as authorities increasingly assess peptide products more broadly.
AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide whose sequence matches the C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone, specifically residues 176 through 191. This region differs from the full hormone in its receptor interactions. The peptide is not a growth hormone secretagogue and does not bind the growth hormone receptor in the same manner. Researchers have examined it for effects on lipid metabolism, but its exact pharmacological profile remains an active area of study.
Clinical development of AOD-9604 included trials in people with obesity. Reports from early-phase and mid-phase studies described modest or inconsistent changes in body weight. A phase IIb program did not meet its primary endpoint, and the compound was not approved for medical use. Differences in formulation, delivery route, and participant characteristics may explain some of the variation. Later investigations explored whether the peptide might have effects in other tissues, including cartilage.
Regulatory treatment of AOD-9604 is shaped by its classification as a peptide hormone. The World Anti-Doping Agency lists it as a prohibited substance, and many national anti-doping organizations adopt that list. It does not hold approval as a prescription medicine in the United States, the European Union, or other major markets. Products sold online are frequently labeled for research use only and may not undergo independent quality testing. Import and possession rules differ by country, so legal status depends on local law.
Proposed mechanisms for AOD-9604 focus on fat cells. Laboratory studies suggest the peptide can increase lipolysis, the breakdown of stored fat, and reduce lipogenesis, the formation of new fat. Unlike full human growth hormone, it does not appear to stimulate substantial IGF-1 production in the studies reported so far. Some evidence points to beta-adrenergic signaling, but the precise receptor targets and downstream pathways remain unresolved. The fragment is not thought to act through the classical growth hormone receptor.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular class | Peptide fragment | Corresponds to hGH residues 176-191 |
| Common synonyms | AOD9604, hGH 176-191 | Also written as AOD-9604 |
| Typical form | Lyophilized powder | Often supplied in sealed vials |
| Solubility | Water-soluble | Dissolves in aqueous buffers |
| Regulatory status | Not approved as drug | Banned in sport; varies by country |
AOD9604 is a synthetic peptide modeled on the C-terminal region of human growth hormone. It corresponds to a short sequence near the end of the 191-amino-acid hormone, often described as residues 176–191 or a related fragment. Researchers designed it to separate metabolic effects from the growth-promoting actions of full-length growth hormone. Early work in the 1990s explored it as a candidate for weight and lipid disorders. It is not a naturally circulating hormone fragment produced in large amounts.
Laboratory studies have reported that AOD9604 can increase lipolysis and reduce lipid accumulation in fat cells. The precise molecular target remains uncertain, and the compound does not appear to activate the growth hormone receptor in the same way as full-length hGH. Proposed mechanisms include effects on beta-adrenergic signaling and enzymes involved in fatty acid synthesis, but these pathways are not firmly established. Because most evidence comes from cell and animal models, whether the same effects occur in humans is an open question.
AOD-9604 is listed as a prohibited substance in sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency. It falls under the peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances, and mimetics class on the prohibited list. Anti-doping organizations treat its presence in an athlete's sample as an adverse finding unless a therapeutic use exemption applies. The prohibition reflects concerns about performance enhancement in competitive settings and the difficulty of distinguishing exogenous peptide use from endogenous hormone fragments.
Detection of AOD-9604 in biological samples relies on analytical techniques capable of distinguishing a small synthetic peptide from related endogenous sequences. Liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry is commonly used for confirmatory analysis. Sample preparation may involve immunoaffinity enrichment or solid-phase extraction to concentrate the peptide. Because the molecule is small and may be present at low concentrations, assay sensitivity and specificity are ongoing analytical challenges. Laboratories also validate methods against reference materials when available.
Regulatory interest in AOD-9604 increased after high-profile anti-doping cases involving peptide products. In some cases, the substance was supplied under alternative names or in compounded preparations, complicating traceability. Sports tribunals and anti-doping panels have discussed whether the peptide was explicitly banned at the time of use, leading to clarifications by the World Anti-Doping Agency. For consumers and researchers, the legal status can vary by jurisdiction, and products marketed as research chemicals may lack independent quality verification.
The compound has been studied as a potential treatment for obesity and related metabolic conditions. Published trials have examined changes in body weight, fat mass, and safety markers over limited durations. Results have been mixed or modest, and no large-scale outcome trials are established. Regulatory agencies in several countries have not approved it as a therapeutic drug. Some commercial products have been marketed outside regulated pharmaceutical channels, which raises questions about quality and claims.
In the scientific literature, AOD-9604 appears in reviews of growth hormone fragments and in discussions of peptide-based metabolic research. Some sources distinguish it from growth hormone itself, while others group it with compounds marketed for weight management. The evidence base is small compared with approved obesity medications. Questions about long-term efficacy and clinical relevance remain open, and independent replication of key findings is limited. Most published reports are early-stage and exploratory.
=== Phase 1 === AZD-4041 – orexin OX1 receptor antagonist – opioid-related disorders BI-1356225 – ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) inhibitor – opioid-related disorders Cebranopadol (GRT-6005; PRK-101; TRN-228) – μ-opioid receptor agonist, nociceptin receptor agonist – substance-related disorders CSX-1004 – monoclonal antibody against fentanyl – opioid-related disorders Dimethyltryptamine/harmine (DMT/harmine; RE-01) – combination of dimethyltryptamine (DMT) (serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist and serotonergic psychedelic) and harmine (monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) and other actions) – cocaine-related disorders DPI-125 (MCP-201) – μ-opioid receptor agonist, δ-opioid receptor agonist, κ-opioid receptor agonist – opioid-related disorders Ibuprofen/ketotifen (SJP-005) – combination of ibuprofen (cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor/NSAID) and ketotifen (histamine H1 receptor antagonist, other actions) – opioid-related disorders Icalcaprant (ABBV-1354; CVL-354) – κ-opioid receptor antagonist – opioid-related disorders KNX-100 (SOC-1) – oxytocin-like drug / indirect oxytocin receptor modulator – opioid-related disorders, substance-related disorders Mavoglurant (AFQ-056; STP-7) – metabotropic glutamate mGlu5 receptor antagonist – cocaine-related disorders MEB-1170 – μ-opioid receptor biased agonist – opioid-related disorders Mebufotenin (5-MeO-DMT) – non-selective serotonin receptor agonist, serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptor agonist, and serotonergic psychedelic – substance use disorders MST-01 – undefined mechanism of action – smoking withdrawal Nalmefene (AV-104; TH-104) – μ-opioid receptor antagonist, κ-opioid receptor weak partial agonist – opioid-related disorders Naltrexone implantable pellets (BICX-102, BICX-104) – opioid receptor antagonist – alcoholism, opioid-related disorders, substance-related disorders Nezavist (DCUK-OEt) – peripherally selective GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulator (etomidate site) – alcoholism Noribogaine (DMX-1001) – various actions – alcoholism NRS-033 (nalmefene prodrug) – μ-opioid receptor antagonist, κ-opioid receptor weak partial agonist – opioid-related disorders OMS-527 (OMS-182399; OMS527) – phosphodiesterase PDE7 inhibitor – cocaine-related disorders Psilocybin (MLS-101/MLS101) – non-selective serotonin receptor agonist, serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist, serotonergic psychedelic – opioid-related disorders Smoking cessation therapeutics - Astraea Therapeutics – nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonists – smoking withdrawal SXC-2023 – cystine/glutamate transporter (SLC7A11) – cocaine-related disorders Tezampanel (LY-293558; NGX-424; PRN-001-01) – ionotropic glutamate AMPA and kainate receptor antagonist – opioid-related disorders Zabaglurant (Heptares 25; HTL-0014242; HTL14242; TMP-301) – metabotropic glutamate mGlu5 receptor negative allosteric modulator – cocaine-related disorders, substance-related disorders
By the 1801 Treaty of Lunéville, the last Este Duke was compensated with the Breisgau region of the former Further Austrian territories in southwestern Germany, and died in 1803. Following his death, the claims to the no longer existing ducal crown of Modena were inherited by his son-in-law, the Habsburg-Lorraine Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, an uncle of Emperor Francis II.
Eddy was by all accounts charismatic and able to inspire great loyalty, although Gillian Gill writes that she could also be irrational and unkind. According to Bryan Wilson, she exemplified the female charismatic leader, and was viewed as the head of the Christian Science church even after her death; he wrote in 1961 that her name—Christian Scientists call her Mrs. Eddy or "our beloved Leader"—was still included in all articles published in the Christian Science journals.
Darlene was granted power of attorney over Bev's finances, until late in the second season of The Conners, when the 94-year-old Bev, angry that Darlene allowed Jackie and Becky to re-open the Lunch Box restaurant (an asset Bev somehow secretly retained), revoked Darlene having power of attorney.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
ADAM (A Database of Anti-Microbial peptides) Archived 2015-06-17 at the Wayback Machine at ntou.edu.tw AntiFP Prediction of antifungal peptides AntiMPmod Prediction of antimicrobial potential of modified peptides Antimicrobial+Cationic+Peptides at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) AntiTbPred Prediction of anti-tuberculosis peptides Antimicrobial Peptide Database Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine at University of Nebraska Medical Center Antimicrobial Peptide Scanner Deep Learning based AMP prediction server AntiTbPdb Anti Tubercular Peptide Database BioPD[link removed] at Peking University Health Science Center CAMP:Collection of Anti-Microbial Peptides at National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (NIRRH) DBAASP - Database of Antimicrobial Activity and Structure of Peptides] LAMP at Fudan University PeptideLocator Prediction of functional peptides, including antimicrobial peptides, in a protein sequence PeptideRanker Bioactive peptide, including antimicrobial peptide, prediction modlAMP Python package for computational work with antimicrobial peptides, including sequence handling, -design, -prediction, descriptor calculation and plotting
In September 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required the boxed warning for all benzodiazepine medicines to be updated to describe the risks of abuse, misuse, addiction, physical dependence, and withdrawal reactions consistently across all the medicines in the class.
=== US FDA approved === The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves anti-obesity medications as an adjunctive therapy to diet and exercise for people for whom lifestyle changes do not result in sufficient weight loss. In the United States, semaglutide (Wegovy) is approved by the FDA for chronic weight management. The FDA guidelines say that a therapy may be approved if it results in weight loss that is statistically significant greater than placebo and generally at least five percent of body weight over six months that comes predominantly from fat mass. Some other prescription weight loss medications are stimulants, which are recommended only for short-term use, and thus are of limited usefulness for patients who may need to reduce weight over months or years. As of 2022, there is no pathway for approval for drugs that reduce fat mass without 5 percent overall weight loss, even if they significantly improve metabolic health; neither is there one for drugs that help patients maintain weight loss although this can be more challenging than losing weight. As of 2022, no medication has been discovered that would equal the effectiveness of bariatric surgery for long-term weight loss and improved health outcomes.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide fragment of human growth hormone, corresponding to amino acids 176-191. It is studied for potential effects on fat metabolism, but it is not approved as a drug in most countries. Its exact mechanism remains under investigation.
No, it is a small fragment of the full growth hormone protein. It does not appear to stimulate growth or increase growth hormone levels in the same way. Its actions are thought to be more limited to metabolic pathways.
Regulatory status varies. It is not approved for medical use in the United States or many other countries. It is banned in sport by WADA, and its sale as a supplement or research chemical may be subject to legal restrictions.
No. Major drug regulators have not approved AOD-9604 for weight loss or any other therapeutic indication. It remains an investigational compound studied in research settings.