CJC-1295

Areas of active research — not promised effects

Each tag links to other compounds with research into that goal. Research use only: these are areas of study, not human-use claims.

Related by research scope · open each to compare

CJC-1295 has no FDA-approved drug application. It was placed on the FDA Category 2 bulk substances list, restricting 503A/503B compounding. As of April 23, 2026, HHS/FDA signaled removal of approximately 14 of 19 Category 2 peptides; however, CJC-1295 is not among the substances formally nominated for the July 23–24, 2026 PCAC 503A bulks review, and its compounding status remains uncertain. Possession and use outside of research or licensed compounding channels may violate the FD&C Act.

Confirmed high-severity market-integrity event (enforcement / recall / counterfeit)

Transparent blend · bci-1.0 · never paid-placement

Primary name

CJC-1295

Origin

Developed by ConjuChem Biotechnologies; a 30-amino-acid analog of endogenous GHRH(1-29) with four stabilizing amino acid substitutions and a C-terminal drug affinity complex (DAC) maleimide moiety that enables covalent albumin binding.

Registry IDs

PubChem CID

91971820

CAS

446262-90-4

InChIKey

ZUQGTWKGESAQCD-ZGFIGYLBSA-N

Molecular formula

C165H269N47O46

Molar mass

3647.2 g/mol

Monoisotopic

3645.0154843 Da

InChIKey

ZUQGTWKGESAQCD-ZGFIGYLBSA-N

Appearance

White to off-white lyophilized powder

Solubility

Soluble in water; reconstituted in bacteriostatic water or sterile water for inj…

Sequence not available in current seed.

Stability: Stable as lyophilized powder under recommended cold-chain conditions; reconstituted solution degrades faster; DAC moiety is hydrolysis-sensitive under non-neutr

Vial sizes

2 mg · 5 mg

Purity grades

≥98% HPLC

Salt forms

Free base (primary)

• GHS hazard class on file
• PPE & spill response
• Disposal guidance
• Not-for-human-consumption posture

How much research exists, and of what maturity — never a verdict on whether it works.

Mechanism of action

• CJC-1295 binds to GHRH receptors on somatotroph cells of the anterior pituitary, activating adenylyl cyclase and raising intracellular cAMP, which drives synthesis and pulsatile release of growth hormone
• The DAC maleimide group at the C-terminus reacts spontaneously with the free thiol on Cys34 of circulating serum albumin, creating a covalent adduct that dramatically extends circulating half-life relative to unmodified GHRH analogs
• Despite sustained receptor stimulation, pulsatile GH secretion is preserved, resulting in prolonged elevation of both GH and downstream IGF-1 without fully blunting normal secretory rhythm
• The combination of receptor agonism and the albumin depot mechanism makes CJC-1295 pharmacologically distinct from unmodified Mod GRF(1-29), which lacks the DAC albumin-binding moiety and is correspondingly shorter-acting (a specific no-DAC half-life is not established in the peer-reviewed literature; see PMID 42395176)

Pharmacokinetics (ADME)

Half-life

5.8–8.1 days (human; attributed to albumin covalent binding)

Clearance

Not formally characterized in published literature

PK–PD note: GH elevation persists ≥6 days and IGF-1 elevation ≥9–11 days after a single dose in healthy adults (Teichman et al., JCEM 2006, PMID 16352683); multiple-dose IGF-1 elevation sustained up to 28 days.…

Reading the evidence

• Evidence quality and gaps vary by application — see the cited grades above.
• Indexed-article counts span all evidence tiers, not only completed human trials.
• No first-party human-dosing, efficacy, or benefit claims are made here.

Key reviews & evidence-gap sources

• Sigalos JT, Pastuszak AW. The Safety and Efficacy of Growth Hormone Secretagogues. Sex Med Rev. 2018;6(1):45-53. PMID 28400207 — Anchoring narrative review of GH secretagogue class (GHRPs, ibutamoren, GHRH analogs); class-level safety/efficacy, not CJC-1295-specific RCT
• Dominikowski A, et al. The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis. Front Endocrinol. 2026;17:1822475. PMID 42395176 — Recent review covering CJC-1295 among GH-IGF1 axis peptides; clinical evidence vs self-administration gap
• Villegas Meza AD, et al. Injectable Peptides in Sports Medicine: A Structured Narrative Review. JBJS Rev. 2026;14(5). PMID 42160466 — Sports-medicine narrative review including CJC-1295; antidoping implications
• Sackmann-Sala L, et al. Activation of the GH/IGF-1 axis by CJC-1295... results in serum protein profile changes. Growth Horm IGF Res. 2009;19(6):471-477. PMID 19386527, PMC2787983 — Primary human proteomic biomarker study (11 healthy men); mechanistic/human, not an RCT
• Teichman SL, et al. Prolonged stimulation of GH and IGF-I secretion by CJC-1295... in healthy adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91(3):799-805. PMID 16352683 — Two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, ascending-dose trials (28d and 49d) in healthy adults; published RCT results, not registered on ClinicalTrials.gov

1 registered trial — 0 currently recruiting.

Phase 2
NCT00267527
A Study to Evaluate CJC 1295 in HIV Patients With Visceral Obesity

TERMINATED

Summary (literature)

In the Teichman et al. (2006) Phase 2 trial (PMID 16352683), no serious adverse events were reported. Commonly noted effects included transient injection-site reactions (redness, pain, swelling), facial flushing, and headache. Theoretical concerns with any GHRH agonist include th…

WADA status

Prohibited — WADA 2026 Prohibited List, Section S2 (Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics); prohibited both in-competition and out-o…

Dominant research route: SC (subcutaneous injection) — the sole route with published human pharmacokinetic data (Phase 1 RCT) and the route used in all cited preclinical species.

Healthy adults (ages 21-61), two randomized placebo-controlled ascending-dose Phase 1 trials; single and multiple SC doses of 30-60 µg/kg studied

Bioavailability: After a single SC injection, dose-dependent increases in mean plasma GH (2- to 10-fold for ≥6 d) and IGF-I (1.5- to 3-fold for 9-11 d); estimated terminal half-life 5.8-8.1 d attributable to albumin-binding (DAC) moiety; no absolute bioavailability fraction reported vs IV

SC is the only route studied in published human pharmacokinetic trials. Wikipedia drugbox lists 'Subcutaneous injection' as the route of administration. The DAC (drug affinity complex) maleimide linker covalently binds serum albumin in vivo, which is why this DAC-conjugated form reaches a multi-day half-life. CORRECTION 2026-07-16: a commonly-repeated '~30 min' contrast figure for the non-DAC form is NOT established in peer-reviewed literature — PMID 42395176 states the no-DAC form is essentially uncharacterised in peer-reviewed human literature — so no non-DAC number is asserted here (see cjc-1295-no-dac for that variant's own honest-empty PK read).

Sprague-Dawley rats (SC); also pigs and dogs (single administration); GHRH-knockout mouse (once-daily administration, 14 d)

Bioavailability: In rats administered SC, CJC-1295 produced a 4-fold increase in GH AUC over 2 h vs hGRF(1-29) and was detectable in plasma beyond 72 h; in rats/pigs/dogs serum IGF-I remained elevated several days after a single dose; in GHRH-knockout mice once-daily dosing normalized growth

Preclinical PK/PD established in rodents and larger animals via SC (and unspecified parenteral) routes prior to human trials. Exact route in the mouse study not explicitly stated in retrieved abstract metadata.

No oral pharmacokinetic or absorption studies identified for CJC-1295 in humans or animals

Bioavailability: No oral bioavailability data; CJC-1295 is a 3,647 Da peptide with DPP-4 resistance substitutions that extend parenteral half-life but do not confer oral stability; gastrointestinal proteolysis and poor mucosal permeability expected for an intact peptide of this size

Oral-stability note only: peptide is susceptible to GI enzymatic degradation; no evidence of oral absorption. DPP-4-resistant substitutions protect against one peptidase but not the broader digestive protease environment. No PO route was studied.

Animal & human figures are kept visibly separate so studied animal doses are never misread as human guidance.

Sorted A–Z by vendor — never by price

Multiple vendors run persistent coupon codes (10-50% off) and quantity discounts; aggregator pages emphasize price-drop alerts and 'lowest effective price we track.' Increased vendor count and competition in the US research-chem peptide market through 2025-2026 suggests gradual per-mg price erosion. No published price index found.

Researched storefront prices, bucketed

p25 $7.18 · median $9.60 · p75 $11.70 · 9 researched vendors

Legit, COA-backed band: $5.80–$10.40/mg.

Value rule: don't just buy the cheapest — a price under $3/mg is a red flag. Pair price with COA and independent-test grade.

Estimated cost of research (10 mg)

Vial (best researched price)

$49

Bacteriostatic water (generic estimate)

$6

Syringes / supplies (generic estimate)

$12

What each test proves — general guidance, plus this compound's researched purity data

Independent labs cited for this compound

One compound-specific recall found: FDA Class II recall of CJC-1295 Injectable by Thrive Health Solutions (Englewood, CO), 60 pre-filled syringes across two lots, voluntarily initiated May 21, 2025, FDA-classified June 20, 2025, reason: lack of assurance of sterility.

Buyer red-flag checklist

• CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved; no approved 503A bulk substance listing as of 2024 PCAC review.
• FDA flagged CJC-1295 for reports of elevated heart rate and cardiac effects, plus concerns about peptide impurities and immune reactions.
• WADA Prohibited List S2.2.4 — banned at all times, in and out of competition.
• Class II recall of compounded CJC-1295 injectable due to lack of sterility assurance (Thrive Health Solutions, 2025); formulation not specified in the recall notice.
• Grey-market 'research use only' marketing under active FDA enforcement; warning letters issued to multiple peptide vendors in late 2024/early 2025.
• Independent aggregate testing (Finnrick) flagged a major vendor's CJC-1295 for quality/underdosing failures across 10 samples (formulation unspecified).

GMP vs research-grade: the chemistry (SPPS + HPLC + MS) is identical — the difference is the quality system.

Underdosing / mislabeling: Independent aggregate testing (Finnrick, 10 samples of one major vendor's CJC-1295, Dec 2024–Mar 2026) flagged substantial underdosing/quality failure. A specific prevalence fraction cannot be computed from available public data. No DAC-specific independent purity/potency test result was identified in current sourcing (the one independent lab test on file, Janoshik, was on a no-DAC lot — see cjc-1295-no-dac).

• FDA Import Alert 66-41 ('Detention Without Physical Examination of Unapproved New Drugs Promoted In The U.S.') authorizes DWPE of unapproved-drug peptide imports at the border. Last revised May 19, 2026. A 'research use only' label does not create an importation exemption; FDA evaluates actual marketed/intended use.66-41
• An RUO label is not an import exemption — CBP judges actual intended use.
• Lyophilized powder is ambient-stable in transit; temperature control needed for > 7-day transit.
• US-warehouse vendors dodge import scrutiny — they cost more but ship more reliably.

Every item dated & sourced

Prohibited at all times (in and out of competition) under S2 (Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics), subcategory S2.2.4 Growth Hormone Releasing Factors. CJC-1295 is named explicitly alongside CJC-1293, sermorelin, and tesamorelin as a GHRH analogue. Both DAC and no-DAC versions are banned.

No granted patents identified in current seed. Composition-of-matter coverage is limited given the peptide's synthetic origin.

• IACUC / IRB research context
• RUO buyer responsibilities & documentation
• Veterinary / alternative-use where lawful
• Jurisdiction-aware "who may lawfully obtain"

What people discuss

Reported concerns — discussion, not established effects

Reading caveats

• Self-reported unverified anecdotes
• Vendor-affiliated content / affiliate links present in aggregator pages
• Survivorship bias toward positive responders
• Conflation of effects with co-administered Ipamorelin
• DAC vs no-DAC confusion inflates adverse-event attribution

Manually researched from reddit, youtube— theme weights are research estimates, not live counts; aggregated & de-identified. No individual posts, quotes, or usernames are ever shown.

Relative research / market volume — populated once the activity stream is wired

Inline tooltips for lyophilized, RUO, EU/mg, SPPS, 503A and more.

Toggle plain-language ↔ scientific in the header.

• How to read a COA
• Free base vs acetate
• Understanding evidence grades

Long-acting synthetic GHRH analog that covalently binds serum albumin via a DAC moiety, sustaining GH and IGF-1 elevation for up to 6–8 days per dose in research models. Approximately 31 articles are indexed (literature last scanned 2026-05-29). US regulatory status: Not FDA-approved; RUO / restricted compounding. Research use only.

Emitted as JSON-LD: ChemicalSubstance · BreadcrumbList · FAQPage.

• Price-drop & back-in-stock alerts
• Regulatory-change email digest
• Print / share this datasheet