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AOD-9604 vs Retatrutide: What the Research Shows

AOD-9604 and Retatrutide side by side: what they are, how they are regulated and what is still unknown.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · · DisclosureUpdated
HGH fragment analogNot FDA approved · research chemicalAOD-9604Fragment of human growth hormone studied only in animals; in rats, 19 days of oral treatment reduced body-weight gain by over 50%.[8]GLP-1 & metabolic+31% searchesGLP-1 / GIP / glucagon triple agonistInvestigational · phase 3RetatrutideInvestigational triple GIP, GLP-1 and glucagon receptor agonist, not FDA-approved; a phase 3 TRIUMPH trial reported mean weight change of -25.0% at the 12-mg dose versus -3.9% with placebo.[1]GLP-1 & metabolic+172% searches
Quick verdict

Where the research points

Summary of studies, not a recommendation

Consider AOD-9604 if…

No sourced contrast for this side yet. We add a point here only when it is tied to a study or label.

Consider Retatrutide if…

  • you are weighing an investigational option (no FDA-approved product yet): the TRIUMPH trial reported mean weight change of -25.0% with the 12-mg dose versus -3.9% with placebo[1]
  • you want to know where approval stands: Lilly states it plans to submit a Biologics License Application to the FDA, a submission plan and not an approval[14]

What they have in common

  • Only animal or lab studies of AOD-9604 were found (e.g. rat): Oral AOD9604 for 19 days cut body weight gain by over 50% (15.8 g vs 35.6 g control) in obese Zucker rats.[8]
Retatrutide is not FDA approved. Both are prohibited in tested sport (WADA). Status labels come from public FDA and WADA records; see the sources below.
Side by side

Spec comparison

Showing 12 of 14 fields where the two differ. Category, PCAC vote, Jul 2026 are the same or both unknown.

FieldAOD-9604Retatrutide
ClassHGH fragment analogGLP-1 / GIP / glucagon triple agonist
Also calledAODreta, GLP-3, LY3437943
FDA statusNot FDA approved · research chemicalInvestigational · phase 3
WADAProhibited by WADA (S2.2.3)AOD-9604 is named as a growth hormone fragment in S2.2.3, prohibited at all times.Prohibited by WADA (S0)Retatrutide is not named, and GLP-1/amylin class agonists are not listed. But it is an investigational drug with no approval in the sources we reviewed, and S0 prohibits drugs under clinical development that no authority has approved. If it is approved somewhere this would change.
Anti-doping detection
  • AOD9604 can be detected in urine at 50 pg/mL; a stable serum metabolite may lengthen the detection window.PMID 25208511
  • Screening for a stable metabolite may allow a longer detection window (no duration was given).PMID 25208511
None reportedanti-doping literature, as of 2 Oct 2026
Half-lifeNo published half-life foundPubMed search, 2 Oct 2026approximately 6 dayssubcutaneous · Lancet 2022, PMID 36354040
Evidence strengthAnimal evidence, 2 of 4Strongest: Annals of clinical and laboratory science 2015, PMID 26275694Human RCT evidence, 4 of 4Strongest: The New England journal of medicine 2026, PMID 42814954
Human studies we summarised0 human (0 randomized or controlled) of 4 summarised11 human (11 randomized or controlled) of 16 summarised
Typical study doses
Vial sizes sold2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg5 mg, 10 mg, 12 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, 24 mg, 30 mg, 36 mg, 40 mg, 50 mg, 60 mg
US searches per month18,100 · +31% searches823,000 · +172% searches
Named in FDA warning letters, 2026Not in the letters we trackYes (24 Aug 2026; 31 Mar 2026)

Bracketed values are pending a sourced figure. Legal data reflects the regulatory events in our tracker.

Taken together?

AOD-9604 and Retatrutide together

People also search for this pair as a stack. The stack page covers timing and interaction questions as they are sourced. Evidence for the combination: No studies tested these together (PubMed search: 0 results, 2 Oct 2026).

Open the stack page
StackAOD-9604 + Retatrutide, taken as separate injectionsStack page

Sources

  1. 1Retatrutide phase 3 TRIUMPH-1 results publishedNEJM (PubMed 42814954) · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  2. 2FDA warning letters to five research-peptide sellersFDA warning letter (NuScience Peptides; 1 of 5) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  3. 3Eli Lilly sues six retatrutide sellersEli Lilly (press release) · 2026investor.lilly.comAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  4. 4Seven FDA warning letters to online sellers of GLP-1 productsFDA warning letter (Gram Peptides; 1 of 7) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  5. 5World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  6. 6Detection and in vitro metabolism of AOD9604.Drug testing and analysis · 2015PMID 25208511Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  7. 7Effect of Intra-articular Injection of AOD9604 with or without Hyaluronic Acid in Rabbit Osteoarthritis Model.Annals of clinical and laboratory science · 2015PMID 26275694Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  8. 8Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormone.Hormone research · 2000PMID 11146367Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  9. 9PubMed search: AOD9604[tiab] OR "AOD-9604"[tiab] OR "AOD 9604"[tiab] (22 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  10. 10LY3437943, a novel triple GIP, GLP-1, and glucagon receptor agonist in people with type 2 diabetes: a phase 1b, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, multiple-ascending dose trial.Lancet (London, England) · 2022PMID 36354040Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  11. 11Retatrutide-Associated Improvements in Cardiovascular Risk Biomarkers in Adults With Obesity With or Without Type 2 Diabetes.Diabetes, obesity & metabolism · 2026PMID 42608321Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  12. 12Effects of retatrutide on body composition in people with type 2 diabetes: a substudy of a phase 2, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, randomised trial.The lancet. Diabetes & endocrinology · 2025PMID 40609566Accessed 2 Oct 2026
  13. 13PubMed search: ("AOD-9604"[tiab] OR AOD9604[tiab]) AND (retatrutide[tiab] OR LY3437943[tiab])PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
  14. 14Official web pageOfficial web page · web page

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