CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin vs Tesamorelin: What the Research Shows

CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin and Tesamorelin side by side: what they are, how they are regulated and what is still unknown.

Medically reviewed by Juan Pablo Frías, MD · 3 Oct 2026 · DisclosureUpdated 3 Oct 2026

GHRH + GHRP blendNot FDA approved · research blendCJC-1295 + IpamorelinUnapproved blend of CJC-1295 (no DAC) and ipamorelin; an FDA Drugs@FDA search for the CJC-1295 component returned no matches, so no approved product was found.^[14]Growth hormone+153% searchesPre-mixed blendGHRH analogFDA approved (Egrifta)TesamorelinFDA-approved GHRH analog (Egrifta) for excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy; visceral fat fell 15.2% versus a 5.0% rise with placebo in a randomized trial.^[15]Growth hormone+188% searches

Quick verdict

Where the research points

Summary of studies, not a recommendation

Consider CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin if…

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

Consider Tesamorelin if…

you want a product with an FDA label: Egrifta is indicated to reduce excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy and is not indicated for weight loss management^[9]
you want randomized data in HIV-associated lipodystrophy: Visceral adipose tissue fell 15.2% with tesamorelin and rose 5.0% with placebo by the end of treatment.^[15]

What they have in common

WADA prohibits GHRH and its analogues at all times; its list names CJC-1295, sermorelin and tesamorelin^[2]

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 10 of 14 fields where the two differ. Category, PCAC vote, Jul 2026, WADA, Evidence strength are the same or both unknown.

Field	CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin	Tesamorelin
Class	GHRH + GHRP blend	GHRH analog
Also called	CJC/Ipa	tesa, Egrifta
Category	Growth hormone	Growth hormone
FDA status	Not FDA approved · research blend	FDA approved (Egrifta)
PCAC vote, Jul 2026	Not on the Jul 2026 agenda	Not on the Jul 2026 agenda
WADA	Prohibited by WADA (S2.2.4)Both components are named in S2.2.4 (CJC-1295 as a GHRH analogue, ipamorelin as a secretagogue), so the blend is prohibited at all times.	Prohibited by WADA (S2.2.4)Tesamorelin is named as a GHRH analogue in S2.2.4 (growth hormone releasing factors), prohibited at all times. Tesamorelin is also an FDA-approved medicine; an athlete would need a therapeutic use exemption.
Anti-doping detection	After nasal dosing, ipamorelin metabolites were still found in urine after the parent drug was gone (samples were collected for 2 days).PMID 25869809	A urine assay detects CJC-1295 and other GHRH analogues at very low concentrations.PMID 35298973 Labs expect GHRH analogues like CJC-1295 to be hard to find because of tiny urine concentrations; the study reports no detections in routine anti-doping samples.PMID 34665524
Half-life	Ipamorelin: 2 hours terminal half-lifeintravenous infusion (15 min) · Pharmaceutical research 1999, PMID 10496658	11 minutessubcutaneous (EGRIFTA WR 1.28 mg) · FDA label (Egrifta WR)
Evidence strength	Human RCT evidence, 4 of 4Ipamorelin: International journal of colorectal disease 2014, PMID 25331030	Human RCT evidence, 4 of 4Strongest: eNeurologicalSci 2026, PMID 42382101
Human studies we summarised	6 human (3 randomized or controlled) of 19 summarised, across ingredients	11 human (11 randomized or controlled) of 12 summarised
Typical study doses	Ipamorelin: 0.03 mg/kg ipamorelin, twice dailyInternational journal of colorectal disease 2014, PMID 25331030 CJC-1295: Four ascending single doses (first study); two or three weekly or biweekly doses (second study), single, weekly or biweeklyThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 2006, PMID 16352683 Ipamorelin: 4.21, 14.02, 42.13, 84.27 and 140.45 nmol/kg, singlePharmaceutical research 1999, PMID 10496658	1 mg tesamorelin, not statedeNeurologicalSci 2026, PMID 42382101 2 mg tesamorelin, once dailyThe lancet. HIV 2019, PMID 31611038 tesamorelin (dose not stated), not statedThe Journal of frailty & aging 2019, PMID 31237318
Vial sizes sold	10 mg	2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg
US searches per month	49,500 · +153% searches	165,000 · +188% searches
Named in FDA warning letters, 2026	Not in the letters we track	Yes (24 Aug 2026)

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

Taken together?

CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin and Tesamorelin 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: 6 results, 2 Oct 2026).

Open the stack page

StackCJC-1295 + Ipamorelin + Tesamorelin, taken as separate injectionsStack page

Sources

1FDA warning letters to five research-peptide sellersFDA warning letter (NuScience Peptides; 1 of 5) · 2026fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
2World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency · 2026wada-ama.orgAccessed 2 Oct 2026
3Determination of growth hormone releasing peptides metabolites in human urine after nasal administration of GHRP-1, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Hexarelin, and Ipamorelin.Drug testing and analysis · 2015PMID 25869809Accessed 2 Oct 2026
4Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers.Pharmaceutical research · 1999PMID 10496658Accessed 2 Oct 2026
5Prospective, randomized, controlled, proof-of-concept study of the Ghrelin mimetic ipamorelin for the management of postoperative ileus in bowel resection patients.International journal of colorectal disease · 2014PMID 25331030Accessed 2 Oct 2026
6Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 2006PMID 16352683Accessed 2 Oct 2026
7An antibody-free, ultrafiltration-based assay for the detection of growth hormone-releasing hormones in urine at low pg/mL concentrations using nanoLC-HRMS/MS.Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis · 2022PMID 35298973Accessed 2 Oct 2026
8Advances in the detection of growth hormone releasing hormone synthetic analogs.Drug testing and analysis · 2021PMID 34665524Accessed 2 Oct 2026
9EGRIFTA WR (TESAMORELIN) KIT [THERATECHNOLOGIES INC.]FDA label (Egrifta WR), DailyMed · current labeldailymed.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
10The effect of growth hormone-releasing hormone on cognition and brain connectivity in adults with cognition ranging from normal to mild cognitive impairment.eNeurologicalSci · 2026PMID 42382101Accessed 2 Oct 2026
11Effects of tesamorelin on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in HIV: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial.The lancet. HIV · 2019PMID 31611038Accessed 2 Oct 2026
12The Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone Analogue, Tesamorelin, Decreases Muscle Fat and Increases Muscle Area in Adults with HIV.The Journal of frailty & aging · 2019PMID 31237318Accessed 2 Oct 2026
13PubMed search: (("CJC-1295"[tiab] OR CJC1295[tiab]) AND (ipamorelin[tiab])) AND (tesamorelin[tiab] OR Egrifta[tiab] OR TH9507[tiab] OR "TH-9507"[tiab])PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
14Drugs@FDA (openFDA) search: active ingredient "CJC-1295"U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2026api.fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
15Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in patients with HIV.The New England journal of medicine · 2007PMID 18057338Accessed 2 Oct 2026

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