Sermorelin vs Tesamorelin: What the Research Shows

Sermorelin 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 analogCompounded by prescriptionSermorelinGHRH analog once FDA-approved as Geref and since discontinued; in an uncontrolled pediatric study mean height velocity rose from 4.1 to 8.0 cm/yr after 6 months.^[16]Growth hormoneFlat YoYGHRH 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.^[17]Growth hormone+188% searches

Quick verdict

Where the research points

Summary of studies, not a recommendation

Consider Sermorelin if…

you want human data in growth-hormone-deficient children, though uncontrolled: Mean height velocity rose from 4.1 cm/yr at baseline to 8.0 cm/yr at 6 months and 7.2 cm/yr at 12 months (open-label, no control group).^[16]

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^[11]
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.^[17]

What they have in common

Sermorelin's only FDA record is Geref, listed with marketing status Discontinued^[18]
WADA prohibits GHRH and its analogues at all times; its list names CJC-1295, sermorelin and tesamorelin^[2]

Sermorelin 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 7 of 14 fields where the two differ. Class, Category, PCAC vote, Jul 2026, WADA, Anti-doping detection, Evidence strength, US searches per month are the same or both unknown.

Field	Sermorelin	Tesamorelin
Class	GHRH analog	GHRH analog
Also called	—	tesa, Egrifta
Category	Growth hormone	Growth hormone
FDA status	Compounded by prescription	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)Sermorelin is named as a GHRH analogue in S2.2.4 (growth hormone releasing factors), 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	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	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	No published half-life foundPubMed search, 2 Oct 2026	11 minutessubcutaneous (EGRIFTA WR 1.28 mg) · FDA label (Egrifta WR)
Evidence strength	Human RCT evidence, 4 of 4Strongest: The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 1992, PMID 1379256	Human RCT evidence, 4 of 4Strongest: eNeurologicalSci 2026, PMID 42382101
Human studies we summarised	4 human (1 randomized or controlled) of 7 summarised	11 human (11 randomized or controlled) of 12 summarised
Typical study doses	0.5 mg (low) and 1 mg (high) GHRH-(1-29), twice dailyThe Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism 1992, PMID 1379256 100 mcg each of GHRP-6, GHRP-2 and sermorelin, three times dailyAmerican journal of men's health 2017, PMID 28830317 2 mg GHRH (1-29), nightly self-injectionMetabolism: clinical and experimental 1997, PMID 9005976	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	2 mg, 5 mg, 9 mg, 15 mg	2 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg
US searches per month	165,000 · Flat YoY	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?

Sermorelin 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: 12 results, 2 Oct 2026).

Open the stack page

StackSermorelin + 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
3An 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
4Advances in the detection of growth hormone releasing hormone synthetic analogs.Drug testing and analysis · 2021PMID 34665524Accessed 2 Oct 2026
5Growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone-(1-29) twice daily reverses the decreased GH and insulin-like growth factor-I levels in old men.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 1992PMID 1379256Accessed 2 Oct 2026
6Growth Hormone Secretagogue Treatment in Hypogonadal Men Raises Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Levels.American journal of men's health · 2017PMID 28830317Accessed 2 Oct 2026
7Effects of single nightly injections of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29) in healthy elderly men.Metabolism: clinical and experimental · 1997PMID 9005976Accessed 2 Oct 2026
8PubMed search: (sermorelin[tiab] OR Geref[tiab]) (34 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
9PubMed search: (sermorelin[tiab] OR "GHRH(1-29)"[tiab] OR "GRF(1-29)"[tiab] OR "GHRH 1-29"[tiab]) AND (elderly[tiab] OR aging[tiab] OR "older adults"[tiab] OR adults[tiab]) AND (treatment[tiab] OR therapy[tiab] OR administration[tiab]) (15 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
10PubMed search: (sermorelin[tiab] OR Geref[tiab]) AND (half-life[tiab] OR pharmacokinetic*[tiab]) (2 results)PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
11EGRIFTA WR (TESAMORELIN) KIT [THERATECHNOLOGIES INC.]FDA label (Egrifta WR), DailyMed · current labeldailymed.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
12The 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
13Effects of tesamorelin on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in HIV: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial.The lancet. HIV · 2019PMID 31611038Accessed 2 Oct 2026
14The 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
15PubMed search: (sermorelin[tiab] OR Geref[tiab]) AND (tesamorelin[tiab] OR Egrifta[tiab] OR TH9507[tiab] OR "TH-9507"[tiab])PubMed · 2026pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026
16Once daily subcutaneous growth hormone-releasing hormone therapy accelerates growth in growth hormone-deficient children during the first year of therapy. Geref International Study Group.The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 1996PMID 8772599Accessed 2 Oct 2026
17Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in patients with HIV.The New England journal of medicine · 2007PMID 18057338Accessed 2 Oct 2026
18Drugs@FDA (openFDA) search: active ingredient "sermorelin"U.S. Food and Drug Administration · 2026api.fda.govAccessed 2 Oct 2026

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