At a glance

What is CJC-1295?

CJC-1295 is an experimental peptide built on the growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) backbone, modified so it resists breakdown and lasts longer in the body. It is not an approved drug; it is sold through "research peptide" and wellness channels and marketed to boost the body's own growth hormone for muscle gain, fat loss, recovery, and "anti-aging."

Two versions circulate:

• CJC-1295 with DAC, a long-acting form that binds to blood albumin
• CJC-1295 without DAC, essentially "modified GRF 1-29"

In placebo-controlled human trials, the DAC form had an estimated half-life of 5.8 to 8.1 days¹.

How does it work?

The proposed mechanism is indirect. GHRH is the hypothalamic signal that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone in pulses. As a GHRH-receptor agonist, CJC-1295 is intended to amplify those pulses, raising growth hormone and, downstream, IGF-1. The marketed effects on body composition and recovery are inferred from that hormone rise rather than demonstrated directly. This describes the proposed pharmacology; whether it produces the claimed results in people is a separate question that controlled trials have not answered.

The best-characterized human data come from two randomized, placebo-controlled trials¹ in healthy adults aged 21 to 61 (Teichman, 2006) and a follow-up analysis of healthy men aged 20 to 40.

Is it FDA-approved?

No. CJC-1295 is not approved by the FDA for any use, and there is no approved CJC-1295 product. It is not eligible for routine 503A compounding: FDA lists it among substances whose compounding nominations were withdrawn. In sport, growth-hormone-releasing factors including GHRH analogs are prohibited at all times under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list.

What does the research show?

The human evidence is limited to short pharmacology studies of hormone levels, not outcomes. According to PubMed, a Phase 1 study³ found CJC-1295 produced sustained, dose-dependent increases in growth hormone and IGF-1 and was described as well tolerated over the short term.

A related long-acting GHRH study⁴ reported similar hormone rises along with some impairment of glucose tolerance in older adults. These measure hormone levels, not muscle, fat, or recovery, and the short-acting "no-DAC" product sold online is largely uncharacterized in controlled human trials. There is no sound human evidence that it delivers the marketed wellness benefits.

CJC-1295 is often paired with ipamorelin, which acts at a separate receptor that growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs) engage. No published human randomized controlled trial tests that combination as of September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between CJC-1295 with DAC and without DAC?

The difference is plasma half-life and GH release pattern. CJC-1295 with DAC contains a maleimidopropionyl linker that covalently bonds to circulating albumin after injection⁵, extending plasma half-life to approximately 6 to 8 days¹ and producing sustained IGF-1 elevation lasting up to 11 days after a single dose. CJC-1295 without DAC (modified GRF 1-29) lacks this linker; its half-life has not been reported in human studies⁶, and it is thought to produce only a transient GH rise. The two variants produce different GH secretion patterns. They are not interchangeable.

Is CJC-1295 FDA-approved?

No. CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved for any indication. As of September 2026, it is not eligible for 503A compounding by licensed pharmacies in the United States: it had been in FDA's Category 2 before its nomination was withdrawn, and FDA now lists it among bulk drug substances nominated but withdrawn⁷. It differs from tesamorelin, an FDA-approved GHRH analog that is approved specifically to reduce excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy.

How long does CJC-1295 take to raise IGF-1?

In the Phase 1 trial, a single subcutaneous injection of CJC-1295 with DAC kept IGF-1 raised for 9 to 11 days¹, and a separate study in healthy young men found IGF-1 about 45% higher one week after injection². The timeline for modified GRF 1-29 (without DAC) is not established, because the no-DAC product is largely uncharacterized in controlled human trials.

What are the side effects of CJC-1295?

In short human studies, CJC-1295 was generally well tolerated, with mild local and systemic effects⁶, and no serious adverse reactions were reported. FDA has separately identified serious adverse events, including increased heart rate⁷ and a systemic vasodilatory reaction. A related long-acting GHRH study reported some impairment of glucose tolerance in older adults. No long-term safety data are available.

Can you get CJC-1295 without a prescription?

Not legally in the United States. CJC-1295 is not an approved drug, and it cannot be compounded by licensed 503A pharmacies as of September 2026, because it is not on the 503A bulks list or in Category 1. It is not available over the counter in any formulation. Products sold without a prescription or through unregulated channels are not FDA-approved drugs and have no FDA quality oversight.

What changed in the FDA peptide category list and how does it affect CJC-1295?

CJC-1295 sat in FDA's 503A Category 2 until its nomination was withdrawn, and FDA now lists it among bulk drug substances nominated but withdrawn⁷. It was already off Category 2 before April 2026, when FDA moved a group of other peptides, such as BPC-157, to that withdrawn list. Withdrawal was not an FDA finding that the peptide is safe; FDA still lists potential safety risks for it. A withdrawn substance is not eligible for 503A compounding unless FDA adds it to the 503A bulks list through notice-and-comment rulemaking or places it in Category 1, and neither has happened for CJC-1295. Licensed pharmacies cannot legally compound it under 503A, regardless of whether a patient has a prescription.

Is CJC-1295 the same as sermorelin?

No. Both are GHRH analogs that bind the same pituitary receptor, but their structures and pharmacokinetics differ substantially. Sermorelin is the native 29-residue GHRH fragment, with an intravenous disappearance half-time of about 4 minutes⁸ in healthy men. CJC-1295 incorporates four amino acid substitutions that confer protease resistance⁶, and the DAC formulation additionally conjugates to albumin for a half-life of 6 to 8 days¹. The practical difference is how long each one stimulates the GH axis.

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