CJC-1295: Benefits, DAC vs No-DAC, and Research Status (2026)
Most claims about CJC-1295 benefits come from marketing pages, not from the small human trial record that actually exists. CJC-1295 is a synthetic analog of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), and the one thing the published research shows clearly is a long, sustained rise in growth hormone (GH) and IGF-1 after injection. Everything past that, including body-composition and recovery claims, sits on animal data or no controlled data at all.
The Compound Universe Take: In the single published human trial, CJC-1295 raised plasma GH by 2- to 10-fold and IGF-1 by 1.5- to 3-fold for days after one dose, with a half-life near 6 to 8 days (Human) [1]. That measured hormone increase is the only well-documented benefit. Claims about fat loss, muscle gain, and anti-aging are not backed by controlled human trials, and CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved.
New to this class? See the peptides studied for muscle growth and recovery for the wider field, then use this page for the compound itself.
What CJC-1295 is (GHRH analog, DAC, and albumin binding)
CJC-1295 is a modified version of the first 29 amino acids of GHRH, the hormone that signals the pituitary to release GH. The modifications exist for one purpose: to make it last.
The best-known version, CJC-1295 with DAC (Drug Affinity Complex), carries a chemical group that binds covalently to albumin in the blood after injection. That albumin tether is why a peptide normally cleared in minutes instead circulates for days [1].
A second form, often sold as CJC-1295 without DAC or “modified GRF (1-29),” lacks that tether and acts over a much shorter window. The two share a name and a mechanism but behave very differently in the body.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Compound class | Synthetic GHRH (1-29) analog; growth hormone secretagogue |
| Most studied for | Sustained GH and IGF-1 release in healthy adults |
| Strongest evidence tier | Human (one phase 2 pharmacokinetic trial) [1] |
| Development status | Discontinued at phase 2; no marketing approval [4] |
| US legal status | Not FDA-approved; flagged on FDA compounding bulks review [5] |
The measured CJC-1295 benefits in human research
Sustained GH and IGF-1 release (the documented effect)
The core evidence is a 2006 study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism by Teichman and colleagues, run as two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind ascending-dose trials in healthy adults [1].
The findings were specific. A single subcutaneous injection raised mean plasma GH by 2- to 10-fold for 6 days or more, and mean IGF-1 by 1.5- to 3-fold for 9 to 11 days (Human) [1]. The estimated half-life was 5.8 to 8.1 days.
Repeat dosing stacked the effect. Mean IGF-1 stayed above baseline for up to 28 days after multiple doses, and the drug was reported as safe and relatively well tolerated at the studied doses (Human) [1]. This pharmacokinetic profile, not any outcome like strength or fat loss, is what the human record establishes.
Growth normalization in GHRH-deficient animals
In a 2006 study, once-daily CJC-1295 normalized body weight and length in GHRH-knockout mice, an effect that twice-daily dosing of an older GHRH analog could not match (Animal) [2].
That result supports the mechanism (a long-acting GHRH signal can drive the GH axis) but it describes genetically GH-deficient mice, not healthy humans seeking body-composition changes.
Body composition, recovery, and anti-aging (claimed, not proven)
Here the honesty gap is widest. Sellers routinely tie CJC-1295 to fat loss, lean-mass gain, faster recovery, better sleep, and anti-aging. None of those outcomes has a published, controlled human trial behind it for CJC-1295 (No controlled human data).
The reasoning is indirect: CJC-1295 raises IGF-1, and IGF-1 is associated with tissue repair and anabolism, so benefits are inferred. Inference is not evidence. A raised biomarker is a starting hypothesis, not a demonstrated result.
Why CJC-1295 development stopped
Clinical development reached phase 2 for indications including lipodystrophy and GH deficiency, then halted after a trial subject died [4]. The attending physician attributed the death to pre-existing coronary artery disease and considered it unrelated to treatment, but the program ended as a precaution.
CJC-1295 has carried no marketing approval since. It is best described as an abandoned investigational drug rather than an approved therapy.
Read this before the hype: CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved and is commonly sold “for research use only.” This page summarizes published research; it is not medical advice, a dosing guide, or an endorsement of use. Legal and compounding status varies by jurisdiction and has been changing.
CJC-1295 vs ipamorelin: mechanism, evidence, and legal status
CJC-1295 is frequently paired with ipamorelin because the two act on different receptors. CJC-1295 is a GHRH analog, while ipamorelin is a selective ghrelin-receptor (GHSR) agonist that releases GH without meaningfully raising cortisol or prolactin in animal work (Animal) [3]. The table below sets the compounds side by side.
| Compound | Primary mechanism | Evidence maturity | US regulatory status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CJC-1295 with DAC | Albumin-bound GHRH analog; long-acting GH release | Human PK trial + animal [1][2] | Not FDA-approved [5] |
| CJC-1295 without DAC | Short-acting GHRH (1-29) analog | Mechanistic / limited data | Not FDA-approved [5] |
| Ipamorelin | Selective ghrelin-receptor (GHSR) agonist | Mostly animal; limited human [3] | Not FDA-approved |
Key takeaways
- CJC-1295 benefits that are actually documented reduce to one measured effect: a sustained 2- to 10-fold GH and 1.5- to 3-fold IGF-1 rise in healthy adults (Human) [1].
- The albumin-binding DAC modification gives CJC-1295 with DAC a roughly 6- to 8-day half-life, the feature that separates it from the without-DAC form [1].
- Growth normalization was shown only in GHRH-knockout mice, not in healthy people (Animal) [2].
- Fat loss, muscle gain, recovery, and anti-aging remain marketing inferences from raised IGF-1, without controlled human trials for CJC-1295.
- CJC-1295 is an abandoned phase 2 drug, is not FDA-approved, and has appeared on the FDA compounding bulks review [4][5].
Frequently asked questions
What are the proven benefits of CJC-1295?
The only benefit shown in a published human trial is a sustained increase in GH and IGF-1 after injection [1]. Downstream benefits such as fat loss or muscle gain are not established by controlled human research.
What is the difference between CJC-1295 with and without DAC?
The DAC version binds albumin and lasts roughly 6 to 8 days, producing a prolonged GH and IGF-1 rise [1]. The without-DAC form lacks that tether and acts over a much shorter window.
Is CJC-1295 FDA-approved or legal?
No. CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved for any use, and it has been flagged in the FDA’s review of bulk substances for compounding [5]. It is generally sold for research use only.
Why was CJC-1295 discontinued?
Its clinical program stopped at phase 2 after a trial participant died; the death was attributed to pre-existing coronary artery disease and judged unrelated, but development ended as a precaution [4].
How does CJC-1295 compare to ipamorelin?
CJC-1295 is a GHRH analog, while ipamorelin is a selective ghrelin-receptor agonist that releases GH with little cortisol or prolactin effect in animals [3]. They act through separate receptors, which is why they are often studied together.
Does CJC-1295 build muscle?
No controlled human trial has tested CJC-1295 for muscle growth. It raises IGF-1, a hormone linked to anabolism, but a raised biomarker is not proof of a muscle-building outcome.
Research interest in CJC-1295 benefits sits inside the broader growth hormone secretagogue field, where CJC-1295, a GHRH (1-29) analog that binds albumin through its DAC modification to extend GH and IGF-1 release, is often compared with ghrelin-receptor agonists such as ipamorelin and with older growth-hormone-releasing peptides; Compound Universe tracks each compound against the primary literature (PubMed trials, pharmacokinetic data, and FDA regulatory records) so that evidence tier, not marketing, sets the framing.
For anyone weighing the real CJC-1295 benefits, the summary is short and worth repeating: a documented, sustained GH and IGF-1 increase in one human trial, a supportive animal model, an unproven set of body-composition claims, and no FDA approval. Read the compound as research-stage, not as an established therapy.
Compare next: CJC-1295 and ipamorelin, side by side | ipamorelin research summary
References
- Teichman SL, Neale A, Lawrence B, Gagnon C, Castaigne JP, Frohman LA. Prolonged 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. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91(3):799-805. PMID 16352683.
- Alba M, Fintini D, Sagazio A, Lawrence B, Castaigne JP, Frohman LA, et al. Once-daily administration of CJC-1295, a long-acting growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog, normalizes growth in the GHRH knockout mouse. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2006;291(6):E1290-4. PMID 16822960.
- Raun K, Hansen BS, Johansen NL, Thogersen H, Madsen K, Ankersen M, Andersen PH. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol. 1998;139(5):552-561. PMID 9849822.
- CJC-1295 clinical development history (phase 2 discontinuation). Wikipedia, CJC-1295 (accessed July 2026), citing ConjuChem trial records.
- US FDA. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding That May Present Significant Safety Risks (interim 503A bulks list, Category 2 review; CJC-1295 listed 2023, nomination later withdrawn). fda.gov (accessed July 2026).