CJC-1295

CJC-1295 is a synthetic growth hormone releaser, a lab-made peptide that signals the pituitary gland to release more of the body's own growth hormone. People pursue it for muscle gain, fat loss, and recovery, though those effects come from its underlying biology and user reports rather than trials that prove them. It's a modified copy of the body's own growth hormone-releasing hormone, sold in two forms, with DAC and without DAC (also called Mod GRF 1-29), that last very different lengths of time in the body. It's not FDA-approved for any use, has no brand-name products, and is banned in drug-tested sport.

CJC-1295 has been studied as a long-acting compound to raise growth hormone and IGF-1. A Phase 1 study showed single doses of the DAC form raised growth hormone and IGF-1 for several days, confirming it does what it's designed to do. That early program was halted in 2006 after a participant death the trial physician attributed to pre-existing heart disease rather than the drug, and was never resumed. The body-composition, sleep, and recovery uses people pursue come from this pharmacology plus user reports, not from trials proving those outcomes.

WADA-banned in regulated sport — CJC-1295 is explicitly named in the WADA 2026 Prohibited List under S2.2.4 (Growth Hormone Releasing Factors → GHRH and its analogues): "GHRH and its analogues (e.g. CJC-1293, CJC-1295, sermorelin and tesamorelin)", prohibited at all times. ✓ verified 2026-07-18 — the 2026 List is still the operative edition and the CJC-1295 listing is unchanged since the 2026-05-30 check. Not DEA-scheduled. Not FDA approved for any indication. Original ConjuChem Phase 2 development program halted July 17, 2006 after a single participant death at the Argentina trial site (acute myocardial infarction ~2 hours after the 11th weekly dose; the attending physician concluded the event was due to asymptomatic coronary artery disease with plaque rupture, unrelated to CJC-1295; ConjuChem terminated the program as a precaution and has not resumed development). Currently sold as a research peptide. US compounding status is unsettled, and it has diverged from BPC-157's: CJC-1295 has never been on FDA's 503A Category 1 list, was removed from the interim Category 2 list, and is not among the peptides that FDA's Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee took up at its July 23–24, 2026 meeting, which has since taken place (BPC-157, KPV, TB-500 and MOTS-c on July 23; Emideltide/DSIP, Epitalon and Semax on July 24). That meeting therefore says nothing about CJC-1295 either way — it was never on the agenda, no committee vote was taken on it, and its 503A position is unchanged for a different reason: it is simply not on the 503A Bulks List and so is not compoundable under 503A. ✓ verified 2026-09-03 against the FDA meeting page and FDA's voting-questions document.

CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved and is banned in regulated sport (WADA). VialWise is a research and educational reference, not medical advice — consult a licensed professional.

⚠️ For research and educational purposes only. CJC-1295 is not approved by the FDA for any indication. Information in this entry is informational, not medical advice. Always confirm dose calculations with the in-app calculator and consult appropriate professional guidance before any protocol decisions.

⚠️ Precision matters at low doses. CJC-1295 dosing differs substantially between the two forms (see disambiguation callout below). The no-DAC form is dosed in micrograms (typically per dose), placing it firmly in the precision-sensitive draw range where small unit errors translate to large percentage errors. The DAC form is dosed in milligrams (typically per week). Always verify draws against the in-app calculator and double-check the unit count on the syringe before injecting — most acutely at the smallest draws in your titration.

⚠️ CJC-1295 exists in two forms with very different pharmacokinetics. Do not confuse them. The peptide commonly called "CJC-1295" is sold as either: - CJC-1295 with DAC (Drug Affinity Complex): the full molecule including a maleimidopropionic acid linker that binds covalently to serum albumin. Half-life ≈ 6–8 days. Typical research dosing: per week (usually twice weekly or once weekly). This is the formulation that ConjuChem developed. - CJC-1295 without DAC (also called Mod GRF 1-29 or "Modified GRF (1-29)"): the same 4-amino-acid GHRH(1-29) substitutions but without the DAC linker. Half-life ≈ 30 minutes (similar to native GHRH). Typical research dosing: per dose, 1–3 times daily (often timed to bedtime and around training). The two forms produce very different growth hormone pharmacology: DAC elevates baseline GH and produces a sustained "GH bleed," while no-DAC produces near-physiologic pulsatile GH release. Most published research literature uses the DAC formulation; most research-community use is split between both. Researchers should be explicit with themselves about which form they are using and dose accordingly. This entry treats them as related but distinct compounds and flags inline where a citation refers to one vs the other.

CJC-1295 is a synthetic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog originally developed by ConjuChem Biotechnologies (Montreal). The molecule consists of the first 29 amino acids of native GHRH (the bioactive sequence GRF 1-29) with four amino-acid substitutions that resist enzymatic degradation, plus — in the DAC formulation — a Drug Affinity Complex linker that covalently binds the peptide to circulating serum albumin, dramatically extending its half-life.[¹]

Clinical development history. ConjuChem advanced CJC-1295 with DAC through Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials in the mid-2000s. The Phase 1 results (Teichman et al., 2006) demonstrated sustained elevation of GH and IGF-1 levels in healthy adults for up to 9 days after a single subcutaneous dose, with a half-life of approximately 5.8–8.1 days.[¹] The Phase 2 program — a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial in HIV-related lipodystrophy with 192 participants enrolled — was halted on July 17, 2006 following a single participant death at an Argentina trial site. The participant received the 11th weekly dose on July 13, 2006 and reported chest discomfort approximately two hours later; an ECG confirmed an acute myocardial infarction and death occurred approximately one hour after presentation. The attending physician concluded the most likely explanation was asymptomatic coronary artery disease with plaque rupture and occlusion, unrelated to CJC-1295; ConjuChem terminated the program as a precaution.[⁵] ConjuChem has not pursued further clinical development of the molecule.

Mechanism. Both forms of CJC-1295 act as GHRH receptor agonists at the pituitary somatotrophs, stimulating pulsatile growth hormone release. The pharmacological difference between the two forms produces meaningfully different downstream patterns:

- DAC formulation: the long half-life produces sustained elevation of GH baseline and IGF-1 levels — sometimes called a "GH bleed" — rather than amplifying the body's natural pulsatile pattern. This is the formulation ConjuChem developed and the formulation most published clinical pharmacology data refers to.[¹][²] - No-DAC formulation (Mod GRF 1-29): the short half-life produces transient, near-physiologic GH pulses with each dose, more closely mimicking natural pulsatile GH release. This formulation is rarely cited in primary clinical literature; most evidence is extrapolation from native GHRH studies plus research-community experience. A 2026 review of GH/IGF-1-axis peptides treats the DAC and no-DAC forms as distinct agents and places the no-DAC form in a lower evidence tier than the DAC form, on the basis that no primary human PK/PD study of the no-DAC modification has been published.[⁶]

Common research interests. CJC-1295 in either form is widely used in the research-peptide community for: - Body composition optimization (lean mass, fat mass) - Sleep quality (particularly deep sleep stages, related to GH pulse during sleep) - Recovery from training - General "anti-aging" / IGF-1 elevation contexts

These uses are based on extrapolation from clinical pharmacology data plus accumulated researcher experience. CJC-1295 has no FDA-approved indication.

Stacking with GHRPs. CJC-1295 (either form) is most commonly stacked with a growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP) — most often Ipamorelin, sometimes GHRP-2 or GHRP-6 — on the rationale that GHRH analogs and GHRPs act on different receptors (GHRHR vs ghrelin receptor) and produce synergistic GH release when combined. The CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin blend is one of the most common research-peptide stacks; see [cjc-1295-ipamorelin-blend.md](./cjc-1295-ipamorelin-blend.md) when published.

Commonly reported

• Injection site reactions — most common with DAC due to the lipid-soluble carrier and larger injection volume
• Tingling, flushing, headache — often transient, related to acute GH pulse (more pronounced with no-DAC, where pulses are sharper)
• Numbness or "pins-and-needles" sensations — particularly in extremities, related to fluid shifts during GH elevation
• Water retention / mild edema — particularly during the first 1–2 weeks of a cycle
• Increased appetite (GH-stimulated)
• Sleep changes — often improved deep sleep with bedtime no-DAC dosing; mixed reports with DAC
• Joint discomfort — occasionally reported, more common at higher doses or longer cycles, attributable to fluid shifts and IGF-1 elevation
• Insulin resistance / impaired glucose tolerance — well-documented with sustained exogenous GH; theoretically applicable to long-term DAC use given continuous GH elevation
• IGF-1-mediated theoretical cancer concerns — IGF-1 is a known proliferative signal; long-term elevation has been raised as a theoretical concern for individuals with active or undiagnosed malignancy. Not validated in clinical CJC-1295 data but is a class consideration for any GH-elevating intervention.
• Theoretical cardiovascular concerns — sustained GH/IGF-1 elevation has been associated with cardiovascular risk in the acromegaly literature (where GH elevation is pathologic and severe); whether modest sustained elevation from CJC-1295 dac produces analogous risk over years is unknown

Active malignancy or undiagnosed cancer concern — theoretical contraindication based on IGF-1 elevation. Particularly applicable to the DAC form given sustained elevation profile.

Diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance — caution due to GH's counter-regulatory effects on insulin sensitivity

Pregnancy and lactation: no data; default to contraindicated

Pediatric use: no data — should not be used in researchers under 18; in particular, GH-elevating interventions in children are heavily regulated and require specialist medical supervision

Concurrent use of exogenous GH — combined GH elevation is unpredictable; not studied

Active hyperinsulinism or recent corticosteroid use — interaction effects on glucose metabolism not characterized

Regulatory note (US): CJC-1295's compounding path has diverged from BPC-157's — do not assume the two track together. CJC-1295 has never appeared on FDA's 503A Category 1 list, was removed from the interim Category 2 list, and is not among the peptides on FDA's July 23–24, 2026 Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee agenda (that agenda covers BPC-157, KPV, TB-500 and MOTS-c on July 23, and DSIP, Semax and Epitalon on July 24). Practical effect: CJC-1295 is not FDA-approved and has no approved compounding pathway, and its status remains unsettled rather than newly restricted. Verified against the July 2026 PCAC agenda on 2026-07-18.

Peptide

A short chain of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Many compounds in this library are peptides.

Growth hormone secretagogue

A compound that signals the body to release its own growth hormone, rather than supplying growth hormone directly.

Pituitary gland

A small gland at the base of the brain that releases growth hormone and other hormones.

Half-life

Roughly how long the body takes to clear half of a dose. A long half-life is why some compounds can be taken only once a week.

WADA Prohibited List

The list of substances banned in regulated sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency.

1. Teichman SL, Neale A, Lawrence B, Gagnon C, Castaigne JP, Frohman LA. (2006). 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. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 91(3):799–805.(PMID 16352683)
2. Sackmann-Sala L, Ding J, Frohman LA, Kopchick JJ. (2009). Activation of the GH/IGF-1 axis by CJC-1295, a long-acting GHRH analog, results in serum protein profile changes in normal adult subjects. Growth Hormone & IGF Research, 19(6):471–477.(PMID 19386527)
3. Ionescu M, Frohman LA. (2006). Pulsatile secretion of growth hormone (GH) persists during continuous stimulation by CJC-1295, a long-acting GH-releasing hormone analog. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 91(12):4792–4797.(PMID 17018654)
4. Frohman LA, Kineman RD. (2002). Growth hormone-releasing hormone and pituitary somatotrope proliferation. Minerva Endocrinologica, 27(4):277–285.(PMID 12511850)
5. Lipodystrophy study halted after patient death. (2006, July). aidsmap (Newsdesk).
6. Dominikowski A, Rękoś Z, Olejarz M, et al. (2026). The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis: bridging the gap between clinical evidence and patient self-administration. Frontiers in Endocrinology (Lausanne), 17:1822475.(PMID 42395176)
7. Mendias CL, Awan TM. (2026). Safety and Efficacy of Approved and Unapproved Peptide Therapies for Musculoskeletal Injuries and Athletic Performance. Sports Medicine.(PMID 41966639)
8. Mayfield CK, Bolia IK, Feingold CL, et al. (2026). Injectable Peptide Therapy: A Primer for Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Physicians. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(1):223–229.(PMID 41476424)
9. Uçaktürk E, Nemutlu E. (2025). Analysis of growth hormone releasing hormone and its analogs in urine using nano liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole/orbitrap mass spectrometry. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, 268:117207.(PMID 41138283)

• Ipamorelin — discussed together in this entry's stacks section
• BPC-157 / TB-500 Blend — discussed together in this entry's stacks section
• CJC-1295 / Ipamorelin Blend — same mechanism class
• GHRP-2 — same mechanism class
• GHRP-6 — same mechanism class
• Hexarelin — same mechanism class