# CJC-1295: A Reading of the GHRH-Analog Research Record | Online Edition

> CJC-1295 is a 30-amino-acid GHRH(1-29) analog with four stabilizing substitutions and an optional DAC linker that extends plasma half-life from roughly 30 minutes to roughly 8 days.

A journal-supplement reading of the published record on CJC-1295 — the four amino-acid substitutions, the maleimidopropionyl-lysine albumin linker, the human Phase 1 pharmacokinetics, and the 2006 Phase 2 trial that halted industry development.

## CJC-1295 Peptide Overview

CJC-1295 is a synthetic 30-amino-acid analog of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29) developed by ConjuChem Biotechnologies as the lead validation compound for the Drug Affinity Complex (DAC) albumin-conjugation platform [1]. The backbone carries four engineered substitutions — D-Ala2 (resists DPP-IV cleavage), Gln8 (prevents asparagine rearrangement), Ala15 (enhances bioactivity), and Leu27 (prevents methionine oxidation) [2]. The DAC variant attaches a maleimidopropionyl-lysine moiety at position 30 that forms a covalent thioether bond with Cys34 of circulating serum albumin after subcutaneous injection, producing a peptide-albumin complex of approximately 67 kDa [1].

The pharmacokinetic consequence is the central editorial fact of this compound. Native GHRH 1-29 is cleared from plasma within minutes. CJC-1295 without DAC — also called [modified GRF 1-29](/research#modified-grf-1-29) — extends that to roughly 30 minutes. CJC-1295 with DAC extends it to between 5.8 and 8.1 days in healthy adults, with IGF-1 elevation persisting for up to 28 days under weekly or biweekly dosing [3].

What the literature has measured is a long-acting GHRH receptor agonist that preserves the pulsatile pattern of endogenous GH release even under continuous receptor stimulation [4]. What it has not produced is regulatory approval anywhere in the world. Industry development ended after a fatal adverse event in a 2006 Phase 2 trial [5]. The compound sits today in a regulatory limbo: not FDA-approved, removed from FDA Section 503A Category 2 in September 2024, and prohibited at all times by the World Anti-Doping Agency [6][7].

## What CJC-1295 does in the GH/IGF-1 axis

CJC-1295 binds GHRH receptors on anterior pituitary somatotrophs, activates Gs-protein / adenylyl cyclase / cAMP / PKA signaling, and stimulates pulsatile growth hormone release [1]. Downstream, hepatic IGF-1 production rises and remains elevated for days to weeks under the DAC variant [3].

In the first published human study, single subcutaneous doses of CJC-1295-DAC raised mean plasma GH 2- to 10-fold for six days or more and mean plasma IGF-1 1.5- to 3-fold for nine to eleven days [3]. With repeated weekly or biweekly dosing, IGF-1 remained elevated for up to 28 days. A second 2006 study under continuous receptor stimulation reported a 7.5-fold trough GH elevation, a 46% increase in mean GH, and a 45% increase in IGF-1, with pulse frequency and pulse magnitude unchanged from baseline [4]. That last finding is the mechanistic claim that distinguishes long-acting GHRH analogs from direct GH replacement — the pulsatility survives.

A preclinical complement: in GHRH knockout mice, once-daily 2 µg subcutaneous CJC-1295 for five weeks normalized body weight and length and increased pituitary GH mRNA, while dosing every 48 or 72 hours was less effective [8].

## What the index covers

This online edition reads the CJC-1295 record across eight pages. The [CJC-1295 mechanism of action](/research#mechanism), the [CJC-1295 with DAC vs without DAC](/research#dac-vs-no-dac) distinction, and the [CJC-1295 vs ipamorelin](/research#vs-ipamorelin) comparison live on the research page. The [CJC-1295 dosage](/dosage) and [CJC-1295 side effects](/side-effects) pages collect the protocol literature and the reported adverse-effect profile respectively. The [frequently asked questions](/faq) index gathers every question this site receives a search-volume signal on, with a direct cited answer. The [references](/references) page lists every source.

The site is editorial. It summarizes the peer-reviewed record. It does not sell anything, prescribe anything, or recommend doses for humans.

### What is CJC-1295?

A synthetic 30-amino-acid analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29) carrying four amino-acid substitutions for proteolytic stability [1][2]. The DAC variant adds a maleimidopropionyl-lysine moiety that binds serum albumin and extends plasma half-life from minutes to roughly 8 days [3].

### What does CJC-1295 do?

Binds GHRH receptors on anterior pituitary somatotrophs and stimulates pulsatile growth-hormone release; downstream hepatic IGF-1 rises and remains elevated for days to weeks under sustained dosing [3][4]. The compound acts on the GH/IGF-1 axis and not on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis [3].

## References

[1] Jetté L, Léger R, Thibaudeau K, Benquet C, Robitaille M, Pellerin I, Paradis V, van Wyk P, Pham K, Bridon DP. Human growth hormone-releasing factor (hGRF)1-29-albumin bioconjugates activate the GRF receptor on the anterior pituitary in rats: identification of CJC-1295 as a long-lasting GRF analog. Endocrinology. 2005;146(7):3052-3058. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15817669/
[2] Coy DH, et al. Incorporation of D-Ala2 in growth hormone-releasing hormone-(1-29)-NH2 increases the half-life and decreases metabolic clearance in normal men. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 1994. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7962295/
[3] 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. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2006;91(3):799-805. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16352683/
[4] Ionescu M, Frohman LA. 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. 2006;91(12):4792-4797. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17018654/
[5] aidsmap editorial team. Lipodystrophy study halted after patient death (news report on ConjuChem CJC-1295 Phase 2 trial NCT00267527). aidsmap (NAM Publications). 2006. https://www.aidsmap.com/news/jul-2006/lipodystrophy-study-halted-after-patient-death
[6] FDA. Section 503A Category 2 removal of CJC-1295 and ipamorelin acetate. FDA Federal Register / Docket FDA-2024-N-4777. 2024. https://downloads.regulations.gov/FDA-2024-N-4777-0002/attachment_7.pdf
[7] World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List - Section S2: Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics. WADA Prohibited List. 2024. https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list
[8] Alba M, Fintini D, Sagazio A, Lawrence B, Castaigne JP, Frohman LA, Salvatori R. Once-daily administration of CJC-1295, a long-acting growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog, normalizes growth in the GHRH knockout mouse. American Journal of Physiology - Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2006;291(6):E1290-E1294. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16822960/

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An online journal-supplement reading of the CJC-1295 research record — neo-grotesque on cool white, cobalt-ruled, citation-explicit, and not a vendor, a clinic, or a prescription.