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Research Reference · Growth-Hormone Axis

Tesamorelin

A synthetic growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analogue that prompts the body’s own growth-hormone release — studied in growth-hormone-axis and visceral-fat (belly-fat) research.

Last reviewed September 2026 7 peer-reviewed sources 3-minute read

At a glance

Tesamorelin (TH9507) is a synthetic version of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), the signal that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. It is an approved medicine (Egrifta) for reducing excess abdominal fat in people with HIV, so unlike most research peptides it has a substantial record of randomized trials.

TypeGHRH analogue (44 amino acids)
Studied forVisceral fat & GH axis
Evidence stagePhase 3 trials; approved medicine
Human dataRandomized trials in HIV

What it’s studied for

Visceral (belly) fat

Reduced visceral fat and improved lipids in people with HIV and abdominal fat. 1,2

Human · phase 3

Liver fat

Modest liver-fat reductions, and a trial in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. 3,4

Human

Metabolic profile

People whose visceral fat fell most also had better triglyceride and adiponectin levels. 5

Human

Growth-hormone axis

Stimulates the body’s own growth-hormone release instead of supplying the hormone. 6

Human

Tesamorelin

Tesamorelin (10mg) · $59.99

Third-party tested · batch-matched COA · research use only

View Tesamorelin Tesamorelin COAsUsage guide

How it works

Tesamorelin is a synthetic analogue of human growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH, 44 amino acids), modified to be more stable in the body. It acts on GHRH receptors in the pituitary, which respond by releasing the body’s own growth hormone. 6

Its research record comes mainly from people with HIV who develop excess abdominal fat. A 26-week trial reduced visceral fat and improved lipid profiles without significant changes in blood-sugar measures, 1 and pooled phase 3 data showed the reduction was maintained up to 52 weeks. 2 Later analyses linked larger fat reductions to a better metabolic profile. 5

Trials have also measured liver fat 3,4 and, in 2024, looked at people taking integrase-inhibitor HIV therapy, finding benefits on body composition without worse blood-sugar control. 7

Related research

CJC-1295Long-acting GHRH analogue IpamorelinGhrelin-receptor secretagogue MOTS-cMetabolic research SemaglutideMetabolic research

Frequently asked questions

What is TH9507?
The development code used for tesamorelin in its early clinical trials.
Is tesamorelin an approved drug?
Yes — as Egrifta, for reducing excess abdominal fat in people with HIV. Research-grade material sold here is for laboratory research only.
How is tesamorelin different from growth hormone?
Tesamorelin is not growth hormone. It is a GHRH analogue that signals the pituitary to release the body’s own growth hormone.
How does tesamorelin compare with CJC-1295?
Both are GHRH analogues. CJC-1295 was engineered to bind albumin for a much longer half-life; tesamorelin is the full 44-amino-acid GHRH sequence with a stabilizing modification.
What is the CAS number of tesamorelin?
218949-48-5. Its molecular formula is C221H366N72O67S (5136 g/mol).

Identifiers

Name Tesamorelin
Development code TH9507
Class GHRH analogue — GHRH(1-44)
Molecular formula C221H366N72O67S
Molecular weight 5136 g/mol
CAS number 218949-48-5
PubChem CID · UNII 16137828 · MQG94M5EEO
Approved medicine Egrifta
Supplied as Lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder

Identifiers checked against PubChem (CID 16137828).

Research timeline

  1. 200726-week trial in HIV reduces visceral fat and improves lipids. 1
  2. 2010Pooled phase 3 data: visceral-fat reduction maintained up to 52 weeks. 2
  3. 2011Review of tesamorelin in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. 6
  4. 2012Larger visceral-fat reductions linked to a better metabolic profile. 5
  5. 2014Visceral fat and modest liver-fat reductions in a randomized trial. 3
  6. 2019Randomized trial in HIV with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. 4
  7. 2024Benefits on body composition in people on integrase-inhibitor therapy. 7

Key studies

StudyModelWhat it found
Falutz 2007 1 Human · phase 3 Decreased visceral fat and improved lipid profiles over 26 weeks; no significant glycemic changes.
Falutz 2010 2 Human · pooled phase 3 Visceral-fat reduction maintained up to 52 weeks; body image and lipids improved.
Stanley 2012 5 Human Responders (≥8% visceral-fat loss) had better triglycerides, adiponectin and glucose homeostasis.
Stanley 2014 3 Human · randomized Reductions in visceral fat and modest reductions in liver fat over 6 months.
Russo 2024 7 Human Beneficial body-composition effects without worse glycemic control on integrase inhibitors.

Sources

  1. Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in patients with HIV. Falutz J, et al. N Engl J Med, 2007. Human · phase 3
  2. Effects of tesamorelin (TH9507), a growth hormone-releasing factor analog, in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with excess abdominal fat: a pooled analysis of two multicenter, double-blind placebo-controlled phase 3 trials with safety extension data. Falutz J, et al. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2010. Human · phase 3
  3. Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial. Stanley TL, et al. JAMA, 2014. Free full textHuman trial
  4. Effects of tesamorelin on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in HIV: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial. Stanley TL, et al. Lancet HIV, 2019. Free full textHuman trial
  5. Reduction in visceral adiposity is associated with an improved metabolic profile in HIV-infected patients receiving tesamorelin. Stanley TL, et al. Clin Infect Dis, 2012. Free full textHuman
  6. Spotlight on tesamorelin in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Dhillon S. BioDrugs, 2011. Review
  7. Efficacy and safety of tesamorelin in people with HIV on integrase inhibitors. Russo SC, et al. AIDS, 2024. Free full textHuman
For Research Use Only. This page summarizes published scientific research for educational purposes. It is not medical advice and does not promote, recommend, or describe any human or animal use. Products referenced are sold strictly for laboratory research and are not for human consumption.

Last reviewed September 2026 by Midwest Compounds. Every source above was checked against its original publication.