What is AOD-9604?
AOD-9604 (anti-obesity drug 9604, also designated h-GH(177-191)) is a synthetic 16-amino-acid peptide corresponding to the C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone with an added N-terminal tyrosine. Originally developed as a metabolic-research compound; subsequently examined in cartilage and joint-research contexts.
What the research literature says
AOD-9604 reproduces residues 177-191 of human growth hormone (the C-terminal region implicated in the lipolytic activity of the full-length hormone) with an added N-terminal tyrosine. The compound was developed in the late 1990s and early 2000s as a research tool for dissociating growth hormone’s metabolic and lipolytic activities from its growth-promoting activity.
The early Heffernan series documented oral administration effects on lipid metabolism (PMID 10950816) and chronic-treatment effects on fat oxidation and weight loss in obese mice (PMID 11673763). The Wilding drug-evaluation review consolidated the early development and clinical-pharmacology framework (PMID 15134286). Anti-doping analytical work established that the compound does not influence the WADA human growth hormone isoform immunoassay (PMID 24124033).
Joint-tissue research includes the intra-articular injection model in rabbit osteoarthritis with and without hyaluronic acid co-administration (PMID 26275694), extending the framing from metabolic research into cartilage and joint-tissue contexts. The compound is not approved for therapeutic use by any major regulator.
Why this matters in research context
AOD-9604 occupies a narrower research niche than the broader GH-axis research peptides (ipamorelin, tesamorelin, CJC-1295). The compound’s published research base is smaller and the mechanistic question of whether AOD-9604 acts independently of GH receptor signalling has been examined but not fully resolved. Researchers selecting AOD-9604 should anchor protocol design to either the lipid-metabolism or joint-research literature rather than treating it as a GH-axis tool.
Related compounds
- AOD-9604 5mg — the compound covered by this answer
References
- Heffernan MA et al. Effects of oral administration of a synthetic fragment of human growth hormone on lipid metabolism. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2000;279(3):E501-E507. [PMID 10950816]
- Heffernan MA et al. Increase of fat oxidation and weight loss in obese mice caused by chronic treatment with human growth hormone or a modified C-terminal fragment. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2001;25(10):1442-1449. [PMID 11673763]
- Wilding J. AOD-9604 Metabolic. Curr Opin Investig Drugs 2004;5(4):436-439. [PMID 15134286]
- Kwon DR et al. Effect of Intra-articular Injection of AOD9604 with or without Hyaluronic Acid in Rabbit Osteoarthritis Model. Ann Clin Lab Sci 2015;45(4):426-432. [PMID 26275694]
Research-questions pages describe research-context use of peptide-research terminology. They do not constitute medical, veterinary, or clinical advice. AOD-9604 is sold strictly as a research-grade reagent for laboratory and bench research applications.