CJC-1295: long-acting GHRH analog in research

Producto para uso experimental en laboratorio. No es medicamento ni producto de consumo humano.

Research use only. This content is for laboratory research; not for human or veterinary use, diagnosis, or treatment.

What CJC-1295 is

CJC-1295 is a synthetic analog of the first 29 amino acids of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29), the fragment that retains GHRH's biological activity. It carries four amino-acid substitutions relative to the native sequence, designed to resist enzymatic degradation (chiefly by dipeptidyl peptidase-4). This modified, unconjugated version is also known as modified GRF(1-29).

The defining feature of "CJC-1295 with DAC" (CAS 863288-34-0) is the Drug Affinity Complex: a maleimidopropionyl group that binds covalently to serum albumin after administration. By circulating bound to albumin, the molecule resists renal clearance and its half-life extends to several days, versus the few minutes of native GHRH. The "without DAC" variant lacks that group and acts over a much shorter window.

Documented mechanism of action

As a GHRH analog, CJC-1295 binds the GHRH receptor in the anterior pituitary and stimulates synthesis and release of growth hormone (GH), which in turn raises hepatic production of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). The research interest lies in whether albumin binding allows sustained GHRH exposure without abolishing the physiological secretion pattern ^[1].

A notable finding is that, despite the continuous stimulation produced by the DAC variant, GH secretion retained its pulsatile character in human studies: GH continued to be released in discrete pulses rather than a continuous flow ^[2]. This detail is central to interpreting the GHRH-GH axis under prolonged stimulation.

What the research studies show

The peer-reviewed literature documents the following findings:

• In randomised, placebo-controlled trials in healthy adults, subcutaneous administration of CJC-1295 produced a sustained rise in mean GH and IGF-I concentrations, with an estimated half-life on the order of days ^[1].
• Under the same prolonged stimulation, GH secretion preserved its pulsatile pattern, indicating that sustained GHRH exposure did not suppress pituitary pulsatility ^[2].
• In a GHRH-knockout mouse model, once-daily CJC-1295 normalised body weight and length; at 48- and 72-hour intervals growth exceeded placebo, though without full normalisation ^[3].

Limitations of the current evidence

The available human studies are early-phase, small, and oriented to pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and short-term safety rather than clinical outcomes. No data back therapeutic uses, and long-term safety profiles are uncharacterised.

Moreover, sustained elevation of GH and IGF-I is not intrinsically benign: the somatotropic axis is finely regulated, and interpretation of the preclinical data must account for physiological context. Equivalence between research batches and the materials used in the literature depends critically on purity and identity confirmation.

Considerations for research protocols

For CJC-1295 the critical identity variable is whether the material carries the DAC group, because it entirely determines the expected pharmacokinetics. A reproducible protocol should declare the variant and confirm it by mass spectrometry, since the mass difference between the DAC and non-DAC forms is measurable. Reconstitution with sterile bacteriostatic water and cold storage of the lyophilised material follow standard laboratory protocols.

Documentation and traceability

MX-1 Labs maintains a COA per batch with purity by HPLC (≥98%), identity confirmed by mass spectrometry against the target molecular weight, amino-acid analysis, water content by Karl Fischer and endotoxin testing by LAL. In GHRH analogs, mass confirmation is what distinguishes the DAC variant from the non-DAC variant and lets you cite the material accurately in a publication.