Head-to-head
Tesamorelin vs AOD-9604
A field-by-field comparison of Tesamorelin and AOD-9604 drawn from the PeptideIndex database: mechanism, evidence grade, half-life, administration route, reported dosing, side effects, storage and legal status. They belong to different categories — growth hormone and metabolic — so this page focuses on what each one actually does rather than which is "better".
Tesamorelin vs AOD-9604 at a glance
| Attribute | Tesamorelin | AOD-9604 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Growth hormone | Metabolic |
| Evidence grade | Strong | Limited |
| Also known as | Egrifta, TH9507 | Anti-Obesity Drug 9604, hGH fragment 176-191 |
| Chain | 44 amino acid stabilised GHRH analogue | Fragment 176-191 of human growth hormone |
| Mechanism | A stabilised GHRH(1-44) analogue that resists enzymatic degradation, producing a sustained, physiological increase in endogenous GH and downstream IGF-1. | Represents the lipolytic C-terminal region of hGH. In adipocytes it stimulates lipolysis and inhibits lipogenesis without binding the GH receptor, so IGF-1 and glucose remain unaffected. |
| Reported benefits | Clinically demonstrated visceral adipose tissue reduction (~15–18%) · Improved triglycerides in trial populations · Preliminary evidence for cognitive benefit in older adults | Fat mobilisation without IGF-1 elevation · No reported impact on insulin sensitivity · Good tolerability profile in trials |
| Reported side effects | Joint pain and swelling · Injection-site erythema · Insulin resistance · Peripheral oedema | Generally well tolerated · Occasional injection-site reaction · Headache |
| Half-life | 26–38 minutes | Under 30 minutes |
| Administration | Daily subcutaneous injection, abdomen | Subcutaneous injection, often fasted in the morning |
| Dosing overview | Approved label dose is 2 mg once daily | Commonly cited at 300 mcg daily, 5 days on / 2 off |
| Storage | Refrigerated; reconstitute immediately before use per label | Refrigerate reconstituted vials; powder stable at room temperature briefly |
| Legal status | FDA-approved for a specific indication; other uses are off-label. | Not approved as a drug; permitted as a food additive in some jurisdictions. |
Key differences between Tesamorelin and AOD-9604
Different categories, different goals
Tesamorelin is indexed under growth hormone, while AOD-9604 sits under metabolic. They are not substitutes for one another: Tesamorelin is described as "The one GH-axis peptide with full FDA approval, indicated for reducing excess visceral abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy." and AOD-9604 as "A GH fragment marketed for fat loss without the blood-sugar effects of full growth hormone — though human trials have been underwhelming."
Mechanism of action
Tesamorelin: A stabilised GHRH(1-44) analogue that resists enzymatic degradation, producing a sustained, physiological increase in endogenous GH and downstream IGF-1. AOD-9604: Represents the lipolytic C-terminal region of hGH. In adipocytes it stimulates lipolysis and inhibits lipogenesis without binding the GH receptor, so IGF-1 and glucose remain unaffected.
Evidence quality is not equal
Tesamorelin carries a Strong evidence grade and AOD-9604 a Limited grade on this index. The grade describes the quality of published human data, not how well a compound works — Tesamorelin has the better-documented record of the two, and claims made about AOD-9604 rest on thinner human evidence.
Half-life and dosing frequency
Tesamorelin is listed at 26–38 minutes; AOD-9604 at under 30 minutes. That difference is what drives the reported schedules: Approved label dose is 2 mg once daily versus Commonly cited at 300 mcg daily, 5 days on / 2 off
Route of administration
Tesamorelin is administered by daily subcutaneous injection, abdomen. AOD-9604 is administered by subcutaneous injection, often fasted in the morning.
Legal and regulatory status differs
Tesamorelin: FDA-approved for a specific indication; other uses are off-label. AOD-9604: Not approved as a drug; permitted as a food additive in some jurisdictions. This is usually the most practical difference between two compounds, because it determines whether a supply chain is labelled and regulated at all.
Handling and storage
Tesamorelin is stored refrigerated; reconstitute immediately before use per label. AOD-9604 is stored refrigerate reconstituted vials; powder stable at room temperature briefly.
What Tesamorelin and AOD-9604 have in common
On the attributes tracked in this database — category, evidence grade, mechanism, half-life, administration, dosing overview, storage and legal status — Tesamorelin and AOD-9604 share no identical values. They are compared here because they come up together in the same searches, not because they overlap.
Each compound in brief
Tesamorelin
Growth hormone · Strong evidence
The one GH-axis peptide with full FDA approval, indicated for reducing excess visceral abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy.
Considerations: Visceral fat returns after discontinuation · Requires monitoring of fasting glucose and IGF-1 · Expensive relative to other GH secretagogues
AOD-9604
Metabolic · Limited evidence
A GH fragment marketed for fat loss without the blood-sugar effects of full growth hormone — though human trials have been underwhelming.
Considerations: Phase IIb trials failed to beat placebo for weight loss at 12 weeks · Popular in clinics despite weak efficacy data · Best viewed as adjunctive, not a primary fat-loss tool
Related comparisons and reading
Every figure on this page is reproduced from the compound profiles in this database and reflects published literature and commonly reported protocols. It is educational information, not medical advice, and not a recommendation to use either compound. See the medical disclaimer.