CJC-1295 vs Sermorelin: Differences, Evidence and Status
CJC-1295 with DAC vs Sermorelin at a glance
| Fact | CJC-1295 with DAC | Sermorelin |
|---|---|---|
| Also known as | CJC 1295, CJC-1295 DAC, CJC-1295 with Drug Affinity Complex | GRF (1-29), Geref, Sermorelin acetate |
| What it is | Synthetic long-acting GHRH analogue with a drug affinity complex (DAC) | Synthetic GHRH(1-29) analogue (formerly approved in the US) |
| Evidence level | Early human trials | Formerly approved drug (approvals withdrawn) |
| Approved products | None | Geref (discontinued) (US, 1990); Geref (discontinued) (US, 1997) |
| United States | Not FDA-approved; the nomination of CJC-1295 for pharmacy (503A) compounding was withdrawn after FDA flagged potential safety risks [11][6]. | Approved by the FDA as Geref in 1990 and 1997; both products were discontinued in 2008, and FDA withdrew both approvals effective June 18, 2009 [20][21][5]. |
| United Kingdom | No UK-licensed medicine containing CJC-1295 appears in the MHRA products database [12]. | No UK-licensed medicine containing sermorelin appears in the MHRA products database [22]. |
| European Union | No medicine containing CJC-1295 is authorized in the EU, according to EMA's central and Article 57 product data [13][14]. | No medicine containing sermorelin is authorized in the EU, according to EMA's central and Article 57 product data [13][14]. |
| Canada | No product containing CJC-1295 appears in Health Canada's Drug Product Database [15]. | No product containing sermorelin appears in Health Canada's Drug Product Database [15]. |
| Australia | Schedule 4 (prescription-only) in Australia's Poisons Standard, with possession without authority prohibited under Appendix D [16]. | Schedule 4 (prescription-only) in Australia's Poisons Standard, which also lists growth hormone releasing hormones (GHRHs), including those named separately in Schedule 4, among poisons that must not be possessed without authority (Appendix D) [16]. |
| Sport (WADA) | Named as a prohibited growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue under S2 [8]. | Named as a prohibited growth hormone-releasing hormone analogue under S2 [8]. |
| Vendors we track | 31 vendors | 62 vendors |
| Our lab tests | None yet | None yet |
CJC-1295 and sermorelin are both built on the same active part of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH): its first 29 amino acids [1, 2, 4]. Sermorelin stays close to that natural fragment and is short-acting [1, 4]. CJC-1295 has four amino acids swapped and an added chemical group, the drug affinity complex (DAC), that binds it to albumin in the blood, so a single administration acts for days [2, 3, 4]. Sermorelin was once an FDA-approved drug [5]; CJC-1295 is not approved by major regulators such as FDA and EMA, and its published human data are limited to early studies in healthy adults [4].
What each one is
Sermorelin is a 29-amino-acid analogue of human GHRH and the shortest synthetic peptide with the hormone’s full biological activity [1]. A 2026 review describes it as GHRH(1–29), with a disappearance half-time of about four minutes [4].
CJC-1295 starts from the same 29 amino acids but swaps four of them, which makes it more resistant to breakdown by enzymes [2, 4]. It also carries an extra lysine at the end with a maleimide group attached [2]. That group bonds to serum albumin: in rats, CJC-1295 was still present in plasma beyond 72 hours [2]. This is the DAC, and it’s why the molecule lasts so much longer [4].
Many vendors also sell a version without the DAC, labeled “CJC-1295 without DAC” or “Mod GRF 1-29” [4]. It’s a different molecule with different evidence: see our comparison of CJC-1295 with and without DAC.
How the evidence compares
CJC-1295. Its main human data come from two small randomized, placebo-controlled trials in healthy adults, published in 2006, which measured how the body handles it, its effect on hormone levels and its safety [3]. The authors introduced it by noting that the short duration of action of GHRH limits its use [3]. Growth hormone levels rose 2- to 10-fold for six days or more, IGF-I levels rose 1.5- to 3-fold for 9 to 11 days, the estimated half-life was 5.8 to 8.1 days, and no serious adverse reactions were reported in those trials [3]. A 2026 review classes this as phase I evidence with no controlled efficacy data [4].
Sermorelin. It was used as a diagnostic test for growth hormone deficiency and, based on limited data, to treat some children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency [1]. In adults, a 2020 review of growth hormone secretagogues found clinical data on men with low testosterone largely lacking [7].
A 2026 sports-medicine review lists both among the peptides marketed directly to patients for injury recovery and athletic performance, and notes that rigorous human safety data for unapproved peptides are scarce [10].
Regulation and sport
FDA approved sermorelin as Geref in 1990 and 1997; both products were discontinued in 2008, not for reasons of safety or effectiveness, according to FDA [5]. CJC-1295 is not approved by major regulators [4], FDA has identified serious adverse events associated with it, including increased heart rate and a systemic vasodilatory reaction [6], and WADA prohibits both at all times as GHRH analogues [8].
Quality risks when buying
Research-grade vials of either come from unregulated supply chains [4]. FDA warns that compounded CJC-1295 may cause immune reactions and has complexities with peptide-related impurities and characterization [6].
Labels can also be wrong about which molecule is in the vial. In 2009, a laboratory analyzing seized products for Norwegian police and customs found a 29-amino-acid peptide consistent with one then marketed as CJC-1295 [9], without the extra lysine and DAC described in the original research [2]. A certificate of analysis (COA) should name the exact molecule, with or without DAC, and confirm it by mass spectrometry. Our guides explain how to read a COA, how to check a vendor and what “research use only” means.
For more detail, see our CJC-1295 overview and sermorelin overview, and today’s prices for CJC-1295 with DAC and sermorelin. Related: sermorelin vs tesamorelin.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between CJC-1295 and sermorelin?
Both are based on the first 29 amino acids of growth hormone-releasing hormone. Sermorelin stays close to that natural fragment and is short-acting. CJC-1295 has four amino acids swapped and a drug affinity complex (DAC) that binds it to albumin in the blood, so its effects last for days.
Is CJC-1295 FDA-approved?
No. Its main published human data come from two small early-stage trials in healthy adults, and it isn't approved. FDA has identified serious adverse events associated with it, including increased heart rate.
Was sermorelin ever approved?
Yes. FDA approved it as Geref in 1990 and 1997. Both products were discontinued in 2008, and FDA determined in 2013 that they were not withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness.