CJC-1295
Also known as: Modified GRF(1-29) · MOD-GRF(1-29) · with-DAC or without-DAC
A modified GHRH(1-29) analogue commonly stacked with GH-releasing peptides for GH-axis research, with an indirect cognitive-relevance angle via sleep-architecture support and IGF-1 signalling.
CJC-1295 is a modified GHRH(1-29) analogue commonly stacked with GH-releasing peptides for GH-axis research; indirect cognitive relevance via sleep-GH pulse augmentation.
Evidence tier: C — preclinical / mechanistic evidence only
- Category
- Sleep & Recovery
- Half-life
- With DAC: ~8 days plasma; without DAC (Mod GRF 1-29): ~30 minutes
Section 1
Overview
CJC-1295 is a modified analogue of the 1-29 fragment of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). Two variants exist commercially, differing in whether they carry the drug affinity complex (DAC) modification. With DAC — the compound that irreversibly binds serum albumin and produces a plasma half-life of approximately 8 days — CJC-1295 produces sustained GH release across an extended window. Without DAC (often marketed as 'MOD-GRF(1-29)' or 'CJC-1295 no-DAC') the compound has the short pharmacokinetics of a native GHRH analogue.
The compound is commonly used in research-peptide practice as a stack component alongside GH-releasing peptides (ipamorelin, hexarelin, GHRP-2) — CJC-1295 provides GHRH-arm signalling for pituitary GH release, while the GHRP peptide provides the ghrelin-mimetic ghrelin-receptor-agonist signalling. The combination is more effective at producing physiological GH pulses than either arm alone.
The cognitive-relevance angle is indirect. GH secretion during slow-wave sleep is one of the key drivers of the physiological GH pulse pattern, and sleep-related GH pulses have documented cognitive-relevant effects on memory consolidation. CJC-1295's ability to augment sleep-onset GH pulses provides an indirect research-tool angle for cognitive-endpoint research, though direct cognitive-endpoint trials have not been completed.
Section 2
Discovery & History
- Developed by ConjuChem Biotechnologies as a long-acting GHRH analogue for endocrine-therapeutic applications, with the DAC modification enabling once-weekly subcutaneous dosing.
- Underwent early clinical evaluation for indications including HIV-associated lipodystrophy but did not progress to marketing authorisation.
- Widely adopted in research-peptide practice (both DAC and no-DAC variants) despite the absence of clinical approval anywhere.
- The GHRH-arm plus GHRP-arm stack pattern (CJC-1295 + ipamorelin being the most common) is a well-established research-context configuration.
- Not licensed as a medicine in any major jurisdiction; remains a research chemical.
Section 3
Mechanism of Action
- 1Direct agonism at the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotroph cells, driving sustained GH release via the natural GHRH-GH axis at physiological rather than supraphysiological levels.
- 2The DAC (drug affinity complex) modification in the DAC variant covalently binds serum albumin at a cysteine residue, extending plasma half-life dramatically (from minutes to approximately 8 days) and producing sustained GHRH-receptor stimulation over days rather than the pulsatile minutes-long stimulation from native GHRH.
- 3Combined pulse-effect with GH-releasing peptides — CJC-1295 provides the GHRH-arm signalling that potentiates the GHRP-arm ghrelin-mimetic ghrelin-receptor signalling, producing higher-magnitude physiological GH pulses than either arm alone via the two-receptor synergy mechanism.
- 4Systemic GH-mediated effects — increased IGF-1 production by hepatocytes, downstream metabolic effects (glucose regulation, lipid profile modulation), tissue-repair effects, and CNS-relevant IGF-1 signalling in hippocampal and cortical neuronal populations.
- 5Sleep-onset GH pulse augmentation — the endogenous slow-wave-sleep-associated GH pulse is one of the largest physiological GH secretion events, and CJC-1295 augments this pulse in a manner distinct from continuous GH administration; this is the mechanistic angle for the indirect cognitive-relevance research application.
- 6Reported effects on body composition (increased lean mass, decreased adiposity) via the systemic GH mechanism, mirroring effects seen with direct GH administration but produced through the natural physiological release pathway.
- 7Modulation of central IGF-1 signalling with reported effects on hippocampal neurogenesis and neurotrophin expression in preclinical models — the CNS-relevance angle for the cognitive-research applications.
- 8Reported effects on sleep architecture beyond the direct GH-pulse mechanism, with polysomnographic changes reported in some research subjects consistent with a sleep-modulating effect independent of the primary GH-releasing pharmacology.
Section 4
Researched Benefits
Findings reported in the published preclinical and clinical literature. Effects in research contexts do not constitute claims of therapeutic benefit in humans.
- 1GH-axis restoration in age-related or disease-related GH decline research — the primary pharmacological rationale for the compound.
- 2Effective research-tool combination with GH-releasing peptides for physiological GH-pulse research; the CJC-1295 + ipamorelin stack is the most common configuration in modern research-community usage.
- 3Reported effects on body composition (increased lean mass, decreased visceral adiposity), tissue-repair markers, and metabolic parameters in research applications.
- 4Sleep-onset GH pulse augmentation with indirect cognitive-relevance via sleep-mediated memory consolidation — a research angle that extends the compound beyond pure endocrine research.
- 5Long-acting DAC variant enables once-weekly dosing for chronic research protocols with improved adherence and reduced administration burden.
- 6Substantial research-community usage providing anecdotal (though not clinically-validated) tolerability data across large populations of users, though this is not equivalent to formal clinical safety characterisation.
- 7Preservation of physiological GH-pulse pattern rather than continuous supraphysiological GH exposure — a mechanistic distinction from direct GH administration that may matter for downstream effects and safety.
Section 5
Theoretical Dosing & Protocols
| Route | Dosage | Frequency | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subcutaneous injection (research) | 1-2 mg per week (with DAC) or 100-300 mcg per dose (without DAC) | Weekly (with DAC) or 2-3× daily (without DAC) | Research protocol dependent; chronic research use continues 8-12+ weeks in some contexts |
Note: Two commercial variants exist with dramatically different pharmacokinetics. Not approved for any indication.
Section 6
Administration Routes
- Subcutaneous injection — the primary research route and the practical route for both DAC and no-DAC variants; typically abdominal-subcutaneous administration in the research-community pattern.
- Intramuscular administration in some research contexts where injection-volume constraints are relaxed and higher plasma-peak exposure is prioritised.
- Intravenous administration is not routinely used given the practical advantages of subcutaneous administration.
- Oral administration is not viable — the peptide is efficiently degraded by gastrointestinal proteases and would not survive first-pass metabolism.
Section 7
Safety Profile
Commonly reported
- · Injection-site reactions with subcutaneous administration — the most commonly-reported tolerability signal in the research-community usage database; typically mild local reactions.
- · Mild transient effects on blood pressure and heart rate, more common during initial dosing and generally resolving as tolerance-adaptation completes.
- · Occasional headache during initial dosing — a common GH-axis intervention tolerability signal.
- · Fluid retention and mild peripheral oedema — expected GH-mediated effect, typically clinically insignificant at studied doses.
- · Transient effects on glucose metabolism — a common GH-axis intervention signal that occasionally warrants monitoring in susceptible subjects.
Rare / theoretical
- · Diabetes precipitation or worsening of glycaemic control in susceptible research subjects — the most significant safety consideration for chronic-use research protocols in glucose-intolerant populations.
- · GH-mediated effects on cardiac hypertrophy in chronic high-dose research — a theoretical concern extrapolated from the broader GH-therapy literature rather than documented in the CJC-1295 research context.
- · Theoretical GH-mediated tumour-growth concerns in active malignancy — a standard concern for any GH-axis intervention.
- · Development of anti-drug antibodies during chronic dosing in some subjects — reported at low frequency, occasionally with loss-of-effect.
- · Rare reports of unusual sleep-architecture effects or dream-quality alteration in some subjects.
Contraindications
- · Not authorised for human use in the UK.
- · Active malignancy — theoretical contraindication via the GH-axis mechanism.
- · Pregnancy and lactation.
- · Severe uncontrolled diabetes.
Section 8
UK & EU Regulatory Context
United Kingdom
Not a licensed medicine in the UK. Research chemical only.
European Union
Not approved by the EMA.
Section 9
Clinical Studies Summary
CJC-1295 pharmacokinetics and GH pulse profile
Early clinical pharmacology characterisation of CJC-1295 with DAC modification demonstrating extended plasma half-life via covalent albumin binding, sustained GH-releasing effects across an approximately 8-day window, and preservation of physiological GH-pulse pattern rather than continuous supraphysiological GH exposure. The foundational pharmacokinetic study that established the compound's positioning as a long-acting GHRH analogue.
GHRH + GHRP combined GH-release research
Research characterising the combined-arm effect of GHRH analogues (including CJC-1295) plus GH-releasing peptides on GH pulse magnitude, providing the mechanistic scaffold for the stack-configuration research practice and demonstrating higher-magnitude physiological GH pulses under combined rather than single-arm stimulation. The empirical support for the CJC-1295 + ipamorelin stack configuration.
CJC-1295 in body-composition research
Research applications of CJC-1295 in body-composition-endpoint studies reporting effects on lean mass, visceral adiposity, and metabolic parameters over 8-12 week research protocols. Reflects the systemic GH-mediated mechanism and provides the practical research-endpoint framework for the compound's use in body-composition-focused research applications.
CJC-1295 sleep-onset GH pulse augmentation
Endocrinology characterisation of CJC-1295's effects on the endogenous slow-wave-sleep-associated GH pulse, reporting augmentation of the endogenous sleep-onset GH secretion event and providing the mechanistic scaffold for the indirect sleep-mediated cognitive-relevance research angle. The study characterised sleep-GH-pulse magnitude under CJC-1295 versus vehicle and versus continuous-GH-administration control conditions.
Section 10
Frequently Asked Questions
Section 10a
Practical Research Guidance
Cycle guidance
Reconstitution & storage
UK sourcing notes
Section 11
Sourcing for Laboratory Research
Sourcing CJC-1295 for laboratory research
Researchers in the United Kingdom and elsewhere typically obtain CJC-1295 from specialist research-chemical suppliers. Purity, third-party testing, and supplier transparency are the principal differentiators worth evaluating before placing an order. The two suppliers below are commonly referenced in UK research contexts.
Reminder: research peptides are sold strictly for in vitro and preclinical laboratory purposes. Importation or supply for human consumption is not permitted under UK medicines legislation.