What is Tesamorelin sold for here?

This product is sold exclusively as a laboratory chemical for research, not as a pharmaceutical, and is not intended for use in humans or animals. In the European Union, Tesamorelin is currently not available as an approved medicinal product.

What exactly is Tesamorelin?

Tesamorelin is a stabilized analog of human GHRH(1-44). A trans-3-hexenoyl group on the N-terminal tyrosine protects the peptide from degradation by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) without altering the receptor-binding pharmacophore. The molecular mass is approximately 5196 Da.

How are Tesamorelin's identity and purity confirmed?

Identity is verified by mass spectrometry, together with an HPLC purity result on the batch certificate. The report is issued by Janoshik and submitted by the manufacturer; current batch values are listed on our CoA page. A report of this kind, covering identity and purity, does not include sterility, endotoxin, or microbiological testing.

How does Tesamorelin differ from Sermorelin and CJC-1295?

All three are derived from GHRH. Sermorelin is unmodified GHRH(1-29) with a short half-life. CJC-1295 combines a substituted GHRH(1-29) backbone with an albumin-binding drug affinity complex. Tesamorelin is a hexenoyl-stabilized GHRH(1-44) analog and currently the only GHRH analog in this group with active FDA approval (EGRIFTA).

What did the liver fat study show?

A double-blind RCT (Stanley et al., Lancet HIV 2019, n=61, HIV-positive participants with a hepatic fat fraction of at least 5%) examined Tesamorelin 2 mg/day over 12 months. It reported an absolute reduction in liver fat of 4.1 percentage points (37% relative); 35% of Tesamorelin recipients reached the below-5% threshold.

What did the cognition research show?

Baker et al. (Arch Neurol 2012, PMID 22869065) randomized older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment and healthy controls to Tesamorelin or placebo over 20 weeks and reported a significant improvement in executive function (P=.005) along with a 117% increase in IGF-1 (within the normal range). A more recent Phase 2 open-label study (Ellis et al., 2025, PMID 39813152, n=73, 6 months) showed a within-group trend (P=.060), but the difference versus standard of care was not significant (P=.673).

What did Friedman 2013 find on brain GABA?

Friedman et al. (JAMA Neurol 2013, PMID 23689947) reported, via MR spectroscopy following GHRH administration, a significant increase in GABA levels across several brain regions and a significant decrease in myo-inositol in the posterior cingulate (P=.002). This is a neurochemically interesting pattern, not proof of efficacy.

Is Tesamorelin an approved medication?

Tesamorelin received FDA approval as EGRIFTA in 2010 for reducing excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy; however, the EU marketing authorization application was withdrawn in 2012 and an EU approval was not granted. In the US, a new formulation (EGRIFTA WR) received approval in 2025. In the EU, Tesamorelin is currently not available as a medicinal product; here it is sold exclusively as a research chemical.

What dosages have been used in research?

In the Falutz and Stanley RCTs, as well as in the open-label Ellis study, Tesamorelin was examined at 2 mg subcutaneously per day. These are study doses from published reports, not recommendations. Non-validated community anecdotal reports cite similar ranges; such figures are self-reported, not collected under controlled conditions, and do not constitute a recommendation. No EU-approved treatment regimen for humans exists.

What side effects were reported in the research?

In the studies, the most common findings were injection-site reactions and occasionally joint complaints or fluid retention; because Tesamorelin raises GH and IGF-1, glucose metabolism was monitored throughout the trials. This data comes from clinical trials; no independent safety data exists for the research-grade material sold here, and any statement about tolerability should be treated as preliminary.

Is it legal to buy Tesamorelin for research in the EU?

There is no single EU-wide category for research peptides; the legal situation depends on presentation, intended use, and the national law of the relevant member state. We sell exclusively for laboratory research and not for human consumption. Check the rules with your national competent authority and your institution, seek qualified legal advice if needed, and treat this as general information, not legal advice.

How quickly is Tesamorelin delivered?

Shipping is from the EU with tracking, typically taking one to four business days within the EU depending on the destination country. Current delivery times, countries, and conditions are listed on our shipping page.

Buy Tesamorelin: What Researchers Need to Know About the Stabilized GHRH Analog

Q: What did the pivotal visceral fat reduction study show?

The pivotal Phase 3 study (Falutz et al., NEJM 2007) examined Tesamorelin in HIV-associated lipodystrophy with abdominal fat accumulation; the later pooled randomized analysis (Falutz et al., JCEM 2010, PMID 20554713) included 806 patients. In the randomized phase (week 26), 2 mg/day subcutaneously significantly reduced VAT versus placebo; over continued treatment through week 52, the decrease from baseline was approximately 35 cm².

Among synthetic growth hormone secretagogues, Tesamorelin holds a distinct regulatory position: it is currently the only GHRH analog with an active FDA approval (as EGRIFTA, since 2010; the earlier GEREF/Sermorelin was withdrawn from the market in 2008), and it was studied in a pivotal, placebo-controlled Phase 3 program. Endpoints examined ranged from visceral fat reduction to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease to Mild Cognitive Impairment. For researchers sourcing Tesamorelin, this multi-year clinical history means the background chemistry, pharmacokinetics, and endpoints are comparatively well characterized in peer-reviewed literature.

Tesamorelingrowth

Modified GHRH analog for lipodystrophy and metabolic liver research

Background: GHRH Biology and the Tesamorelin Modification

Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) is a 44-amino-acid peptide from the hypothalamus. It binds to the GHRH receptor on somatotropic cells of the anterior pituitary and triggers pulsatile release of endogenous growth hormone. Native GHRH(1-44) is rapidly inactivated at the N-terminus by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4). Its plasma half-life is on the order of minutes, too short for practical research applications.

Tesamorelin is a stabilized analog of human GHRH(1-44). The structural modification is a trans-3-hexenoyl group on the N-terminal tyrosine. This hexenoyl cap confers resistance to DPP-4 cleavage while preserving GHRH receptor activity. In the studies, the resulting GH release was predominantly pulsatile and not comparable to the sustained, supraphysiological elevation seen with exogenous recombinant GH.

This matters for interpretation: Tesamorelin raises GH and, consequently, IGF-1. In the pivotal program, IGF-1 exceeded the normal range in a substantial proportion of participants (per the FDA label, roughly 47% above 2 SDS and 36% above 3 SDS at week 26), which is why glucose metabolism was monitored. In Baker's 2012 cognitive study, by contrast, the IGF-1 increase remained within the normal range.

What the Research Shows: 18 Years of Clinical Evidence

Visceral Fat Reduction

The pivotal Phase 3 program, comprising two trials (including Falutz et al., NEJM 2007), led to the approval of Tesamorelin for HIV-associated lipodystrophy with abdominal fat accumulation. The subsequent pooled randomized analysis (Falutz et al., JCEM 2010, PMID 20554713) included 806 patients. In the randomized phase (week 26), 2 mg/day subcutaneous Tesamorelin significantly reduced visceral adipose tissue (VAT) versus placebo; over continued treatment through week 52, the decrease from baseline was approximately 35 cm². Responders were defined as participants achieving at least 8% VAT reduction (Stanley et al., CID 2012).

Liver Fat and NAFLD

A double-blind RCT published in 2019 in The Lancet HIV (Stanley et al., NCT02196831) extended Tesamorelin research to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD, today MASLD) in the HIV population. In 61 HIV-positive participants with a hepatic fat fraction of at least 5%, 2 mg/day over 12 months reduced liver fat by 4.1 percentage points absolute, a relative reduction of 37%. 35% of Tesamorelin recipients reached the below-5% threshold defining resolution of steatosis.

Cognition and MCI

Baker et al. (Arch Neurol 2012, PMID 22869065) randomized older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and healthy controls to Tesamorelin or placebo for 20 weeks. The study reported a significant improvement in executive function (P=.005) and a 117% increase in serum IGF-1 that remained within the normal range. A follow-up study using MR spectroscopy (Friedman et al., JAMA Neurol 2013, PMID 23689947) found that GHRH administration increased brain GABA levels and reduced myo-inositol, a pattern of interest in neurodegeneration research.

The picture is more mixed in the most recent study. Ellis et al. (2025, J Infect Dis, PMID 39813152) conducted a Phase 2 open-label neurocognition study in HIV-associated cognitive complaints (n=73, 2 mg/day over 6 months). Within the Tesamorelin group, a trend was observed (P=.060); versus standard of care, the difference was not significant (P=.673).

Clinical Evidence at a Glance

Falutz 2007/2010: n=806 pooled; VAT significantly reduced vs placebo at week 26, -35 cm² from baseline through week 52. Stanley 2019 (Lancet HIV): liver fat -4.1 percentage points absolute, 35% reached the <5% threshold. Baker 2012: significant improvement in executive function (P=.005), IGF-1 +117% (within normal range). Ellis 2025: within-group neurocognitive trend (P=.060), between-group difference not significant (P=.673). Friedman 2013: GHRH increased brain GABA on MR spectroscopy.

Muscle Quality

Post-hoc imaging analyses from the Tesamorelin program (Adrian et al., J Frailty Aging 2019, PMID 31237318) quantified changes in muscle density in the rectus abdominis and psoas, both markers established in sarcopenia research. In this exploratory analysis, Tesamorelin participants with substantial VAT reduction showed higher density across several trunk muscle groups on CT versus placebo; the findings do not generalize to all those treated.

Quality Criteria When Buying

The synthesis of Tesamorelin is chemically demanding. The trans-3-hexenoyl modification at the N-terminus must be installed with correct stereochemistry, and the 44-residue chain is long enough that truncations, deletions, and aspartimide byproducts commonly occur when synthesis and purification controls are weak.

Purity Verification

Research-grade Tesamorelin should show high HPLC purity; the purity value for a given batch is listed on the Certificate of Analysis (see the CoA page). At PeptidesDirect, every batch comes with a lab report from Janoshik Analytical (submitted by the manufacturer). Such a report typically documents HPLC purity, mass spectrometry confirming the molecular mass (around 5196 Da), and peptide content, sometimes along with residual solvent and counterion; it does not include sterility, endotoxin, or microbiological testing.

Storage

Tesamorelin is supplied as a lyophilized powder. Store at -20 °C before reconstitution. After reconstitution, store refrigerated at 2-8 °C and protected from light; without a batch-specific stability study, no fixed shelf life can be guaranteed, and lab practice follows general discard conventions. Tesamorelin is light-sensitive. For extended protocols, aliquot the solution into single-use portions to reduce repeated opening and temperature fluctuations.

EU shipping: PeptidesDirect ships from the EU. Deliveries within the EU customs territory incur no customs duty or import fees; delivery typically takes one to four business days depending on the destination country, with tracking (details on the shipping page).

Reconstitution

Use Bacteriostatic Water

Bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol) is commonly used as a reconstitution diluent in lab practice. This does not establish validated compatibility or stability for the research-grade material sold here; specifications for approved finished drug products (e.g. EGRIFTA) do not transfer, and the applicable protocol should specify a suitable, validated solvent.

Add Slowly Down the Vial Wall

Let the diluent run slowly down the inner wall of the vial. Do not spray it directly onto the lyophilized cake.

Swirl Gently, Do Not Shake

Rotate the vial slowly until the powder has fully dissolved. The solution should be clear and colorless. Vigorous shaking can cause foaming; gentle swirling is preferred.

Store Cold and Protected From Light

Store the reconstituted vial at 2-8 °C in a dark container or the original packaging. A fixed shelf life cannot be guaranteed without a batch-specific stability study; lab practice follows general discard conventions.

Regulatory Context

Tesamorelin (as EGRIFTA) received FDA approval in 2010 for reducing excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. The EU marketing authorization application for EGRIFTA was withdrawn in 2012; an EU approval was not granted (the responsible committee cited, among other concerns, elevated IGF-1 levels at the time). In the US, a new formulation (EGRIFTA WR) received FDA approval in 2025.

Tesamorelin is prohibited under WADA S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, and related substances) in sport at all times, both in and out of competition.

In the European Union, Tesamorelin is currently not available as an approved medicinal product. It is supplied exclusively as a reference substance for in vitro and analytical laboratory research. It is not a drug, not intended for human consumption, and not intended for diagnostic or therapeutic use.

Within the class of GH-axis peptides (Sermorelin, CJC-1295, Ipamorelin, GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Hexarelin), Tesamorelin is currently the only one with an active FDA approval and a pivotal Phase 3 dataset (over 800 patients in a pooled randomized analysis). That makes it a comparatively well-characterized research tool within the GHRH analog class.