What Is CJC-1295?

Overview

CJC-1295 is a synthetic analog of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), built on the active 1-29 fragment of the native hormone (often called modified GRF 1-29). The form most discussed in the literature carries a Drug Affinity Complex, abbreviated DAC — a maleimido side group that covalently latches onto serum albumin once the peptide enters circulation. That albumin tether is what separates CJC-1295 DAC from short-acting GHRH analogs: instead of being cleared in minutes, the bound peptide remains protected and active for several days. Researchers frequently use it as a tool to study sustained activation of the growth-hormone axis without the rapid breakdown that limits native GHRH.

How CJC-1295 Works

The peptide binds and activates the GHRH receptor on the anterior pituitary, prompting the gland to release its own stored growth hormone. Because it acts upstream — telling the pituitary to secrete rather than supplying GH directly — downstream pulses still follow the body's intrinsic rhythm. The DAC modification is the defining feature: by forming a stable bond with albumin, it dramatically slows renal clearance and enzymatic degradation. Published pharmacokinetic work reports a circulating half-life on the order of roughly 5.8 to 8.1 days, with measurable growth-hormone elevation persisting for at least six days and IGF-1 staying raised for roughly nine to eleven days after a single exposure. This is a fundamentally different molecule from the non-DAC version, which behaves like a conventional short-acting GHRH fragment and is often studied alongside a ghrelin-mimetic GHRP such as ipamorelin to model the combined "GHRH + GHRP" pathway.

What the Research Explores

• Prolonged stimulation of growth-hormone and IGF-1 secretion from a single dose in healthy-adult pharmacokinetic studies.
• Whether pulsatile GH release is preserved even under continuous receptor stimulation.
• Albumin-bioconjugate design and how covalent serum-protein binding extends a peptide's effective lifespan.
• Restoration of normal growth and body composition in GHRH-deficient (knockout) animal models.
• Serum protein-profile shifts that accompany activation of the GH/IGF-1 axis.

Forms & Handling

CJC-1295 DAC is typically supplied as a lyophilized powder, with research vials commonly offered in 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg and 30 mg presentations. It is reconstituted with bacteriostatic or sterile water for laboratory work and kept refrigerated once in solution; the lyophilized powder is stored frozen or cold and protected from light prior to reconstitution. Note that nomenclature for this compound has been inconsistent across the literature — variants such as the free base, acetate and trifluoroacetate salts (with and without DAC) all appear under the same general name — so the exact form matters when comparing sources. See the dosing protocols below for the reconstitution math expressed in insulin-syringe units.

Safety & Research Notes

CJC-1295 is an investigational research compound with no approved human or veterinary use. Regulatory reviews note that the available human evidence supports endocrine biomarker effects — raised growth hormone and IGF-1 — rather than any confirmed clinical benefit, and there is no established safety profile for administration. The extended half-life that makes the DAC form interesting to study also means any biological effect cannot be quickly reversed, which is one reason it remains confined to laboratory and pre-clinical contexts. Everything described here is mechanistic background, not a usage recommendation.

References

Related Protocols