GHRH analog raises a handful of sensible questions. This page answers them in order, starting with the fundamentals and moving to applications.
This page was last updated on 2026-01-06 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
Pharmacokinetic behaviour differs sharply between the two forms. The DAC-bearing peptide shows an extended circulation time measured in days, whereas the version without the complex is cleared within roughly half an hour. This gap shapes how researchers design dosing schedules in animal models. Whether the prolonged presence of the DAC form produces effects meaningfully different from the short-acting variant remains an open question, since comparative human data are scarce.
CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide designed to mimic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), the endogenous signal that prompts the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. The compound is a modified fragment of the natural hormone, spanning the first twenty-nine amino acids of GHRH with several substitutions that slow enzymatic breakdown. Two variants circulate in research settings: one carrying a drug affinity complex (DAC) and one without it. The DAC-free form is frequently labelled Mod GRF(1-29) in catalogs and discussion forums.
The peptide binds GHRH receptors on somatotroph cells within the anterior pituitary, triggering a signalling cascade that increases growth hormone secretion. Its improved resistance to dipeptidyl peptidase IV degradation distinguishes it from the parent hormone. In the DAC-bearing version, a maleimide group reacts with a cysteine residue on serum albumin, forming a covalent bond that keeps the peptide in circulation far longer. That albumin attachment is the central design feature separating the two research variants.
The peptide backbone includes a D-alanine at position two, which resists cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV, and several other substitutions that reduce degradation. Its molecular weight is roughly 3.4 kDa without the linker and about 3.6 kDa with it. The molecule is water soluble and is normally supplied as a lyophilized powder. Precise sequence and mass values depend on which variant is described, so technical documents usually state the exact form being referenced.
CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide designed as a long-acting analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). Its structure derives from the first 29 amino acids of native GHRH, a fragment often called GRF(1-29). Four substitutions were introduced to slow enzymatic breakdown and extend activity relative to the natural sequence. The compound was developed by ConjuChem as part of a broader effort to improve the pharmacokinetic profile of peptide hormones. It is studied in laboratory and clinical research settings rather than appearing as a naturally occurring substance.
Two related forms circulate in technical discussion under the same family name. The original version carries a drug affinity complex (DAC) that binds covalently to serum albumin after administration, and this linkage substantially extends circulation time. A second form, frequently written as modified GRF(1-29) or CJC-1295 without DAC, lacks that linker and clears much faster. The naming is a frequent source of confusion because the shorthand CJC-1295 can refer to either form depending on the source. Reports sometimes fail to specify which variant was studied.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular weight (with DAC) | ~3647 Da | Calculated from the full amino acid sequence |
| Molecular weight (without DAC) | ~3368 Da | Mod GRF(1-29) variant |
| Appearance | White lyophilized powder | Typical form supplied for research |
| Solubility | Soluble in water | Dissolves in aqueous buffers |
| Receptor target | GHRH receptor | Expressed on pituitary somatotroph cells |
Naming in this area is inconsistent, and readers should treat product labels with care. In much of the literature and in vendor catalogs, the unqualified term refers to the albumin-binding version, while the version lacking the DAC group appears as modified GRF(1-29), mod GRF(1-29), or the same name with a without-DAC qualifier. Because one abbreviation has been applied to both materials, the only reliable way to identify a sample is to check the stated sequence and the presence of the linker.
CJC-1295 is the name used for a synthetic peptide modeled on growth hormone-releasing hormone, the hypothalamic signal that prompts the pituitary to release growth hormone. The compound was described by a Canadian drug discovery company in the mid-2000s as a long-acting research tool. Two closely related molecules share the name in practice: one carries a drug affinity complex, or DAC, group, and one does not. The distinction matters because the two behave differently in circulation.
The peptide backbone corresponds to GRF(1-29), the first 29 residues of native growth hormone-releasing hormone, which retains most of the receptor-activating activity of the full-length molecule. Four substitutions distinguish the analog from the natural sequence: D-alanine at position 2, glutamine at position 8, alanine at position 15, and leucine at position 27. These changes slow cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV, the enzyme that degrades native hormone in plasma within minutes. The outcome is improved enzymatic stability combined with a still brief residence time when no additional modification is present.
At the pituitary, the peptide binds the growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor on somatotroph cells. Receptor activation raises intracellular cyclic AMP and triggers release of stored growth hormone. Somatostatin and other hypothalamic signals modulate this response. Negative feedback from insulin-like growth factor 1 also influences output. The same regulatory architecture operates with the native hormone. Whether the synthetic analog alters feedback dynamics over repeated exposure remains an open question. Most published receptor work uses cell models rather than intact human systems.
CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide belonging to the growth hormone-releasing hormone analog family. It comprises twenty-nine amino acid residues derived from the N-terminal region of natural GHRH. The molecule incorporates several non-natural substitutions that increase resistance to enzymatic degradation. These modifications extend its activity compared with the native hormone fragment. Researchers use it to study pituitary growth hormone secretion in laboratory and clinical settings. This compound is distinct from native GHRH in its stability profile.
Two principal forms appear in the literature and in research supply. One carries a drug affinity complex, a maleimide-based group that forms a covalent bond with circulating albumin. This linkage slows clearance and produces a long-lasting elevation of peptide levels. The other form lacks that group and is often labeled MOD GRF(1-29). It has a much shorter circulation time. Both variants retain the same core receptor-binding sequence. Reported half-lives differ substantially between the two.
The core sequence keeps the receptor-binding region of GHRH while replacing four positions that are vulnerable to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 and other proteases. Substitutions at positions 2, 8, 15, and 27 raise metabolic stability relative to the natural hormone. The N-terminal residues remain essential for activity, so changes there generally lower potency. Molecular weight sits near 3368 daltons for the tetrasubstituted analog without the linker, while the albumin-binding form is heavier because of the added maleimide group.
CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide modeled on growth hormone-releasing hormone, the hypothalamic signal that prompts the pituitary to release growth hormone. Its sequence corresponds to the first twenty-nine residues of human GHRH, with four substitutions that slow enzymatic breakdown. Early descriptions placed the compound in research on growth hormone deficiency and related conditions, and later literature groups it with the long-acting GHRH analogs. The name appears in both laboratory and popular fitness writing, where it sometimes labels chemically different peptides.
Two related peptides circulate under the CJC-1295 label, and they differ mainly in how long they persist in circulation. The version carrying a drug affinity complex includes a maleimidopropionic acid linker that forms a covalent bond with serum albumin. The other version, usually written as modified GRF(1-29) or tetrasubstituted GRF(1-29), lacks that linker and is cleared quickly. Mixing the two produces inconsistent readings of published half-life values, because the linker rather than the receptor-facing sequence drives most of the difference.
Two related forms appear under the CJC-1295 name. The simpler analogue, commonly written as modified GRF(1-29), carries the four substitutions but no additional conjugation. The second form attaches a maleimidopropionic acid linker to a lysine residue, a modification frequently called the drug affinity complex. That linker reacts with the free thiol on serum albumin to form a covalent bond. Because albumin has a long residence time in blood, the conjugated peptide stays in circulation far longer than the unconjugated analogue.
Receptor level activity follows the canonical GHRH pathway. The peptide binds the GHRH receptor, a class B G protein coupled receptor on somatotroph cells of the anterior pituitary. Binding raises intracellular cyclic AMP, which promotes calcium entry and the release of growth hormone into the bloodstream. Because the molecule acts at the same receptor as the endogenous hormone, its effect is superimposed on the natural pulsatile rhythm rather than replacing it. Whether sustained receptor occupation leads to desensitization is not fully settled.
CJC-1295 belongs to a class of synthetic peptides modeled on growth hormone releasing hormone, a forty-four amino acid signal produced by the hypothalamus. The compound is built from the first twenty-nine residues of the natural sequence, with four substitutions introduced at positions 2, 8, 15 and 27. These changes were designed to slow enzymatic breakdown while preserving receptor activation. The result is a peptide that is shorter than native GHRH and considerably more resistant to ordinary clearance pathways in circulation.
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Chronic inflammation associated with aging has been termed inflammaging, although SASP may be only one of the possible causes of this condition. Chronic systemic inflammation is associated with aging-associated diseases. Senolytic agents have been recommended to counteract some of these effects. Chronic inflammation due to SASP can suppress immune system function, which is one reason elderly persons are more vulnerable to COVID-19.
== Sources == Broodbank, Cyprian (2013). The Making of the Middle Sea: A History of the Mediterranean from the Beginning to the Emergence of the Classical World. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 978-0-500-29208-2. Brown, K.; Fa, D. A.; Finlayson, G.; Finlayson, C. (2011). "Small game and marine resource exploitation by Neanderthals: the evidence from Gibraltar". Trekking the shore: changing coastlines and the antiquity of coastal settlement. Interdisciplinary contributions to archaeology. Springer. ISBN 978-1-4419-8218-6. Finlayson, C. (2019). The smart Neanderthal: bird catching, cave art, and the cognitive revolution. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-251812-5. French, Jennifer (2021). Palaeolithic Europe: A Demographic and Social Prehistory. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-49206-5. Papagianni, D.; Morse, M. A. (2013). "Still with us?". Neanderthals rediscovered: how modern science is rewriting their story. Thames and Hudson. ISBN 978-0-500-77311-6. Reich, D. (2018). "Encounters with Neanderthals". Who we are and how we got here: ancient DNA and the new science of the human past. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-882125-0. Shipman, P. (2015). "How humans and their dogs drove Neanderthals to extinction". The invaders: how humans and their dogs drove Neanderthals to extinction. Harvard University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctvjf9zbs. ISBN 978-0-674-42538-5. JSTOR j.ctvjf9zbs. Tattersall, I. (2015). "Neanderthals, DNA, and creativity". The strange case of the Rickety Cossack: and other cautionary tales from human evolution. St. Martin's Publishing Group.
=== Peanut butter allergy === In 2016, a lawsuit was filed after an employee at a Natick, Massachusetts, store put peanut butter on a sandwich, despite being informed that the person receiving the sandwich had a peanut allergy. The plaintiffs charged the company and those employees involved with intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligent infliction of emotional distress, as well as assault and battery. The recipient of the sandwich was hospitalized briefly.
== Toxicokinetics == The kinetics of labeled derivatives of apamin were studied in vitro and in vivo in mice by Cheng-Raude et al. This shed some light on the kinetics of apamin itself. The key organ for excretion is likely to be the kidney, since enrichment of the labeled derivatives was found there. The peptide apamin is small enough to pass the glomerular barrier, facilitating renal excretion. The central nervous system, contrarily, was found to contain only very small amounts of apamin. This is unexpected, as this is the target organ for neurotoxicity caused by apamin. This low concentration thus appeared to be sufficient to cause the toxic effects. However, these results disagree with a study of Vincent et al. After injection of a supralethal dose of radioactive acetylated apamin in mice, enrichment was found in the spinal cord, which is part of the target organ. Some other organs, including kidney and brain, contained only small amounts of the apamin derivative.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Preparation of acyl cyanides === Acyl cyanides (α-oxonitriles) can in certain cases be prepared by reacting carboxylic acid halides with transition metal cyanides (e.g., copper cyanide or silver cyanide). This approach is particularly effective for aromatic carboxylic acid halides and aliphatic acyl bromides, whereas aliphatic acyl chlorides are unreactive. Aliphatic acyl cyanides can instead be synthesized by reacting carboxylic acid chlorides with trimethylsilyl cyanide.
== Factors affecting topical drug absorption == Topical drug absorption depends on two major factors – biological and physicochemical properties. The first factor concerns body structure effects on the drugs. The degradation of drugs can be affected by the site of applications. Some studies discovered different percutaneous absorption patterns. Apart from the place, age also affects the absorption as the skin structure changes with age. The lowered collagen and broadened blood capillary networks happen with aging. These features alter the effectiveness of absorption of both hydrophilic and lipophilic substances into stratum corneum underneath the surface of the skin. The skin surface integrity can also affect the permeability of drugs such as the density of hair follicles, sweat glands or disintegrated by inflammation or dehydration. The other factor concerns metabolism of medications on skin. When the percutaneous drug is applied on skin, it will be gradually absorbed down the skin. Normally, when the drugs are absorbed, they will be metabolised by various enzymes in our body and the amount will be lower. The exact amount delivered to the target action site determines the potency and bioavailability of the drugs. If the concentration is too low, the therapeutic effect is impeded; if the concentration is too high, drug toxicity may happen to cause side effects or even do harm to our body. For the topical drug delivery way, degradation of drugs in skin is very low compared to liver.
=== Forensics === BRT's Forensics division offers services in serology screening, DNA profiling, and case review. These services are contracted by government agencies, defense counsel, and private citizens or organizations for several applications. Government agencies contract BRT’s Forensic division for criminal and “no-suspect” casework. The Laboratory offers STR analysis and Y-STR analysis with each of the commercial kits commonly used in the US. The Forensic division is accredited by ASCLD/Lab – International and meets the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025. BRT has also received accreditation from the Texas Department of Public Safety and has been approved by the Maryland State Police Forensic Science Division for analysis of casework that can be uploaded to CODIS. The Laboratory adheres to current Scientific Working Group on DNA Analysis Methods (SWGDAM) and FBI DNA Advisory Board (DAB) guidelines. Defense counsel contract BRT Laboratories to perform case reviews, which may include assistance with the interpretation of subpoena documents, sample retesting, and/or expert witness testimony. The Forensic division also provides serology and DNA profiling services to private citizens for infidelity testing and to private organizations or medical professionals for sample identity verification.
== Awards and honors == National Outstanding Researcher Award (2019) First Prize in Applied Research Projects, 33rd Khwarizmi International Award (2019) Iran Book of the Year Award (2020), for "Peptide Chemistry in Persian" Distinguished University Professor in Iran, Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (2021) Distinguished Organic Chemistry Professor in Iran, by Iranian Chemical Society (2013) Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Fellowship: Awarded multiple research stays (2002, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2017) Scientific Ambassador of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Iran (2015–2020) Outstanding Researcher Award, K.N. Toosi University of Technology (multiple years)
In a survey of US laypersons in December 2021, most people believed the scientifically supported idea that trained bystanders can reverse overdoses with naloxone. A survey of US naloxone prescription programs in 2010 revealed that 21 out of 48 programs reported challenges in obtaining naloxone in the months leading up to the survey, due mainly to either cost increases that outstripped allocated funding or the suppliers' inability to fill orders. The approximate cost of a 1 ml ampoule of naloxone in the US is estimated to be significantly higher than in most other countries. Take-home naloxone programs for people who use opioids are underway in many North American cities. CDC estimates that the US programs for drug users and their caregivers prescribing take-home doses of naloxone and training on its use prevented 10,000 opioid overdose deaths by 2014. In Australia, some forms of naloxone are available "over the counter" in pharmacies free without a prescription under the Take Home Naloxone programme. It comes in single-use filled syringe form similar to law enforcement kits as well as nasal sprays. In 2024, those with a prescription can purchase five doses for around AU$32 or just over AU$6 per dose. In Alberta, in addition to pharmacy distribution, take-home naloxone kits are available and distributed in most drug treatment or rehabilitation centers. In the European Union, take home naloxone pilots were launched in the Channel Islands and in Berlin in the late 1990s.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
The synthetic peptide keeps the receptor-binding region of GHRH but carries substitutions that resist enzymatic cleavage. In the DAC version, an added group also anchors the molecule to albumin, extending its presence in the bloodstream.
The maleimide group forms a covalent link with albumin, an abundant blood protein. This attachment slows clearance, so a single administration persists much longer than the unmodified peptide. The feature is the main reason the two variants are handled differently in study design.
It is not an approved therapeutic product in major regulatory jurisdictions. It appears in research chemical catalogs and scientific literature rather than pharmacy shelves. Clinical development was limited and did not reach approval.
No. It is a synthetic analogue modeled on the first 29 residues of human GHRH. The substitutions and any linker are laboratory modifications rather than features of the endogenous peptide.