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Modified growth hormone fragment

AOD-9604

AOD-9604 is a modified growth hormone fragment developed as an oral obesity drug that failed to show a significant weight-loss benefit in a 24-week trial.

Medical review in progressLast reviewed

US regulatory status

Not approved for human use in the US

AOD-9604 is not approved by the FDA for any use. The FDA previously placed it in Category 2 because of possible immune reactions and serious adverse events of unclear cause; the nomination was later withdrawn, and it is not on any list that allows pharmacy compounding (checked October 16, 2026). WADA bans it in sport at all times.

As of

Sources123

On this page
  1. US regulatory status
  2. At a glance
  3. What the research shows
  4. Side effects and safety
  5. Vial math
  6. Questions people ask
  7. Sources
  8. Related compounds

At a glance

Also known as
hGH 176-191, HGH fragment 176-191, Anti-Obesity Drug 9604
Supplied as
Freeze-dried powder, mixed before use
Research
Limited human evidence
US status
US status: Not approvedchecked

What the research shows

Evidence grade

Limited human evidence

Some studies in people, but they are small, short, early-phase or uncontrolled.

In obese mice treated for 14 days, AOD-9604 reduced body weight gain and body fat, as full growth hormone did. Unlike growth hormone, it did not raise blood sugar or reduce insulin secretion, did not compete for the growth hormone receptor and did not make cells multiply. In people, it was developed as an oral anti-obesity drug: in a 24-week trial (534 people, 502 randomized) it failed to show a significant benefit on the main weight-loss measure. A 2026 review notes that these conclusions rest mainly on sponsor-reported phase 2 results rather than peer-reviewed trials, and rates AOD-9604 as having only limited or indirect human data. Claims about joints, cartilage or tissue repair come mainly from animal work, such as a rabbit osteoarthritis model, with no convincing human trials.

Sources45678

How we grade evidence

  1. Strong human evidence

    Consistent results from large randomized controlled trials in people.

  2. Limited human evidence · this page

    Some studies in people, but they are small, short, early-phase or uncontrolled.

  3. Mixed evidence

    Studies in people disagree, or strong evidence for one use sits beside weak evidence for another.

  4. Animal or lab studies only

    Studied in cells or animals, not properly in people. Animal results may not apply to humans.

The grade describes how much research exists and in whom. It is not a judgment that a compound works or is safe.

Side effects and safety

Published human safety data are limited. A safety paper written by the developer, summarized in a 2026 review, reported that AOD-9604 was generally well tolerated, with mild, passing headache, tiredness and injection reactions, and no significant change in glucose tolerance or IGF-1. The FDA says it has no, or only limited, safety information, has identified serious adverse events that may be associated with AOD-9604 (causality is not clear), and says compounded AOD-9604 may pose a significant risk of immune reactions for certain routes, with added concerns about peptide impurities. Products from unregulated supply chains carry uncertainty about what they contain and how strong they are.

Sources17

Vial math

Pre-filled calculators turn your vial, water and prescribed dose into syringe units.

Pre-filled for your vial size

These pages do the arithmetic for a vial you already have. They don’t suggest a dose.

This is arithmetic, not medical advice. Confirm with your prescriber or pharmacist.

Questions people ask

What is AOD-9604?

AOD-9604 is a lab-made copy of the tail end of human growth hormone: amino acids 177 to 191, plus one added tyrosine at the front. That is why it is also sold as “hGH 176-191” or simply “GH fragment.” It was developed as an anti-obesity drug meant to keep growth hormone’s fat-burning signal without its growth effects.

Source

Does AOD-9604 work for weight loss?

It has not shown a significant weight-loss benefit in people. As an oral obesity drug, it failed to show a significant weight-loss benefit over 24 weeks in a trial of 534 people, according to results reported by the developer rather than a peer-reviewed paper. The positive findings come from obese mice. Claimed benefits for joints and cartilage rest mainly on animal studies.

Sources

Is AOD-9604 FDA-approved?

No. AOD-9604 is not approved for any use in the US. The FDA once listed it among compounding substances that may present significant safety risks; the nomination was withdrawn, and AOD-9604 is not on any list that allows pharmacies to compound it.

Sources

Is AOD-9604 the same as HGH?

No. It is a 16-amino-acid piece of growth hormone, not the whole hormone. In mouse studies it did not compete for the growth hormone receptor, did not make cells multiply and did not raise blood sugar, unlike full growth hormone. In sport it is still classed with growth hormone: WADA’s 2026 Prohibited List bans growth hormone fragments at all times and names AOD-9604 and hGH 176-191 as examples.

Sources

What are the side effects of AOD-9604?

Human data are limited. A developer-written safety paper reported mild, passing headache, tiredness and injection reactions. The FDA has identified serious adverse events that may be associated with AOD-9604, though the cause is unclear, and says it may cause immune reactions when given by certain routes.

Sources

Is there an oral AOD-9604?

AOD-9604 was developed and tested as an oral drug, and that 24-week oral trial is the one that failed to show a significant weight-loss benefit. No AOD-9604 product, whether a tablet, spray or injection, is FDA-approved, and products from unregulated supply chains carry uncertainty about what they contain and how strong they are.

Sources

Sources

  1. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety RisksU.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026 · Accessed Oct 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  2. Bulk Drug Substances Nominated for Use in Compounding Under Section 503A of the FD&C Act (updated May 14, 2026)U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026 · Accessed Oct 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  3. World Anti-Doping Code International Standard: Prohibited List 2026World Anti-Doping Agency, 2025 · Accessed Oct 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  4. Increase of fat oxidation and weight loss in obese mice caused by chronic treatment with human growth hormone or a modified C-terminal fragmentInt J Obes Relat Metab Disord, 2001 · Accessed Oct 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  5. The effects of human GH and its lipolytic fragment (AOD9604) on lipid metabolism following chronic treatment in obese mice and beta(3)-AR knock-out miceEndocrinology, 2001 · Accessed Oct 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  6. Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormoneHorm Res, 2000 · Accessed Oct 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  7. The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis: bridging the gap between clinical evidence and patient self-administrationFront Endocrinol (Lausanne), 2026 · Accessed Oct 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
  8. Safety and Efficacy of Approved and Unapproved Peptide Therapies for Musculoskeletal Injuries and Athletic PerformanceSports Med, 2026 · Accessed Oct 16, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

Related compounds

Guides

Medical review in progressLast reviewed

Every medical and regulatory statement on this page links to a checkable source, listed above. Peptinote does arithmetic and education, not medical advice, and never sells or links to sellers of peptides.

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