▶ CJC-1295 · SUBTOPIC · MECHANISM
CJC-1295 Mechanism
For Laboratory Research Use Only. The mechanistic information below is descriptive of published research. No human dose is recommended. No clinical claim is made.
MECHANISM OF ACTION
Synthetic 30-amino-acid GHRH(1-29) analog with stabilizing substitutions resisting DPP-IV cleavage. Two variants: with DAC (albumin-binding MPA linker, ~1-week half-life) and No DAC (Mod GRF 1-29, ~30 min half-life). Standard No-DAC stack partner for Ipamorelin.
PHARMACOKINETIC HALF-LIFE
Reported half-life for CJC-1295: ~30 minutes (No DAC) · ~1 week (with DAC). Half-life determines the kinetic window across which receptor occupancy is maintained and frames the dosing rhythm used in published literature.
PRIMARY SEQUENCE
CJC-1295 is a defined sequence: Tyr-D-Ala-Asp-Ala-Ile-Phe-Thr-Gln-Ser-Tyr-Arg-Lys-Val-Leu-Ala-Gln-Leu-Ser-Ala-Arg-Lys-Leu-Leu-Gln-Asp-Ile-Met-Ser-Arg (No DAC). Synthesis proceeds via solid-phase peptide synthesis with HPLC-verified identity confirmation.
MECHANISM CATEGORIES
CJC-1295 is tagged in 1 mechanism category on PEPPUDEX. Each category aggregates the broader pharmacology of related compounds.
The growth hormone axis is regulated by two complementary upstream signals: GHRH (stimulatory, from the hypothalamus, acting on the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs) and ghrelin (stimulatory, from the stomach, acting on the GHS-R1a). Research peptides target both arms: GH-axis reference and CJC-1295 (GHRH analogs); ipamorelin, GHRP-6, and hexarelin (ghrelin-receptor agonists).
MECHANISTIC OUTCOMES IN LITERATURE
The following outcomes are the mechanistic endpoints reported in the peer-reviewed literature, with PEPPUDEX evidence grades. Grades reflect study quality and replication, not clinical recommendation.
Teichman et al. 2006 (PMID 16352683) reported sustained IGF-1 elevation for up to 9 days post single-dose.
Animal-model dual-pathway studies; community-reported research protocols.
No published RCT for either variant in body-composition endpoints. ConjuChem with-DAC clinical program halted.
MECHANISM Q+A
▶ What is CJC-1295?
CJC-1295 is a synthetic 30-amino-acid analog of growth-hormone-releasing hormone GHRH(1-29) developed by ConjuChem in the 2000s as a long-acting research compound. Two pharmacokinetic variants exist: with DAC (covalent albumin-binding linker, ~1-week half-life) and No DAC (Mod GRF 1-29, ~30-minute half-life).
▶ CJC-1295 vs sermorelin · what's the difference?
Sermorelin is the unmodified native GHRH(1-29) with rapid DPP-IV cleavage. CJC-1295 retains four stabilizing amino-acid substitutions (Ala2→D-Ala, Arg15→Gln, Leu27→Ala, Asp28→Ser) that resist DPP-IV. The No-DAC variant has the same half-life as sermorelin (~30 min) but resists cleavage. The with-DAC variant adds a maleimidopropionic-acid linker for ~1-week half-life.
▶ What is the difference between CJC-1295 with DAC and No DAC?
The DAC (Drug Affinity Complex) variant carries a maleimidopropionic-acid linker that covalently binds plasma albumin in vivo, extending half-life to roughly one week. The No-DAC variant lacks the linker and has the same ~30-min half-life as native GHRH. Most current research uses No DAC; the with-DAC ConjuChem clinical program was halted.
▶ Why is CJC-1295 paired with ipamorelin?
CJC-1295 engages the GHRH receptor; ipamorelin engages the ghrelin / GHS-R1a receptor. The two pathways are independent and complementary; combined activation amplifies the GH pulse synergistically.
CITED LITERATURE
- Teichman SL, Neale A, Lawrence B, et al.. Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone and IGF-I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006. PMID 16352683. link
- Sinha DK, Balasubramanian A, Tatem AJ, et al.. Beyond the androgen receptor: the role of growth hormone secretagogues in the modern management of body composition in hypogonadal males. Transl Androl Urol 2020. PMID 32257854. link
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▶ LAST UPDATED · 2026-05-25