Human studiesModified growth hormone fragment

AOD9604

Tyr-hGH (177–191)

Common dose: 300 mcg daily
Cycle: 12 weeks on, 4 off
Vial sizes: 5, 10 mg
Typical draw: 12 units5 mg with 2 mL, 300 mcg

A 16-amino-acid fragment from the end of human growth hormone, designed to mimic GH’s effect on fat metabolism without raising IGF-1.

Evidence. In a 24-week trial of 502 adults with obesity, oral AOD-9604 didn’t beat placebo for weight loss, and its developer stopped work on it for obesity in 2007. Six trials (893 people) found it well tolerated. The subcutaneous route used today was never trialed.

Status

Approval: Not approved as a drug in the US or EU.
US compounding: Nomination withdrawn, so no longer in FDA Category 2 (April 2026). In December 2024 FDA’s advisory committee voted 0 to 12 against adding it to the 503A bulks list. Not on the July 2026 agenda.
Sport (WADA 2026): Banned in sportS2.2.3 peptide hormones: named as a growth hormone fragment (AOD-9604), banned at all times, in and out of competition.

Category 2 is FDA’s list of bulk substances that may present significant safety risks in compounding. The 503A bulks list adds substances that pharmacies may compound with. Advisory committee votes are advice; FDA makes the final decision. Sport status follows the WADA Prohibited List in force since January 1, 2026; athletes should confirm with their anti-doping organization. Checked October 5, 2026.

Protocol

Community

250–500 mcg once daily, most often 300 mcg.

Frequency: Once daily
Route: Subcutaneous injection
Timing: Morning, before food.
Cycle: 8–16 weeks on (often 12), then 4–8 weeks off.
12 weeks on, 4 off, shown over 26 weeks

Common protocols

The ways AOD9604 is most often run, each tagged with where it comes from.

Standard

Community

Dose: 300 mcg
How often: Once daily, morning before food
How long: 12 weeks, then 4–8 weeks off

The most common amount in guides. Never tested by injection in a trial.

Draw 12 units5 mg + 2 mL

Range

Community

Dose: 250–500 mcg
How often: Once daily
How long: 8–16 weeks on

The full range in guides. No evidence that more works better.

Draw 10–20 units5 mg + 2 mL

Oral trials

Trial

Dose: 0.25–30 mg by mouth
How often: Once daily
How long: 12–24 weeks

The largest human studies (about 800 people). Well tolerated, but no meaningful weight loss.

Dosing by body weight

Trial

25–400 mcg/kg. Single 20-minute IV infusions in two early studies: up to 400 mcg/kg in healthy men, 25–100 mcg/kg in obese men. Not daily and not under the skin.

Body weight

At 70 kg, per dose1.75 mg–28 mg70 units at 5 mg + 2 mL (the top of the range is more than one vial)

Taking it

Where it goes

Under the skin, usually into belly fat, rotating sites. Human trials gave it by IV or by mouth, never under the skin.

If you miss a dose

No published guidance; most guides say to just take the next dose on schedule.

What to expect

Any time
No growth-hormone-like effects expected. Trials saw no change in IGF-1 and no harm to blood sugar control.
Trial
12–24 weeks
Oral trials of this length in about 800 obese adults found side effects no different from placebo and no antibodies.
Trial
8–16 weeks
Guides run it for fat loss, but human trials did not show that benefit.
Community

Side effects and what to do

Headache (most common event in trials)

Rates were similar to placebo.

Stomach upset (only at a 54 mg oral dose in trials)

Seen only at a very high oral dose.

Injection-site redness or itching

Rotate sites. See a doctor if a spot gets hot, swollen or painful.

Stop and get medical help

Hives, face or throat swelling or trouble breathing, or an injection site that is hot, spreading and painful. Get medical help.

Human studies

2 key published human studies, with how many people took part. Animal studies aren’t listed here.

2007502 people

Weight loss did not differ significantly from placebo at 12 or 24 weeks; the developer ended work on it for obesity.

Design
Randomized controlled trial
Dose
Oral 0.25, 0.5 or 1 mg daily
Length
24 weeks

Metabolic Pharmaceuticals OPTIONS study (unpublished), as summarized in the FDA advisory committee briefing, December 2024
2013893 people

Side effects were similar to placebo, with no change in IGF-1 or glucose tolerance and no antibodies; weight results were not reported.

Design
Six randomized placebo-controlled trials (pooled safety report)
Dose
IV single doses 25 to 400 mcg/kg; oral 0.25 to 54 mg daily
Length
Single dose up to 24 weeks

Stier et al., J Endocrinol Metab 2013, doi:10.4021/jem157w

Mixing your vial

Vial	Water	Common dose	Draw	Strength	Action
5 mg	2 mL	300 mcg	12 units (0.12 mL)	2.5 mg/mL
10 mg	3 mL	300 mcg	9 units (0.09 mL)	3.333 mg/mL

Dose chart

Syringe units for common doses at different water volumes. Select a cell to open it in the calculator.

Dose	Water added
Dose	1 mL	2 mL	3 mL
250 mcg
300 mcg
400 mcg
500 mcg

U-100 insulin syringe: 100 units is 1 mL. Draws over 100 units show in mL. Faded values are under 2 units, which is hard to measure. Check that your vial holds the larger volumes.

Datasheet

Half-life: No reliable value has been published.
Type: Peptide, 16 amino acids
Molecular weight: 1,815.1 g/mol
Formula: C₇₈H₁₂₃N₂₃O₂₃S₂
Sequence: YLRIVQCRSVEGSCGFTyr plus hGH 177-191; one disulfide bond
Storage before use: Freezer for long-term storage; keep the vial sealed, dry and out of light.
After mixing or opening: Fridge (2–8 °C) after mixing; use within about 4 weeks.

Molecule: PubChem CID 71300630; sequence also in Stier et al. 2013
Storage: Community Common community practice; no label or manufacturer storage data exist for this compound.

Cautions

Fat-loss benefit was not shown in human trials.
No trial data exist for subcutaneous dosing.
Prohibited in sport (WADA).

Questions

What is AOD9604?

A 16-amino-acid fragment from the end of human growth hormone, designed to mimic GH’s effect on fat metabolism without raising IGF-1.

Is AOD9604 FDA-approved?

Not approved as a drug in the US or EU. Nomination withdrawn, so no longer in FDA Category 2 (April 2026). In December 2024 FDA’s advisory committee voted 0 to 12 against adding it to the 503A bulks list. Not on the July 2026 agenda.

What is the usual AOD9604 dose?

From community reports, not established: 250–500 mcg once daily, most often 300 mcg. These are the amounts sources reference, not recommendations.

How much water do I mix AOD9604 with?

There’s no single right amount, because the water only sets the strength. With 2 mL of bacteriostatic water in a 5 mg vial, the strength is 2.5 mg/mL, so 300 mcg is 12 units on a U-100 insulin syringe. More water makes small doses easier to measure. The dose chart above shows other volumes.

How should AOD9604 be stored?

Before mixing: Freezer for long-term storage; keep the vial sealed, dry and out of light. Fridge (2–8 °C) after mixing; use within about 4 weeks. This is common practice; no product label covers it.

Is AOD9604 banned in sport?

Yes. S2.2.3 peptide hormones: named as a growth hormone fragment (AOD-9604), banned at all times, in and out of competition.

Has AOD9604 been studied in people?

Yes. The human studies section lists 2 published studies. The largest, from 2013, included 893 people. Side effects were similar to placebo, with no change in IGF-1 or glucose tolerance and no antibodies; weight results were not reported.

Sources

Stier et al., safety and tolerability of AOD9604 in humans (J Endocrinol Metab 2013) doi:10.4021/jem157w
FDA advisory committee briefing: AOD-9604 (December 2024)

Doses tagged Community come from public dosing guides and user reports, checked against at least two of them. Those sites aren’t named here because many of them sell peptides or earn commissions on them.

By Vial Guide editorsLast reviewed October 5, 2026

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