Tesamorelin

Tesamorelin (CAS 901758-09-6; MW 5195.9 g/mol; C223H370N72O69S) is a synthetic 44-amino acid analog of endogenous Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone (GHRH) engineered with a trans-3-hexanoic acid modification at the N-terminus. This structural modification preserves full GHRH receptor binding affinity while dramatically enhancing resistance to dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) enzymatic cleavage, extending the compound's activity window compared to unmodified native GHRH.

Tesamorelin is the only FDA-approved GHRH analog — approved as Egrifta for treatment of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy. This distinction makes it one of the most rigorously characterized peptides available to research researchers, supported by multiple large Phase III clinical trials involving over 800 patients.

Mechanistically, tesamorelin binds and activates the GHRH receptor in the anterior pituitary — a class B GPCR signaling via Gs/adenylate cyclase/cAMP/PKA cascades. Receptor engagement stimulates somatotroph cells to synthesize and release endogenous growth hormone (GH), which drives hepatic production of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1). Clinical data show average IGF-1 elevations of approximately 181 ug/L in men. Unlike exogenous GH administration, tesamorelin preserves natural pituitary feedback loops — maintaining the body's own negative-feedback mechanisms, an important experimental control variable in GH axis research.

Beyond visceral adipose tissue (VAT) reduction, clinical studies have documented reductions in carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and triglycerides. Emerging data indicate potential cognitive benefits — improved executive function and memory in healthy older adults.

The following compounds operate through distinct, non-overlapping mechanisms that complement this product's research pathways. Each is independently available from the General Peptide catalog.