CJC-1295 and ipamorelin: what they are and what they are for

What CJC-1295 is, with and without DAC

The name CJC-1295 is used for two different molecules, and that is the most common confusion:

• CJC-1295 with DAC: the original compound described by ConjuChem in 2005. It is a GRF(1-29) with four substitutions and an extra lysine carrying a reactive group (DAC, "drug affinity complex") that binds albumin so it lasts longer in the body.
• CJC-1295 without DAC, also called modified GRF 1-29 (Mod GRF 1-29): the same 29 amino acids with the four substitutions, but without the extra lysine or the DAC group.

Human studies published under the name CJC-1295 are of the DAC compound; a 2026 review found no controlled human studies of CJC-1295 without DAC.

What ipamorelin is

Ipamorelin (Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) is a synthetic pentapeptide described by Novo Nordisk in 1998 as the first "selective" growth hormone secretagogue: in its swine studies it did not raise ACTH or cortisol beyond what GHRH did. It acts at the GHS-R1a receptor, whose natural ligand is ghrelin. A 1999 study in healthy volunteers modelled its pharmacokinetics.

Why they are combined

Because they act at different receptors on the same axis: CJC-1295 at the GHRH receptor and ipamorelin at the ghrelin receptor. Our CJC-1295 without DAC + ipamorelin holds 5 mg of each in one vial; ipamorelin is also sold on its own.

There is no published study of the two together, in animals or people, and whether one affects the other’s stability in the vial is unknown.

What FDA says

Neither is the active ingredient of an approved medicine. FDA placed ipamorelin acetate in category 2 of its policy for outsourcing facilities (substances that may present significant safety risks) on September 29, 2023, citing immunogenicity and the difficulty of characterizing a peptide with unnatural amino acids. For CJC-1295, the agency mentioned reported serious adverse events, including increased heart rate and a systemic vasodilatory reaction.

GRF analogs and growth hormone-releasing peptides, CJC-1295 and ipamorelin included, are banned in sport.

What to check on the COA

• That it identifies both molecules by mass spectrometry, and says whether the CJC-1295 is with or without DAC.
• Ipamorelin: it has two D-amino acids; a variant with an L-amino acid has the same mass, so an HPLC able to separate them helps.
• Glycine-extended variants: elongated versions of both peptides have been found in seized material; a good COA looks for them.
• Net content of each peptide, not just the total powder weight.

More in how to read a COA.