CJC-1295 (with DAC)
A long-acting GHRH analogue bearing an albumin-binding linker, extending half-life from minutes to days. Reached early human trials; development discontinued. Prohibited in sport.
| Total citations | 4 |
|---|---|
| Human clinical studies | 2 |
| Animal models | 1 |
| In vitro studies | 1 |
| Reviews / meta-analyses | 0 |
Mechanism of action
CJC-1295 is a tetra-substituted analogue of human GHRH(1-29) carrying a maleimidopropionyl group at Lys30. That group forms a covalent bond with circulating albumin, extending the estimated half-life to 5.8–8.1 days in humans against minutes for native GHRH.
It acts as a GHRH-receptor agonist on pituitary somatotrophs, stimulating GH synthesis and release. Notably, Ionescu and Frohman showed that despite effectively continuous receptor stimulation, GH secretion remains pulsatile — the drug amplifies pulse amplitude rather than abolishing pulsatility.
Peer-reviewed literature
Study type is tagged on every entry so animal and in-vitro findings are never mistaken for human clinical evidence.
Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults
Randomised placebo-controlled trials in healthy adults showing sustained elevation of GH and IGF-1 after single doses.
Pulsatile secretion of growth hormone (GH) persists during continuous stimulation by CJC-1295, a long-acting GH-releasing hormone analog
Demonstrated that GH pulsatility is preserved under continuous GHRH-receptor stimulation, with increased pulse amplitude.
Once-daily administration of CJC-1295, a long-acting growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog, normalizes growth in the GHRH knockout mouse
Restored normal growth in GHRH knockout mice, supporting receptor-mediated activity in vivo.
A method for confirming CJC-1295 abuse in equine plasma samples by LC-MS/MS
Analytical method development for doping control, reflecting the compound’s prohibited status in sport.
Limitations & open questions
Material marketed as "CJC-1295 no-DAC" or "mod GRF 1-29" is a different compound without the albumin-binding linker, and does not share the extended half-life described here. The literature below concerns the DAC-bearing molecule (CAS 446262-90-4).