Metabolic & weight

AOD-9604

Also called AOD9604, Tyr-hGH 177-191, anti-obesity drug 9604, hGH fragment 176-191 (related)

AOD-9604 is a small piece of human growth hormone that was developed in Australia as a fat-loss drug. Large human trials in the 2000s did not show enough weight loss, and development for obesity stopped. It is not approved anywhere as a medicine but is still sold online.

Early human dataSome small human studies exist; evidence is limited.

All printable flashcards

Drawn from its published sequence: 16 residues, one bead each. Dashed arcs are ring bonds.

Overview

How it works

Proposed: the fragment was designed to keep growth hormone's fat-breakdown (lipolytic) effect without its effects on growth or blood sugar. In human studies it did not raise IGF-1 or worsen glucose tolerance, supporting the idea that it does not act like full growth hormone. Its weight-loss effect in humans was not convincingly shown.

What research shows

Pooled safety review of six randomized placebo-controlled trials (about 900 people, 2001–2006): safety profile similar to placebo; no effect on IGF-1; no worsening of glucose tolerance; no antibodies detected.
Phase 2b RCT (n=300, 12 weeks, oral): about 2.8 kg average weight loss, roughly three times placebo, but statistical significance was disputed (primary analysis did not reach 95% confidence).
Follow-up phase 2b RCT (n≈534 enrolled, 24 weeks, oral 0.25–1 mg/day) did not succeed, per the company, and obesity development stopped.

Doses studied in people

Study or label	Dose used	Source
Phase 1 and 2a IV single-dose studies (healthy and obese men, n=15 and n=23)	25–400 µg/kg (phase 1) and 25–100 µg/kg (phase 2a) intravenous, single doses	¹
Phase 2a oral studies in obese men (n=17 and n=36)	9, 27, or 54 mg oral, single doses or daily for 7 days	¹
Phase 2b RCT (METAOD005, n=300)	1, 5, 10, 20, or 30 mg oral daily, 12 weeks	¹
Phase 2b RCT (METAOD006, n≈534)	0.25, 0.5, or 1 mg oral tablet daily, 24 weeks	¹

Published human trials used oral or intravenous AOD-9604; injectable doses circulating online are not from published trials.

Read this first: these are the amounts given to participants in published studies or written on official prescribing labels, reported for reference. They are not recommendations. Trial doses were chosen for specific patients under medical supervision, and a dose that is safe in one person can be harmful in another.

Weekly protocol

How the schedule looks week by week. Each chart says where it comes from: a prescribing label, a clinical trial, or a protocol commonly reported online.

Phase 2b oral trial (METAOD005)

Clinical trial

One week

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7

Once daily · Oral capsule

Dose by week

1, 5, 10, 20 or 30 mg (by study group)wk 1–12

Course: 12 weeks, after a 2-week placebo run-in
Note: 300 obese adults. A later 24-week trial (METAOD006) used 0.25, 0.5 or 1 mg oral tablets daily. No published trial used injected AOD-9604.
Source: Stier H, Vos E, Kenley D. Safety and Tolerability of the Hexadecapeptide AOD9604 in Humans. J Endocrinol Metab 2013;3(1-2):7-15 (trial summary)

Commonly reported injection protocol

Commonly reported, not studied

One week

D1D2D3D4D5D6D7

Once daily, in the morning on an empty stomach · Subcutaneous injection

Syringe units (U-100)

Vial Water added

Dose by week

300 mcgwk 1–4

500 mcgwk 5–12

Supplies for one course (estimate)

Counts only. This site does not sell or link to supplies.

Course: 8–12 weeks (up to 16)
Note: Another guide lists a flat 250–300 mcg daily for 8–12 weeks.
Source: PeptideDosages.com: AOD-9604 (2 mg vial) dosage protocol
Also: Peptide Protocol Wiki: AOD-9604 dosing protocols

Reference only, not a recommendation. Charts marked "commonly reported" describe what public sources say people use. They have not been tested in trials, and their safety and effect are unknown. Label and trial schedules were set for specific patients under medical supervision. Use the calculator only to understand the arithmetic.

Vial math

Many research vials hold 5 or 10 mg of powder. This table shows how much ends up in each mark on a U-100 insulin syringe for common amounts of added liquid. It is arithmetic only, not a dose.

Vial	Liquid added	Concentration	Per unit (0.01 mL)
5 mg	1 mL	5 mg/mL	50 mcg	Open in calculator
5 mg	2 mL	2.5 mg/mL	25 mcg	Open in calculator
5 mg	3 mL	1.67 mg/mL	16.7 mcg	Open in calculator
10 mg	1 mL	10 mg/mL	100 mcg	Open in calculator
10 mg	2 mL	5 mg/mL	50 mcg	Open in calculator
10 mg	3 mL	3.33 mg/mL	33.3 mcg	Open in calculator

More sizes: all vial sizes · How this works: Syringes and units · Reconstitution guide.

Safety

In six trials, tolerability was similar to placebo and no withdrawals were attributed to the drug; one serious adverse event (diarrhea at a 54 mg single oral dose) was judged possibly related (company-funded pooled review).
The 54 mg oral dose was linked to more headaches, diarrhea and flatulence than lower doses.
FDA has noted reports of serious adverse events possibly linked to AOD-9604 (causality unclear) and says it lacks enough safety information.
Unknown long-term safety; no data for injected use at doses sold online; product purity from research-chemical sellers is unverified.

Report side effects of any drug or product to the FDA through MedWatch. For a possible poisoning in the US, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.

Legal status

FDA: Not FDA-approved for any use.
Compounding: FDA moved AOD-9604 from the 503A Category 2 'significant safety risks' list to the 'nominated but withdrawn' table (page current Apr 22, 2026). It is not on Category 1, so it is not cleared for 503A compounding. It was not on the July 2026 PCAC agenda. HHS in Feb 2026 named it among peptides to be considered for reclassification — check current status.
Sports (WADA): Prohibited at all times: listed by name under S2.2.3 (growth hormone fragments, e.g. AOD-9604 and hGH 176-191).
Other: Was one of four peptides whose Category 2 placement was challenged in a lawsuit by Evexias and Farmakeio.

Rules change often. See Legal status of peptides for how these categories work.

History

Developed at Monash University in Australia; the company Metabolic Pharmaceuticals was formed around it in 1998. A 300-person, 12-week phase 2b trial (2004) gave borderline results that analysts disputed. A larger 24-week follow-up trial (n≈534) was described by the company in 2007 as unsuccessful, and obesity development was dropped. A GRAS panel later deemed it safe for certain food uses. FDA placed it on its compounding 'significant safety risks' (Category 2) list in 2023; it was later moved to the 'nominated but withdrawn' table.

Common questions

Is AOD-9604 FDA-approved?

No. It is not approved for any use, and FDA lists it under compounding nominations that were withdrawn, so it is not cleared for 503A pharmacy compounding ⁴⁶.

Is AOD-9604 the same as growth hormone?

No. It is a 16-amino-acid piece from the end of human growth hormone, designed to keep its fat-breakdown effect without its effects on growth or blood sugar ¹. In human studies it did not raise IGF-1, a marker of growth hormone activity ¹.

Does AOD-9604 cause weight loss?

Not convincingly. A 12-week trial in 300 people found about 2.8 kg average loss, but whether that result was statistically real was disputed ². A larger 24-week trial did not succeed, according to the company, and obesity development stopped ³.

What doses were studied in people?

Published trials gave it by mouth at 0.25 mg to 30 mg daily for up to 24 weeks, or as single intravenous doses in early studies ¹. Injectable doses seen online do not come from these published trials ¹.

Is AOD-9604 safe?

In six placebo-controlled trials with about 900 people, side effects were similar to placebo, though a 54 mg single dose caused more headaches, diarrhea and gas ¹. FDA has noted reports of serious adverse events possibly linked to it and says it lacks enough safety information ⁴.

Is AOD-9604 banned in sport?

Yes. WADA names it as a growth hormone fragment that is prohibited at all times ⁵.

Sold in blends and stacks

AOD-9604 + CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin

Related compounds

Metabolic & weightPreclinical onlyFlashcard

MOTS-c

mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA-c · MOTSc

MOTS-c is a small peptide made from instructions in mitochondrial DNA, the cell's 'power plant' genes.

Growth hormone axisFDA-approvedFlashcard

Tesamorelin

Egrifta · Egrifta SV

Tesamorelin is a lab-made version of the body's growth-hormone-releasing hormone.

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-25 · How we research · Found an error? See our corrections policy.