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BHuman cohort / observational

CJC-1295 DAC

Drug Affinity Complex

CJC-1295 DAC is a long-acting synthetic analog of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH, specifically human GRF 1-29). The "DAC" (Drug Affinity Complex) is a chemical modification that lets the peptide covalently bind to serum albumin after injection, stretching its half-life to roughly 6-8 days and causing it to stimulate the pituitary to release growth hormone (GH) continuously for a week or more. It is used non-medically to raise GH and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) for body-composition and "anti-aging" purposes. It is not an approved drug; clinical development was abandoned and it exists only as a research chemical. The main dangers are that the sustained, non-pulsatile GH/IGF-1 elevation cannot be quickly reversed once injected, and that long-term human safety has never been established. Risks are largely inferred from the known harms of GH/IGF-1 excess (acromegaly-type changes, insulin resistance/impaired glucose tolerance, fluid retention, joint pain, and a theoretical concern that chronically elevated IGF-1 could promote growth of existing tumors). Product purity is unregulated. Anyone considering it should understand that the evidence base is thin, short-term, and industry-generated, and that no dose has been shown to be safe over months to years.

Clinical readoutPeptide · gh-secretagogue
Hepatic strainNone
CardiovascularNone
HPTA suppressionNone
Half-life
6.9 d
Route
Subcutaneous injection
Evidence
B
Active
After a single subcutan…
6.9 d13.9 d20.8 d4.0 wk5.0 wk
Illustrative single-compartment washout · each mark = one half-life · t½ ≈ Approximately 5.8-8.1 days in healthy adults after subcutaneous injection, a result of covalent binding to serum albumin (Teichman 2006; ~8 days reported by Ionescu & Frohman 2006).
Pharmacology

Mechanism of action

CJC-1295 is a tetrasubstituted analog of human growth-hormone-releasing factor 1-29 (hGRF 1-29, the bioactive fragment of GHRH). Amino-acid substitutions make it resistant to breakdown by dipeptidyl-peptidase-IV (DPP-IV), and an added N-epsilon-3-maleimidopropionamide lysine at the C-terminus (the Drug Affinity Complex) reacts with the free thiol on Cys34 of circulating albumin, forming a covalent albumin conjugate. Tethered to albumin, the peptide escapes rapid renal clearance and proteolysis and circulates for days. It binds and activates GHRH receptors on pituitary somatotroph cells, driving sustained synthesis and pulsatile-plus-basal release of endogenous growth hormone; the elevated GH in turn stimulates hepatic and peripheral production of IGF-1. Because stimulation is continuous rather than the normal brief GHRH pulses, basal (trough) GH levels rise markedly while pulsatility is preserved, producing a net increase in overall GH and IGF-1 exposure.
Kinetics

Pharmacokinetics

Half-life

Approximately 5.8-8.1 days in healthy adults after subcutaneous injection, a result of covalent binding to serum albumin (Teichman 2006; ~8 days reported by Ionescu & Frohman 2006).

Active duration

After a single subcutaneous dose, mean GH is elevated for 6 or more days and mean IGF-1 for 9-11 days; with repeated weekly or biweekly dosing IGF-1 remains above baseline for up to ~28 days, indicating cumulative effect. Practically, effects cannot be switched off once injected.

Route

Subcutaneous injection.

Metabolism & clearance

Circulates bound to endogenous albumin (via the maleimidopropionyl-Cys34 conjugate) and is DPP-IV resistant; cleared by normal albumin/peptide catabolism rather than a discrete organ pathway. Note: the long, days-to-weeks duration is relevant only for washout planning and clinician discussion, not for evading any test.

For monitoring and washout planning, not drug-test evasion.

Reported effects

Physiological & performance effects

  • Dose-dependent increase in circulating growth hormone (roughly 2- to 10-fold) sustained for 6 or more days after a single subcutaneous dose in healthy adults (Teichman 2006).
  • Dose-dependent increase in IGF-1 (roughly 1.5- to 3-fold) lasting 9-11 days after a single dose, with cumulative elevation up to ~28 days after repeated dosing (Teichman 2006).
  • Marked increase in basal/trough GH (about 7.5-fold) with preserved GH pulse frequency and amplitude, i.e., sustained rather than purely pulsatile GH exposure (Ionescu & Frohman 2006).
  • Measurable activation of the GH/IGF-1 axis reflected in serum protein changes in healthy young men one week after a single injection (Sackmann-Sala 2009).
  • Users seek downstream GH/IGF-1 effects (changes in body composition, recovery); these downstream physique/performance outcomes have not been demonstrated for CJC-1295 in controlled human trials.
Safety

Adverse effects by system

Cardiovascular

No cardiovascular outcome data exist for CJC-1295 in humans. The short trials reported no serious adverse reactions (Teichman 2006), but they were not designed or powered for cardiovascular endpoints. Sustained GH/IGF-1 elevation and fluid retention are mechanistically capable of raising blood pressure and, with chronic excess, could theoretically contribute to adverse cardiac remodeling; this is an unstudied theoretical concern extrapolated from GH/IGF-1 physiology, not established for CJC-1295 and not supported by any dedicated human cardiovascular outcome data.

Hepatic

No evidence of direct liver toxicity; CJC-1295 is a peptide that acts via the pituitary, and the liver is a target (IGF-1 production) rather than a site of documented injury. No human hepatotoxicity data specific to CJC-1295 exist.

Endocrine / HPTA

This is a growth-hormone secretagogue acting on the somatotropic (GH/IGF-1) axis, not an androgen, and there is no evidence it suppresses the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (testosterone) axis. The relevant endocrine effects are on GH/IGF-1: sustained supraphysiologic elevation, and a plausible risk of impaired glucose tolerance/insulin resistance from GH excess (mechanistic, not demonstrated for CJC-1295). Any endocrine concern should be evaluated by an endocrinologist. No adequate human data on chronic endocrine effects.

Reproductive

No reproductive or fertility data exist for CJC-1295 in humans; effects in pregnancy and on fertility are unknown. No adequate human data.

Neuropsychiatric

No psychiatric adverse effects have been characterized for CJC-1295; no adequate human data.

Renal

No renal safety data for CJC-1295 in humans. No specific nephrotoxicity signal is described; fluid/sodium retention associated with GH could theoretically affect volume status. No adequate human data.

Hematologic

No clinically significant hematologic effects are established. A proteomic study noted changes in several serum proteins (including a hemoglobin isoform) after dosing, but these are exploratory biomarkers, not evidence of a hematologic disorder (Sackmann-Sala 2009). No adequate human data.

Dermatologic

Injection-site reactions are a plausible class effect of subcutaneous peptide injections and of GHRH analogs; the trials described the drug as relatively well tolerated but did not detail dermatologic events in the abstract record. No adequate human data on skin effects specific to CJC-1295.

Recovery

HPTA suppression & recovery

Suppression: Not applicable to the gonadal axis / none demonstrated

CJC-1295 acts on the growth-hormone axis, not the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular (androgen) axis, and there is no evidence it suppresses endogenous testosterone; standard SERM-based post-cycle recovery concepts do not apply to a GH secretagogue. If any endocrine disturbance (including GH/IGF-1 axis or glucose regulation) is suspected, management should be directed by an endocrinologist rather than self-treated. Only single-SERM approaches are ever discussed on this site, and none is indicated here.

Bloodwork & vitals

Monitoring

Recommended labs & checks
IGF-1 (serum) to gauge degree of GH-axis stimulationFasting glucose and HbA1c (GH excess can impair glucose tolerance)Fasting insulin / markers of insulin resistanceLipid panelBlood pressure (clinical measure, not a lab)Baseline and periodic clinical evaluation by a physician; endocrinology referral if IGF-1 is supraphysiologic or symptoms develop

Cadence: Establish a baseline before any use; given the multi-day half-life and cumulative IGF-1 effect, re-check IGF-1 and glucose within the first few weeks and periodically thereafter under a clinician's direction. Stop and seek evaluation rather than continuing if IGF-1 is markedly elevated.

Warning signs — seek care
  • New or worsening swelling/edema, especially hands and face
  • Joint pain, muscle aches, or carpal-tunnel-type numbness/tingling (features of GH excess)
  • New or worsening high blood pressure
  • Symptoms of high blood sugar (excessive thirst, frequent urination, fatigue)
  • Persistent headache or visual changes
  • Any severe or persistent injection-site reaction or allergic symptoms
Do not use if

Contraindications

  • Active or prior malignancy, or significant cancer risk — chronically elevated IGF-1 could theoretically promote growth of existing tumors (mechanistic concern; discuss with an oncologist/endocrinologist).
  • Diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance — GH excess can worsen insulin resistance.
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding — no safety data.
  • Known hypersensitivity to the peptide or excipients.
  • Active proliferative retinopathy or conditions worsened by fluid retention/GH excess.
  • Absence of medical supervision — this is an unapproved research chemical with no established safe use; use outside a monitored clinical setting is strongly discouraged.
Combinations

Interaction profile

  • MajorWith insulin: Metabolic / glucose
  • ModerateWith another GH secretagogue: Metabolic / glucose
  • ModerateWith growth hormone: Metabolic / glucose
  • ModerateWith IGF-1: Metabolic / glucose
  • ModerateWith a GLP-1 / incretin agonist: Metabolic / glucose
  • ContraindicatedWith DNP: Additive cardiovascular strain

Check a specific combination in the interaction checker.

Harm reduction

Reducing harm & when to stop

  • CJC-1295 DAC is an unapproved research chemical; clinical development was discontinued and there is no established safe dose or duration. The safest course is not to use it and to discuss GH-axis concerns with a physician.
  • Because the half-life is days and IGF-1 accumulates with repeated dosing, effects cannot be reversed after injection; do not treat it as something you can titrate rapidly.
  • Get baseline bloodwork (IGF-1, fasting glucose/HbA1c, insulin, lipids) and blood pressure before any use and monitor under a clinician; supraphysiologic IGF-1 is a signal to stop.
  • Stop and seek medical care for swelling/edema, new joint pain or hand numbness/tingling, rising blood pressure, or symptoms of high blood sugar.
  • People with any history of cancer, diabetes/prediabetes, or who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use it; involve an endocrinologist for any endocrine question.
  • Unregulated products carry contamination and mislabeling risks that add hazards beyond the peptide itself.
  • This is educational information only, not medical advice, and does not create a doctor-patient relationship; these substances carry serious risks. 21+ only.
Evidence

Citations (6)

Every clinical claim above is tied to a primary source. Overall evidence grade B — graded to the best available evidence for its core claims.

  1. 01

    CJC-1295 is a long-acting hGRF(1-29) analog that covalently binds serum albumin via an added maleimidopropionyl-lysine (the Drug Affinity Complex) and is DPP-IV resistant, extending its plasma half-life; identified in rats.

    PreclinicalHuman growth hormone-releasing factor (hGRF)1-29-albumin bioconjugates activate the GRF receptor on the anterior pituitary in rats: identification of CJC-1295 as a long-lasting GRF analog.PMID 15817669 ↗

  2. 02

    In healthy adults, subcutaneous CJC-1295 produced dose-dependent 2- to 10-fold increases in GH lasting 6+ days and 1.5- to 3-fold increases in IGF-1 lasting 9-11 days; estimated half-life 5.8-8.1 days; no serious adverse reactions and relatively well tolerated at 30-60 microg/kg in short trials.

    RCTProlonged 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.PMID 16352683 ↗

  3. 03

    Repeated (weekly/biweekly) CJC-1295 dosing produced a cumulative effect with IGF-1 remaining above baseline for up to ~28 days.

    RCTProlonged 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.PMID 16352683 ↗

  4. 04

    After a single injection, CJC-1295 markedly increased basal/trough GH (~7.5-fold) and mean GH and IGF-1 while preserving GH pulse frequency and amplitude, i.e., sustained GH exposure; half-life ~8 days.

    RCTPulsatile secretion of growth hormone (GH) persists during continuous stimulation by CJC-1295, a long-acting GH-releasing hormone analog.PMID 17018654 ↗

  5. 05

    CJC-1295 activates the GH/IGF-1 axis in healthy young men, reflected in measurable serum protein changes one week after a single injection (exploratory biomarkers).

    CohortActivation of the GH/IGF-1 axis by CJC-1295, a long-acting GHRH analog, results in serum protein profile changes in normal adult subjects.PMID 19386527 ↗

  6. 06

    In GHRH-knockout mice, once-daily CJC-1295 normalized growth and body composition (preclinical efficacy of the long-acting analog).

    PreclinicalOnce-daily administration of CJC-1295, a long-acting growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog, normalizes growth in the GHRH knockout mouse.PMID 16822960 ↗

Last reviewed 2026-07-06 · Verified against PubMed · Educational, not medical advice