A modified GHRH(1-29) tetrasubstituted analog — sold under one name in two pharmacologically very different forms. The no-DAC version pulses (~30 min). The with-DAC version saturates the GHRH receptor for 6–8 days. Neither has FDA approval; both are WADA-prohibited; the 2006 Phase 2 program ended after a participant death.
CJC-1295 is a synthetic GHRH(1-29) analog — the C-terminal active fragment of human growth-hormone-releasing hormone, with four amino acid substitutions (D-Ala², Gln⁸, Ala¹⁵, Leu²⁷) added to resist DPP-IV cleavage and improve stability.
Two pharmacologically distinct molecules share the “CJC-1295” name in vendor and community literature:
Marketing copy often blurs the two. The pharmacology is not the same.
Not FDA approved. WADA prohibited under S2.2 (Growth Hormone Releasing Factors). Available as a research chemical from peptide-supply pharmacies and research-grade vendors.
This is the core pharmacology that determines which form of CJC-1295 fits a given goal.
Short half-life (~30 min) means the GHRH-receptor signal turns on and back off quickly. Pre-bed dosing produces a brief GH pulse layered onto the body’s natural sleep-window release. Receptor desensitization is minimal because the signal is intermittent. Closer to physiologic GH rhythm. Closest comparator: sermorelin, but with 4–5× longer signal window than sermorelin’s ~10–20 min.
Albumin-bound for 6–8 days; the GHRH receptor is stimulated continuously. Per Ionescu & Frohman 2006 (PMID 17018654), continuous DAC dosing raises basal GH levels ~7.5× while preserving some endogenous pulsatility. Convenient (weekly dosing) but not physiologic — the “always on” signal is a different biological state than natural pulses, with theoretical receptor downregulation concerns over long-term use.
Pulsatile signaling preserves the natural lipolysis and IGF-1 dynamics the body evolved with. Continuous tonic stimulation inflates basal GH and IGF-1 but the chronic-elevation profile is what gives long-term users pause. If long-term use is the plan, the no-DAC pulsatile pattern is closer to physiologic. If short-cycle convenience is the priority, with-DAC’s weekly dosing wins on adherence.
Both forms bind the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs, triggering GH release. This is the same mechanism as sermorelin and tesamorelin — CJC-1295 is essentially a stabilized GHRH(1-29) variant.
The maleimide on with-DAC reacts with the free thiol on Cys34 of human serum albumin, forming a covalent bond. Albumin half-life is ~19 days, so the conjugate persists for days. Verified in Jetté 2005 (PMID 15817669) for the lead bioconjugate identification.
CJC-1295 alone gives only the GHRH-arm of GH release. The popular combo with ipamorelin (a GHSR/ghrelin-receptor agonist) adds dual-pathway stimulation, producing larger GH pulses than either alone. Standalone CJC delivers a smaller but cleaner pulse without the ghrelin-mediated effects (hunger, occasional cortisol). See the CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin combo guide for the stacked protocol.
Beyond the healthy-adult pharmacology, Alba et al. (American Journal of Physiology — Endocrinology and Metabolism 2006, PMID 16822960) tested CJC-1295 in the GHRH knockout mouse — an animal that cannot make its own growth hormone releasing hormone at all. Once-daily administration normalised growth.
That is a cleaner demonstration than a response in a normal animal: with no endogenous GHRH in the system, the effect can only be coming from the compound. It establishes that CJC-1295 does what it was designed to do at the receptor. It says nothing about what that produces in a healthy adult who already makes their own GHRH, which remains the open question for everyone actually using it.
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Start Tracking FreeThe combo is more popular for a reason — the synergy is real. But there are scenarios where standalone is the right call:
All of these are off-label community use cases. Clinical-trial-validated protocols for CJC-1295 standalone in non-deficient adults don’t exist.
Not medical advice. These figures describe what is reported in the literature and what practitioners and communities do — not a recommendation, and for most compounds here no human dose-finding study exists. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider.
The human studies (Teichman PMID 16352683, Ionescu PMID 17018654) dosed the DAC version at weekly milligram amounts. The daily microgram no-DAC pattern most people run was not what was tested. No human dose-finding study exists for it.
Banner: the doses below are community/empirical conventions, not clinical-trial-validated regimens. There is no peer-reviewed human PK study of CJC-1295 no-DAC in PubMed. The "30 minute half-life" figure that vendors cite is ubiquitous but unanchored to a Tier-2 publication.
Pre-filled with a typical CJC-1295 (Standalone) setup. Edit any field — the draw updates live.
Insulin syringe — 100 units = 1 mL
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Not medical advice. These figures describe what is reported in the literature and what practitioners and communities do — not a recommendation, and for most compounds here no human dose-finding study exists. Talk to a qualified healthcare provider.
Both forms reconstitute in standard bacteriostatic water. Typical 5 mg vial + 2 mL BAC water = 2.5 mg/mL = 2500 mcg/mL.
| Dose | Volume | Syringe Units |
|---|---|---|
| 100 mcg (no-DAC) | 0.04 mL | 4 units |
| 200 mcg (no-DAC) | 0.08 mL | 8 units |
| 1 mg (with-DAC) | 0.40 mL | 40 units |
| 2 mg (with-DAC) | 0.80 mL | 80 units |
During the ConjuChem Phase 2 trial in HIV-lipodystrophy patients in Argentina, one participant died of myocardial infarction hours after the 11th dose. The trial physician attributed the event to underlying coronary artery disease; no peer-reviewed autopsy or formal causality assessment was published. The program was halted shortly after. Off-target / direct-causation claims are unsupported by published data — but the program halt is real and the trial-phase context matters when weighing standalone use.
Note: a widely-circulated “2009 French death” story attributed to CJC-1295 is not real — not in PubMed, FDA AERS, EMA EudraVigilance, or peer-reviewed forensic literature. Treat the 2006 Argentina event as the only documented fatality.
| Agent | Half-life | Mechanism | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sermorelin | ~10–20 min | GHRH(1-29), unmodified | Closest to native GHRH; historical FDA-approved (Geref, withdrawn) |
| CJC-1295 no-DAC | ~30 min | GHRH(1-29) tetrasubstituted | Pulsatile, longer signal than sermorelin, daily dosing |
| CJC-1295 with DAC | 6–8 days | Albumin-bound GHRH | Continuous tonic stimulation, weekly dosing |
| Tesamorelin | ~26 min | GHRH(1-44) trans-3-hexenoic acid stabilization | FDA-approved for HIV-lipodystrophy (Egrifta SV/WR); off-label visceral-fat reduction |
| Ipamorelin | ~2 hrs | GHSR/ghrelin agonist (different class) | Combo partner with CJC; selective among GHRPs (minimal cortisol) |
CJC-1295 (Standalone) is a research peptide not approved by the FDA for human use. It is sold only as a research chemical, and StackTrax does not endorse or facilitate personal use.
Quality varies enormously among research-chemical suppliers. At minimum, look for:
Lyvn does not carry CJC-1295 (Standalone). They are the vendor we recommend elsewhere on this site, and they publish the full independent panel per batch — which makes their catalogue a useful yardstick for the criteria above even on a compound they do not stock. We are not recommending a specific supplier for CJC-1295 (Standalone) itself, because we have no basis to.
For research use only. Not for human consumption. 21+.
Build your protocol, log every dose, monitor your body's response, and get reminders so you never miss a dose.
Start Tracking FreeNo. CJC-1295 (in either the no-DAC or DAC form) has never been approved as a drug. ConjuChem developed the DAC version through Phase 1 and Phase 2a in the mid-2000s; development was halted. The molecule is not on any regulatory approval pathway today and is sold only as a research chemical.
Both are tetrasubstituted analogs of GHRH(1-29) — but the DAC version has an additional N-ε-3-maleimidopropionamide lysine that covalently binds to circulating albumin after injection. DAC half-life: 5.8–8.1 days (Teichman 2006, PMID 16352683), enabling once- or twice-weekly dosing with continuous GHRH-receptor agonism. No-DAC half-life: approximately 30 minutes (vendor-cited; no peer-reviewed human PK study of the specific tetrasubstituted no-DAC molecule exists in PubMed), supporting pulsatile multiple-times-per-day dosing similar to sermorelin.
No-DAC: 100 mcg per injection, typically before bed and optionally pre-workout — paired with a GHRP like ipamorelin in most community protocols. DAC: 1–2 mg once or twice weekly, often as a standalone GH-elevating agent. The 100 mcg single-pulse figure is class-pharmacology extrapolation, not a published CJC-specific dose-response study.
For no-DAC: 5 mg + 2.5 mL bacteriostatic water yields 2 mg/mL — a 100 mcg dose draws to 0.05 mL (5 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe). For DAC: 2 mg + 2 mL BAC water yields 1 mg/mL — a 1 mg weekly dose is 1.00 mL (full 100u syringe), or 2 mg = 2.00 mL using a 3 mL syringe.
It changes GH architecture rather than fully suppressing pulses. Per Ionescu & Frohman 2006 (PMID 17018654), continuous GHRH-receptor agonism from DAC raised basal trough GH 7.5-fold while preserving pulse architecture — the "DAC bleed." Whether sustained tonic GHRH agonism produces the same physiological signaling as preserved pulsatility is debated; community proponents view DAC as "stronger," critics view it as "less physiological."
Yes. CJC-1295 is prohibited at all times under WADA S2.2 (Growth Hormone-Releasing Factors and their analogues). No therapeutic-use exemption is available.
Disclaimer: This guide is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The compounds discussed are not FDA approved for human use. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new supplement or peptide protocol. StackTrax does not sell peptides or supplements directly — purchase links go to third-party vendors. StackTrax is not responsible for the products, quality, or business practices of any third-party vendor.
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StackTrax guides cover peptides and compounds that are not FDA-approved for the uses discussed. The dosing, reconstitution, and safety information is compiled from published research and community protocols for educational purposes only.
Before using any compound mentioned here, consult a qualified healthcare provider. StackTrax does not sell, prescribe, or recommend these substances for personal use.