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CJC-1295 (With and Without DAC): Identity and Evidence

CJC-1295 is a growth-hormone-releasing-hormone analogue studied in small early trials. Why "with DAC" and "without DAC" products are not interchangeable, what trials show, and its status.

Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.

Quick answer
CJC-1295 is an investigational growth-hormone-releasing-hormone (GHRH) analogue. The published human data are two small early trials and a few follow-up reports in healthy adults, showing that growth hormone and IGF-1 blood levels rose. They do not show a health benefit. No approved CJC-1295 product was found. This page is education only: no amounts, sourcing or use instructions.

Identity: which "CJC-1295"?

The name is used for more than one product. A 2026 clinical review of unregulated growth-hormone-axis peptides lists "CJC-1295 with Drug Affinity Complex (DAC)" and "CJC-1295 without DAC" as separate agents encountered in practice. [1] The published human trials describe a long-acting analogue that binds permanently to albumin in the blood after injection, giving a half-life of about 8 days. [2] The human data cited here are for that long-acting form as described. A 2010 doping-laboratory study identified, in one seized unknown preparation, a 29-amino-acid peptide with a C-terminal amide that was "consistent with" a peptide marketed as CJC-1295; it did not show which variant a given vendor sells. [3]

Proper evidence not found for published human trials that name a product "without DAC" (checked: PubMed titles and abstracts for CJC-1295, and ClinicalTrials.gov). So findings for the long-acting form should not be transferred to a shorter-acting product, or the reverse. WADA lists both CJC-1293 and CJC-1295 by name. [4] A molecule, a research label and a vendor product are different things; see how to read a peptide record.

How it is thought to work

It mimics GHRH, signaling the pituitary gland to release growth hormone (GH), which in turn raises IGF-1. [5] For the wider system, see growth hormone and IGF-1 signaling.

Human evidence

StudyPopulation and designOutcome
Two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials of 28 and 49 days [5]Healthy adults aged 21 to 61, single or a few injectionsGH rose 2- to 10-fold for 6 days or more and IGF-1 1.5- to 3-fold; no serious adverse reactions reported
Overnight GH sampling after one injection [2]Healthy men aged 20 to 40GH pulses were preserved; trough GH rose 7.5-fold and IGF-1 rose 45%
Serum protein profiling [6]11 healthy young menA few blood proteins changed; authors proposed them as biomarkers of GH/IGF-1 action
Phase 2 registered trial in HIV-related visceral fat [7]120 planned, randomized, 12 weeksStatus terminated; no results posted; no publication found

All of this is biomarker evidence in small groups of healthy people, mostly short term. Label for any health outcome (muscle, fat loss, sleep, aging, recovery): insufficient evidence. Label for online claims about these effects: marketing claim. Proper evidence not found for long-term safety, pediatric use, pregnancy, or people with diabetes, cancer, or heart disease.

Animal evidence

Early work reported effects on growth in animals, including normalized growth in GHRH-knockout mice, but animal results are preclinical and do not establish human benefit. [8]

Related guides

Growth-hormone-releasing peptides compared, ipamorelin, sermorelin, peptide safety and adverse events and how to evaluate peptide claims.

Frequently asked questions

Is CJC-1295 the same as "CJC-1295 without DAC"?

Not necessarily. Reviews treat them as separate agents, and the published human trials describe a long-acting form. [1][2]

Does CJC-1295 build muscle or slow aging?

No human trial found showing that. Trials showed higher GH and IGF-1 levels, which are biomarkers. [5]

Is CJC-1295 approved?

No approved product was found. FDA lists it among compounding substances with safety concerns. [9]

Is CJC-1295 banned in sport?

Yes. WADA's 2026 list names CJC-1295 among prohibited GHRH analogues. [4]

What happened to the HIV trial?

It is registered as terminated, with no results posted. [7]

More details: evidence, limits and cautions

The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.

How to read the evidence labels

Labels used on this page: preclinical (cells or animals only), insufficient evidence, marketing claim, evidence of harm (where a regulator reports harms) and Proper evidence not found. A biomarker is a lab value such as IGF-1; a higher value is not automatically better for health.

Safety
In the 2006 trials no serious adverse reactions were reported, but groups were small and exposure short. [5] FDA states it has identified serious adverse events associated with CJC-1295, including increased heart rate and a systemic vasodilatory reaction, and that available clinical data are limited. [9] A 2018 review of GH secretagogues notes few long-term controlled studies and some concern for higher blood glucose through reduced insulin sensitivity. [10] A 2026 review of the performance-enhancing GH-axis peptides reports endocrine, fluid-retention, muscle-joint and injection-site problems across the group, which is class-level, not specific to CJC-1295. [1] Product contents are also unverified. [11]
Regulatory and sport status (read 2026-10-22)
Laws change; this is not legal advice.
  • United States: CJC-1295 is on FDA's list of bulk substances nominated for compounding and withdrawn by the nominators; FDA cites immunogenicity risk and peptide-impurity and characterization complexities (page current as of 04/22/2026). [9] Compounded drugs are not FDA-approved. [12] No approved product was found.
  • Canada: Health Canada lists CJC-1295 among examples of unauthorized injectable peptide drugs. [11]
  • Sport: prohibited at all times under WADA's 2026 list (growth hormone releasing factors). [4]
  • EU, UK, Australia: not verified.
References
  1. Dominikowski A et al. The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating the GH-IGF1 axis: bridging the gap between clinical evidence and patient self-administration. Front Endocrinol 2026. PubMed. Read 2026-10-22.
  2. Ionescu M, Frohman LA. Pulsatile secretion of growth hormone persists during continuous stimulation by CJC-1295, a long-acting GH-releasing hormone analog. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006. PubMed. Read 2026-10-22.
  3. Henninge J et al. Identification of CJC-1295, a growth-hormone-releasing peptide, in an unknown pharmaceutical preparation. Drug Test Anal 2010. PubMed. Read 2026-10-22.
  4. World Anti-Doping Agency. 2026 Prohibited List (in force 1 January 2026; the page says each new list is published in October, and the 2027 list was not read). Read 2026-10-22.
  5. Teichman SL et al. Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2006. PubMed. Read 2026-10-22.
  6. Sackmann-Sala L et al. Activation of the GH/IGF-1 axis by CJC-1295 results in serum protein profile changes in normal adult subjects. Growth Horm IGF Res 2009. PubMed. Read 2026-10-22.
  7. ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT00267527 Study to evaluate CJC 1295 in HIV patients with visceral obesity; ConjuChem. Read 2026-10-22.
  8. Once-daily administration of CJC-1295, a long-acting growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog, normalizes growth in the GHRH knockout mouse. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2006. PubMed. Read 2026-10-22.
  9. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Certain Bulk Drug Substances for Use in Compounding that May Present Significant Safety Risks (content current as of 04/22/2026). Read 2026-10-22.
  10. Sigalos JT, Pastuszak AW. The safety and efficacy of growth hormone secretagogues. Sex Med Rev 2018. PubMed. Read 2026-10-22.
  11. Health Canada. Think twice before injecting peptides bought online: unauthorized products can seriously harm you (public advisory, last updated 2026-04-09). Read 2026-10-22.
  12. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Compounding and FDA: Questions and Answers. Read 2026-10-22.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.