CJC-1295 (No DAC)
Also known as: CJC-1295 DAC, CJC-1295 no DAC, Modified GRF 1-29
Key Facts: CJC-1295 (No DAC)
- Category
- Growth Hormone
- FDA Status
- Not FDA Approved
- Clinical Status
- Investigational - Phase II development discontinued, never approved. FDA lists CJC-1295 under bulk drug substances nominated for compounding but later withdrawn (not on the 503A Category 1 list), citing possible immunogenicity risk, limited clinical data, and reported adverse events including increased heart rate and a systemic vasodilatory reaction. WADA status: prohibited at all times (S2, growth hormone releasing factors, which name CJC-1295 as an example).
- Banned in Sport (WADA)
- Prohibited at all times under WADA S2 (GHRH analogues), where CJC-1295 is named.
- Administration
- Subcutaneous injection
- Typical Dose
- 100 mcg daily (no DAC) or 2 mg weekly (with DAC)
- Frequency
- Daily (no DAC) or 1-2x weekly (with DAC)
- Duration
- 8-12 weeks
How does CJC-1295 (No DAC) work?
CJC-1295 acts at the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotroph cells, the same receptor the body's own GHRH uses, prompting the pituitary to synthesize and release growth hormone. Native GHRH is broken down within minutes; CJC-1295 with DAC carries a reactive group that covalently bonds to circulating albumin after injection, shielding it from breakdown and stretching its half-life from minutes to days. The sustained GH elevation drives the liver to produce IGF-I, the downstream hormone behind many of GH's tissue effects. There are two versions: with DAC (long-acting, albumin-binding) and without DAC (Modified GRF 1-29), which lacks the albumin tether. Because it works through the pituitary, it relies on the gland's own GH-producing capacity.
What does the research show?
The key human study is Teichman et al. (2006) in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled ascending-dose trial in healthy adults using the DAC version. A single subcutaneous injection raised mean plasma GH 2- to 10-fold for 6 days or more and IGF-I 1.5- to 3-fold for 9 to 11 days, with cumulative effects on repeat dosing, and was reported as safe and relatively well tolerated short-term. A follow-up study in healthy men found GH still came in pulses rather than a flat line, with trough GH levels rising sharply. An earlier study showed once-daily CJC-1295 normalized growth in GHRH-knockout mice. These are hormone-level and pharmacokinetic studies, not outcome trials: there are no long-term human trials showing fat loss or muscle gain, and no published randomized trial of the popular CJC-1295 plus ipamorelin combination. The no-DAC form has essentially no published human data of its own. Development was halted after Phase II; a single trial death was attributed by the attending physician to pre-existing coronary artery disease rather than the drug, which is reported but not independently confirmed. FDA has also noted reported adverse events including increased heart rate and a systemic vasodilatory reaction. Bottom line: the GH and IGF-I-raising effect of the DAC version is well supported, while real-world efficacy and long-term safety are not.
What doses have been studied?
Typical Dosingⓘ
Community experience
100 mcg daily (no DAC) or 2 mg weekly (with DAC)
100-300 mcg per dose (no DAC), 1-2 mg weekly (DAC)
Daily (no DAC) or 1-2x weekly (with DAC)
Reported protocols administer the no-DAC form daily; the DAC form has a longer half-life. It is frequently reported alongside a GHRP such as Ipamorelin.
Research Dosingⓘ
Scientific studies
Doses observed in research studies
Doses from Studies
CJC-1295 DAC: 1-2mg weekly
Mod GRF 1-29: 100-300 mcg 2-3x daily
Duration
8-12 weeks
Administration
Subcutaneous injection
When and how is CJC-1295 (No DAC) taken?
Best Time to Take
Before bed
1-2 times per week
Food Recommendation
Take on empty stomach
Why This Timing?
CJC-1295 (with DAC) has a long half-life (~8 days) so timing is less critical, but evening dosing supports natural GH patterns.
What are the side effects of CJC-1295 (No DAC)?
Not everyone experiences these effects. Individual responses vary based on dosage, duration, and personal factors.
- ●Injection site reactions
- ●Facial flushing
- ●Headache
- ●Water retention
- ●Dizziness
- ●Increased heart rate (reported to FDA)
- ●Systemic vasodilatory reaction (reported to FDA)
- ●May trigger histamine release - use caution with MCAS or histamine sensitivity
- ●Concerns for cancer patients (IGF-1/GH effects)
- ●Risk of immunogenicity
References
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16352683/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17018654/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15817669/
- https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/certain-bulk-drug-substances-use-compounding-may-present-significant-safety-risks
- https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list
Research This Peptide Further
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CJC-1295 (No DAC) do?
CJC-1295 is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), specifically a modified GHRH(1-29). The name covers two different products. CJC-1295 with DAC (Drug Affinity Complex) binds blood albumin, which stretches its half-life to roughly 6 to 8 days and raises GH and IGF-I for days from a single injection; this is the version ConjuChem took to Phase II before abandoning it, and the version the human data are about. CJC-1295 without DAC (Modified GRF 1-29, the form this page is named for) lacks the albumin tether and is much shorter acting, though its human half-life has not been formally published. Neither is an approved drug, both are sold only as research chemicals, and GHRH analogs are banned in sport by WADA.
How does CJC-1295 (No DAC) work?
CJC-1295 acts at the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotroph cells, the same receptor the body's own GHRH uses, prompting the pituitary to synthesize and release growth hormone. Native GHRH is broken down within minutes; CJC-1295 with DAC carries a reactive group that covalently bonds to circulating albumin after injection, shielding it from breakdown and stretching its half-life from minutes to days. The sustained GH elevation drives the liver to produce IGF-I, the downstream hormone behind many of GH's tissue effects. There are two versions: with DAC (long-acting, albumin-binding) and without DAC (Modified GRF 1-29), which lacks the albumin tether. Because it works through the pituitary, it relies on the gland's own GH-producing capacity.
Is CJC-1295 (No DAC) FDA approved?
No, CJC-1295 (No DAC) is not currently FDA approved. Current status: Investigational - Phase II development discontinued, never approved. FDA lists CJC-1295 under bulk drug substances nominated for compounding but later withdrawn (not on the 503A Category 1 list), citing possible immunogenicity risk, limited clinical data, and reported adverse events including increased heart rate and a systemic vasodilatory reaction. WADA status: prohibited at all times (S2, growth hormone releasing factors, which name CJC-1295 as an example).
Is CJC-1295 (No DAC) banned in sport?
Prohibited at all times under WADA S2 (GHRH analogues), where CJC-1295 is named.
What are the side effects of CJC-1295 (No DAC)?
Reported side effects include: Injection site reactions, Facial flushing, Headache, Water retention, Dizziness. Individual responses vary based on dosage, duration, and personal health factors.
What is the typical dose of CJC-1295 (No DAC)?
Community-reported common dose: 100 mcg daily (no DAC) or 2 mg weekly (with DAC) (Daily (no DAC) or 1-2x weekly (with DAC)). Range: 100-300 mcg per dose (no DAC), 1-2 mg weekly (DAC). Administration: Subcutaneous injection. Community-reported doses. Not medical advice. Consult healthcare provider.
Related Peptides
Peptides commonly compared with CJC-1295 (No DAC) or used in similar applications.
Ipamorelin
Clinical TrialsIpamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide growth hormone secretagogue developed by Novo Nordisk and derived from GHRP-1. It is researched mainly for stimulating the body's own growth hormone (GH) release, and was studied in humans primarily for postoperative ileus and gut motility rather than anti-aging. It is not an approved drug anywhere: it reached Phase II trials, was discontinued for insufficient efficacy, and is now sold only as a research chemical.
Growth HormoneGHRP-6
Clinical TrialsGHRP-6 is a synthetic six-amino-acid peptide (His-D-Trp-Ala-Trp-D-Phe-Lys-NH2) that tricks the body into releasing its own growth hormone. It was one of the first growth hormone secretagogues ever made, and the hunt to find out why it worked led scientists straight to the discovery of ghrelin. It has no approval as a drug anywhere and is used only as a research compound.
Growth HormoneGHRP-2
Clinical TrialsGHRP-2 (generic name pralmorelin) is a synthetic hexapeptide growth hormone secretagogue and a second-generation cousin of GHRP-6. It prompts the pituitary to release growth hormone and is the one peptide in this family with an actual regulatory approval: it is licensed in Japan as a diagnostic agent for growth hormone deficiency. Outside that narrow diagnostic use it has no approval and is sold elsewhere only as a research compound.
Growth HormoneMK-677
Clinical TrialsMK-677 (ibutamoren) is not actually a peptide, it is a small, orally active non-peptide molecule that mimics ghrelin, your hunger and growth-hormone hormone. Taken as a daily pill, it reliably pushes up growth hormone and IGF-1 levels, which is why it is popular for muscle and recovery. It has been through real human trials but was never approved as a drug, and the trials that mattered most for older adults and Alzheimer's came up short.
Growth HormoneHGH (Somatropin)
FDAHuman growth hormone is the real thing rather than a secretagogue: a 191-amino-acid protein identical to what your pituitary makes, produced recombinantly since the 1980s. It is a properly approved medicine for growth hormone deficiency, and it is also the most misused compound in this entire space. Almost everything you read about HGH for anti-aging or physique traces back to a single small 1990 study whose own author later disowned how it was used.
Growth HormoneTesamorelin
FDATesamorelin is a stabilized analog of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-44) with a chemical modification that protects it from rapid breakdown. It is FDA-approved (brand name Egrifta) to reduce excess visceral abdominal fat in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy, which makes it one of the few growth-hormone-axis peptides with a real approval behind it. Its evidence base is solid for that specific population and thinner for the general anti-aging and fat-loss uses it gets promoted for online.
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