CJC-1295 DAC: What the Research Shows
CJC-1295 DAC is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), modified in two ways: several amino acid substitutions make it resistant to rapid enzymatic breakdown, and a Drug Affinity Complex (DAC) allows it to bind covalently to circulating albumin after injection. That albumin-binding is what distinguishes CJC-1295 DAC from native GHRH and from shorter-acting GHRH analogs — where natural GHRH is cleared from circulation within minutes, the DAC-bound form remains active for days.
Human Pharmacodynamics
The foundational human study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, tested CJC-1295 DAC in healthy adults across two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials. Researchers found that a single injection produced dose-dependent increases in growth hormone of 2- to 10-fold, sustained for six days or more, along with IGF-1 increases of 1.5- to 3-fold sustained for 9 to 11 days. The study also found evidence of a cumulative effect with repeated dosing (Teichman 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, JCEM, 2006).
Mechanism of Sustained Action
A separate study in GHRH-knockout mice — animals genetically unable to produce their own GHRH — tested whether CJC-1295 DAC could substitute for the missing hormone entirely. Researchers found that daily dosing normalized both body weight and body length in these mice, and notably, that even infrequent dosing (once every 48 or 72 hours) still produced meaningful growth response — a result the researchers attributed directly to the compound’s extended albumin-bound half-life (Once-daily administration of CJC-1295 normalizes growth in the GHRH knockout mouse, American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2006).
Proposed Mechanism
Across these studies, researchers point to a few interconnected properties:
- Actin regulation — TB-500’s core structural feature, enabling the cell migration seen across wound-healing and cardiac studies
- Angiogenesis — new blood vessel formation, observed in both dermal and cardiac tissue research
- Progenitor cell mobilization — particularly notable in cardiac research, where Thymosin Beta-4 activated dormant cell populations capable of differentiating into vascular tissue
Regulatory and Research Status
CJC-1295 has no approved human therapeutic use and is classified by the World Anti-Doping Agency as a prohibited substance under its S2 Peptide Hormones category for competitive athletes. Human research on the compound remains limited to the early-phase pharmacokinetic studies described above, rather than larger controlled clinical trials.
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View CJC-1295 DACThis overview reflects published preclinical and early-phase clinical research. Products offered by Core Molecular Solutions are intended for laboratory research purposes only and are not for human or veterinary use.