No. 020 · Metabolic · Fat Loss Peptide
AOD-9604
Also known as: AOD9604Tyr-hGH(177–191)hGH fragment 176–191 analogue
- Not FDA approved
- WADA ✗ S2
2D structure from PubChem CID 71300630 (Aod-9604), matched by molecular formula. Hydrogens on carbon are implied.
- Nonpolar 7
- Polar 6
- Positive charge 2
- Negative charge 1
Each dot is a residue placed around the ring from N- to C-terminus; its distance from the centre reflects its chemistry.
Quick answers
- What is AOD-9604?
- A modified C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone (Tyr-hGH 177-191) developed as an anti-obesity drug candidate; it was designed to keep GH's lipolytic activity without its growth-promoting or diabetogenic effects.
- How strong is the evidence for AOD-9604?
- Tier A (controlled human trials) on the peptidemeta evidence scale. Six randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trials for obesity were run in the 2000s (pooled safety report, Stier et al. 2013); the program did not lead to approval.
- Is AOD-9604 FDA-approved?
- No. AOD-9604 is not approved by the FDA for any use.
- Is AOD-9604 banned in sport?
- Yes. AOD-9604 is prohibited in sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency under S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics).
- How does AOD-9604 work?
- AOD-9604 is human growth hormone residues 177-191 with an added N-terminal tyrosine. It was designed to mimic the lipolytic domain of GH; in obese mice it increased lipolysis and fat oxidation, effects linked to beta-3 adrenergic receptor expression and absent in beta-3 receptor knockout mice.
- What is known about the safety of AOD-9604?
- A pooled safety report of six randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials found no effect on serum IGF-1 or glucose tolerance and a tolerability profile similar to placebo. "GRAS" claims refer to self-affirmed status for food use, not an FDA approval or FDA GRAS determination.
Last reviewed · editorial policy · markdown
Evidence
- D In vitro
- C Animal
- B Human pilot
- A RCT
- S Approved
TIER A — At least one published randomized controlled trial in humans.
Six randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled human trials for obesity were run in the 2000s (pooled safety report, Stier et al. 2013); the program did not lead to approval.
Tiers rate the strength of published evidence — not effectiveness, safety, or a recommendation.
At a glance
- Residues
- 16 amino acids, N→C
- Molecular weight
- 1,815.1 Da
- Formula
- C78H123N23O23S2
- Discovered
- 2000 Developed from the lipolytic C-terminal domain of hGH at Monash University; first metabolic studies published 2000 (Ng et al.).
- Routes studied
- Subcutaneous, Intramuscular Routes used in published research
- FDA
- Not approved
- WADA
- Prohibited · S2 Peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics
Sequence
Note N-terminal Tyr added to human growth hormone residues 177–191; one disulfide bond between C7 and C14.
Overview
A modified C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone (Tyr-hGH 177-191) developed as an anti-obesity drug candidate; it was designed to keep GH's lipolytic activity without its growth-promoting or diabetogenic effects.
Research status Six randomized placebo-controlled human trials for obesity completed in the 2000s; never approved as a drug
Mechanism
AOD-9604 is human growth hormone residues 177-191 with an added N-terminal tyrosine. It was designed to mimic the lipolytic domain of GH; in obese mice it increased lipolysis and fat oxidation, effects linked to beta-3 adrenergic receptor expression and absent in beta-3 receptor knockout mice. It does not bind the GH receptor.
Effects reported in research
Reported outcomes, not promises. Some come from controlled human trials; others may be from smaller or preclinical studies — check the studies below.
- Stimulated lipolysis in adipose tissue
- Inhibited lipogenesis
- No impact on blood glucose or IGF-1
- Investigated for cartilage repair in an animal model
Safety & unknowns
A pooled safety report of six randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials found no effect on serum IGF-1 or glucose tolerance and a tolerability profile similar to placebo. "GRAS" claims refer to self-affirmed status for food use, not an FDA approval or FDA GRAS determination. Not FDA-approved as a drug. Prohibited in sport (WADA S2).
Unknowns. Trial safety data apply to the populations, formulations and conditions studied.
Informational only — not medical advice. peptidemeta publishes no dosing, protocols, or sourcing. Talk to a qualified clinician about any treatment decision.
Studies [2]
- Clinical trial 2013
Safety and Tolerability of the Hexadecapeptide AOD9604 in Humans
Summary of safety data from six randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, reporting no effect on IGF-1 or glucose tolerance, no anti-drug antibodies, and tolerability indistinguishable from placebo.
- Preclinical 2001
Increase of fat oxidation and weight loss in obese mice caused by chronic treatment with human growth hormone or a modified C-terminal fragment
In obese mice, both hGH and AOD9604 reduced body weight gain and increased fat oxidation and lipolysis, but unlike hGH, AOD9604 did not cause hyperglycaemia or bind the hGH receptor.
Status sources
Sources behind the tier, regulatory status, sequence and dates on this page.
- PubChem CID 71300630 — AOD-9604 pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Stier et al., J Endocrinol Metab 2013 — safety of AOD9604 in six RCTs jofem.org
- Ng et al., Horm Res 2000 (early metabolic studies) pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- WADA Prohibited List 2026 (S2.2.3, named) wada-ama.org
Cite this entry
peptidemeta. (2026). AOD-9604. In peptidemeta: The peptide library, ranked by evidence. Retrieved November 8, 2026, from https://peptidemeta.com/p/aod-9604/
@misc{peptidemeta-aod-9604,
title = {AOD-9604},
author = {{peptidemeta}},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://peptidemeta.com/p/aod-9604/}},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-08}
} Accessed date reflects when you opened this page. Cite primary studies for scientific claims.