Overview
CJC-1295 is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), built from the first 29 amino acids of the native GHRH sequence. Its distinguishing feature is the Drug Affinity Complex (DAC) — a modification that allows the peptide to covalently bind to endogenous albumin after injection, extending the half-life from minutes (native GHRH) to approximately 6–8 days. This enables once-weekly or biweekly dosing.
Ipamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide that functions as a selective growth hormone secretagogue (GHS), binding to the ghrelin/GHS receptor (GHSR) to amplify GH pulse amplitude. Unlike earlier GHS compounds (GHRP-6, GHRP-2), ipamorelin is selective for GH release and does not significantly increase cortisol, prolactin, or ACTH — a selectivity advantage.
The combination targets two distinct receptors on pituitary somatotroph cells: CJC-1295 via GHRH-R (setting pulse duration) and ipamorelin via GHSR (setting pulse amplitude). The result is synergistic GH elevation that more closely mimics physiological pulsatile secretion than either compound alone. Despite widespread use in anti-aging clinics, no high-quality human clinical trials have evaluated the combination. The individual compounds have limited human data, and the CJC-1295 trial programme was halted in 2006.
Dosage & Reconstitution
- Vial strength
- 10 mg
- BAC water added
- 3 mL
- Final concentration
- ~3.33 mg/mL
| Weeks | Dosage | Syringe units (U-100) |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1–2 | 0.2 mg | 6 units0.06 mL |
| Weeks 3–4 | 0.3 mg | 9 units0.09 mL |
| Weeks 5–8 | 0.4 mg | 12 units0.12 mL |
| Weeks 9–12 | 0.5 mg | 15 units0.15 mL |
FrequencyOnce daily, subcutaneous, 30–60 minutes before sleep.
Note
For review — composed from this site's two component schedules, not from a study of the blend. No published study has given CJC-1295 and ipamorelin together, so the amounts in the chart are extrapolated rather than established. What is calculated rather than extrapolated is the concentration strip above the chart and the syringe units beside each amount, which follow from the vial and the water volume.
Unverified — the daily cadence is ipamorelin's, carried across to the blend because a pre-mixed vial can only be given on one schedule. No study has run it for the pair, and it is not the twice-weekly interval this site's CJC-1295 entry gives for the DAC form.
This is a fixed 1:1 blend. Athena lists the vial as 10 mg in total, 5 mg of CJC-1295 and 5 mg of ipamorelin, so one draw delivers both in that proportion and the split is set by the vial rather than chosen: a 0.4 mg total-blend draw contains approximately 0.2 mg of CJC-1295 and 0.2 mg of ipamorelin. The totals charted are this site's ipamorelin schedule doubled. Ipamorelin is the smaller half of the pair and the one dosed daily, so anchoring on it means no draw carries more of either peptide than that peptide's own page gives — but it also means the blend delivers well under the CJC-1295 amounts charted there, 0.5 mg in the closing weeks against 1 mg, and that gap cannot be closed from this vial without carrying four times the ipamorelin along with it. Two further limits come from the vial rather than from the evidence. The cadences do not match: this site's CJC-1295 schedule is twice weekly and its ipamorelin schedule is daily, and one pre-mixed vial can only be given on one of them. And the form is decisive rather than a detail — the widely circulated blend protocol is written for the no-DAC form of CJC-1295, which clears in minutes and is dosed daily, whereas the profile on this page describes the DAC form, whose half-life is measured in days; which form this vial holds needs confirming before the chart is used. Made up with 3 mL the vial is about 3.33 mg/mL, which puts the four rows at 6 to 15 units, all small draws well inside a 50-unit syringe. At those amounts a 10 mg vial holds twenty to fifty daily doses, so at the lower rows more of it is made up at once than the roughly four weeks a reconstituted vial keeps for under refrigeration. The human data behind the two components is separate and thin either way: CJC-1295 with DAC from a single-ascending-dose pharmacokinetic study, ipamorelin from a discontinued hospital programme in postoperative ileus, and nothing at all for the pair.
What this evidence establishes. No human dosing exists for this combination. Each component has its own limited human data — CJC-1295 with DAC from a single-ascending-dose pharmacokinetic study, ipamorelin from a discontinued hospital trial programme in postoperative ileus — but no published study has given the two together, so there is no combined dose, no ratio validated in humans, and no frequency. Because the two are supplied pre-mixed at a fixed ratio, the components also cannot be adjusted independently the way the separate studies dosed them.
Sources: Teichman et al., JCEM 2006 — CJC-1295 with DAC · Phase 2 postoperative ileus trial programme — ipamorelin
For educational and laboratory research purposes only. It does not provide medical advice, dosing recommendations, or instructions for human or veterinary use. Syringe units assume a U-100 syringe, on which 1 mL is 100 units and a 50-unit syringe holds 0.5 mL.
Mechanism of Action
GHRH Receptor (CJC-1295)
Binds pituitary GHRH receptors, initiating cAMP-mediated GH release. Sets the duration of each GH pulse — how long somatotrophs continue secreting.
Ghrelin Receptor (Ipamorelin)
Binds GHSR on somatotrophs through a different intracellular pathway. Amplifies GH pulse amplitude — how much GH is released per unit time.
Synergistic Effect
Two receptors, two pathways, same target cell. Combined output exceeds the sum of individual compounds — mimicking endogenous GHRH + ghrelin cooperation.
IGF-1 Elevation
Sustained GH elevation increases hepatic IGF-1 production. CJC-1295 alone showed 1.5–3x IGF-1 elevation lasting 9–11 days after a single dose.
Ipamorelin Selectivity
Unlike GHRP-6 and GHRP-2, ipamorelin does not significantly increase cortisol, prolactin, or ACTH — providing cleaner GH elevation.
DAC Half-Life Extension
CJC-1295's DAC modification binds albumin, extending half-life to 6–8 days. This enables weekly dosing vs. multiple daily injections for unmodified GHRH.
Research Timeline
Contraindications & Safety Data
The FDA has identified specific safety concerns for both compounds. The 2006 trial halt is the most significant regulatory event in the research peptide space.
| Condition / Factor | Risk Level | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Active cancer or malignancy | HIGH | GH/IGF-1 elevation promotes cell division, inhibits apoptosis, and enhances angiogenesis — the same processes that fuel cancer growth and metastasis |
| History of cancer | HIGH | IGF-1 elevation is a documented risk factor for cancer recurrence. GH secretagogues should be avoided in cancer survivors without explicit oncology clearance. |
| Cardiovascular disease | HIGH | FDA specifically warns of "increased heart rate and systemic vasodilatory reaction including flushing, warmth, and transient hypotension" with CJC-1295, and a serious adverse event ended the 2006 trial. |
| Immunogenicity / allergy | HIGH | FDA cites immunogenicity as a significant risk for both compounds. Potential for anaphylaxis with repeated dosing. The DAC modification may increase immunogenic potential. |
| Pregnancy / breastfeeding | HIGH | No reproductive toxicology data exists. GH/IGF-1 elevation during pregnancy carries unknown fetal risks. |
| Diabetes / glucose impairment | MODERATE | GH elevation can cause insulin resistance and glucose metabolism alterations. Monitoring required. |
| Carpal tunnel syndrome | MODERATE | GH-related water retention and tissue growth commonly produce carpal tunnel-like symptoms |
| Combination safety | UNKNOWN | No clinical trials have evaluated the CJC-1295 + ipamorelin combination in humans. All safety data is for individual compounds only. |
Regulatory Status
FDA: Neither CJC-1295 nor ipamorelin is FDA-approved. Both were Category 2 (2023), removed (September 2024), then FDA recommended against 503A compounding (December 2024). Current status: regulatory limbo. Compounding pharmacies cannot legally compound either substance.
WADA: Both classified under S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances). Prohibited at all times in and out of competition.
Halted trial programme: The Phase II CJC-1295 trial was stopped in 2006 following a serious adverse event, and no further clinical development has occurred for CJC-1295 in 18+ years. That gap in the evidence should be central to any informed decision about this compound.
The combination caveat: Despite being the most widely used peptide stack in anti-aging medicine, the CJC-1295 + ipamorelin combination has never been evaluated in a single human clinical trial. All prescribing is based on theoretical synergy extrapolated from the individual compounds' limited data.
References (APA 7th Edition)
CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin Research Readiness Quiz
Evaluate your understanding of this compound combination's evidence, safety history, and regulatory status.