AOD 9604

Healing & repair In trials Human trials

Also called AOD9604, Tyr-hGH fragment 177-191

The last 16 amino acids of human growth hormone — the fragment thought to carry its fat-breakdown effect without the growth signalling. It was developed as an obesity drug, failed at that, and has since been repurposed toward cartilage and joint repair.

Evidence at a glance

Evidence: Human trials — Studied in people
Status: Reached clinical trials
Dosing: A dose has been tested in humans

Its original indication failed outright in controlled trials. The osteoarthritis work is early and much of it comes from the group commercialising it. Being a growth hormone fragment, it is widely assumed to be safer than growth hormone itself — that assumption is reasonable but not established. It is also routinely sold as “hGH fragment 176-191”, which is a different molecule: AOD 9604 is the 177-191 sequence with a tyrosine added to the front and weighs 1815.1 against the fragment's 1799.1.

What studies report

Failed to beat placebo for weight loss in phase 2b obesity trials
Reported improvements on the WOMAC osteoarthritis index when combined with hyaluronic acid
Promoted cartilage and bone cell differentiation in laboratory studies

How it works

Reported to stimulate fat breakdown and inhibit fat formation without binding the growth hormone receptor, so it does not raise IGF-1. In joint work it is reported to promote cartilage matrix production by chondrocytes.

Binds a receptor on the cell surface and signals inward

Where it acts

Joints & cartilage

The library groups this compound under Healing & repair. The diagram shows that target, not every tissue it reaches.

Illustrated

A small cluster of adipocytes embedded in loose connective tissue, close-up of normal lipid storage anatomy.

AI-generated subject illustration; not a depiction of the compound or evidence of its effects.

Why people take it

Osteoarthritis and cartilage repairJoint painFat loss (the original, unsuccessful, indication)

Reasons people seek it out — not a list of proven effects.

In practice Unapproved use

Mostly encountered now as a joint injection compounded with hyaluronic acid, not as a fat-loss agent
Still marketed for fat loss despite the trials that did not support it

Reported real-world use, not evidence and not a recommendation.

Dosing

What was tested Evidence

1 mg daily, oral12 weeksPhase 2b obesity trial→ Did not beat placebo for weight loss
Intra-articular with hyaluronic acid, weekly then monthlyOsteoarthritis studies→ Reported WOMAC improvements

What people report using Not evidence

Mostly encountered now as a compounded joint injection

Reported for reference, not as instruction. Nothing here is a recommendation to take anything, and most of these compounds are not approved for human use.

Status: Phase 2 trials for obesity were unsuccessful. Not approved as a medicine; holds food-ingredient status in some jurisdictions.

Route: Subcutaneous injection; also compounded with hyaluronic acid for injection into a joint; also sold as a ready-made intranasal spray
Molecular weight: 1815.1 g/mol
Available as: Compounded vials

View on PubChem →

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Educational information only. Nothing here is medical advice, a dosing protocol, or a recommendation to use any compound. Most entries describe substances not approved for human use. Talk to a licensed clinician before acting on anything you read here. How to read these entries.