{"id":"aod-9604","name":"AOD-9604","aliases":["hGH fragment 176-191","lipolytic fragment"],"url":"https://lyoresearch.com/compounds/aod-9604","class":{"id":"growth-hormone-and-igf","name":"Growth hormone, IGF-1 and growth factors","url":"https://lyoresearch.com/classes/growth-hormone-and-igf"},"summary":"AOD-9604 is a fragment of human growth hormone developed specifically as an obesity drug. Unlike most peptides sold online, it was tested properly: pooled data across trials covering more than 900 participants found no statistically significant difference in fat mass or body weight against placebo. Development was terminated for lack of efficacy. It is still marketed for fat loss.","overall_grade":"D","overall_grade_meaning":"no human evidence","human_trials":"900+ participants; no effect","regulatory_status":"Not approved","molecule":{"formula":"C78H123N23O23S2","molecular_weight":"1815.1","cas":"221231-10-3","pubchem_cid":71300630,"note":null},"pharmacokinetics":{"basis":"animal","route":"Oral and intravenous in the human trials, which report no PK","half_life":"No human pharmacokinetic data. Pig intravenous half-life about 3 minutes","licensed_regimen":null,"product":null,"source":{"title":"Stier H, Vos E, Kenley D. Safety and tolerability of the hexadecapeptide AOD9604 in humans. J Endocrinol Metab 2013;3:7–15","url":"https://www.jofem.org/index.php/jofem/article/view/157/194"}},"outcomes":[{"outcome":"Fat mass reduction","grade":"D","grade_meaning":"no human evidence","effect_size":"not measurable","adverse":false,"human_studies":"Pooled trials, 900+ participants","evidence":"Early short studies suggested a signal; larger and longer trials did not replicate it. Pooled analysis found no significant difference versus placebo. Development terminated for lack of efficacy.","references":[{"citation":"Pooled analysis of published and unpublished AOD-9604 human trials (900+ participants): no significant difference in fat mass or body weight versus placebo.","where":"Evidence review, 2025","url":"https://www.pepcodex.com/blog/aod9604-human-efficacy"}]},{"outcome":"Body weight","grade":"D","grade_meaning":"no human evidence","effect_size":"not measurable","adverse":false,"human_studies":"Pooled trials","evidence":"No significant difference from placebo.","references":[{"citation":"Pooled analysis of published and unpublished AOD-9604 human trials (900+ participants): no significant difference in fat mass or body weight versus placebo.","where":"Evidence review, 2025","url":"https://www.pepcodex.com/blog/aod9604-human-efficacy"}]},{"outcome":"Osteoarthritis / cartilage","grade":"D","grade_meaning":"no human evidence","effect_size":"not measurable","adverse":false,"human_studies":"None conclusive","evidence":"A later development direction; no positive controlled human result.","references":[]},{"outcome":"Safety in humans","grade":"C","grade_meaning":"weak human evidence","effect_size":"not measurable","adverse":true,"human_studies":"Trial programme","evidence":"Generally well tolerated in the trials — which is the one thing a failed efficacy programme does establish.","references":[]}],"regions":[{"region":"European Union","status":"Unauthorised medicinal product","note":"No marketing authorisation in any member state. Supplying it for human use is an offence under national medicines law; 'research use only' labels do not change that."},{"region":"United States","status":"Not approved; compounding barred","note":"The advisory committee voted 0–12 against AOD-9604 on 4 December 2024; the nomination is listed as withdrawn since April 2026."},{"region":"United Kingdom","status":"Unlicensed medicine","note":"Not licensed by the MHRA. Selling or supplying it is an offence under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012; importing a small quantity purely for personal use is not itself an offence, but consignments are seized."},{"region":"Australia","status":"Schedule 4, unapproved","note":"Prescription-only substance not on the ARTG. Possession without a prescription is an offence; imports without a prescription are seized."},{"region":"Canada","status":"Not authorised","note":"No Drug Identification Number; selling it is illegal. Among the products Health Canada seized from a domestic vendor in August 2025. Residents cannot import prescription drugs by mail."},{"region":"Sport (WADA)","status":"Prohibited at all times","note":"S2.2.3: growth hormone fragments, AOD-9604 named."}],"faq":[{"q":"Does AOD-9604 burn fat?","a":"Not in humans, on the available evidence. Pooled trial data across more than 900 participants found no significant difference from placebo in fat mass or body weight, and development was stopped for that reason."},{"q":"Why is it still sold if it failed?","a":"Failing an efficacy trial does not remove a compound from the grey market. It gained food-ingredient status in some jurisdictions, which is often quoted as though it were an approval."}],"references":[{"cite":"Pooled analysis of published and unpublished AOD-9604 human trials (900+ participants): no significant difference in fat mass or body weight versus placebo.","where":"Evidence review, 2025","url":"https://www.pepcodex.com/blog/aod9604-human-efficacy","note":"Secondary source summarising the trial programme and its termination for lack of efficacy."}],"last_reviewed":"2026-09-02","literature_searched_to":"2026-09-02","changelog":[{"date":"2026-09-02","note":"Initial publication. Graded D on negative human trials — distinct from D for absence of trials."}],"license":"CC BY 4.0 — cite as “LYO Research” with a link.","methodology":"https://lyoresearch.com/methodology"}