AOD-9604: what the evidence shows

What the human research shows

The most useful compound on this site, for a reason that has nothing to do with what it does. AOD-9604 is the rare grey-market peptide with real human trials behind it — and they were negative. When someone says "there just aren't studies yet," this is the counter-example: sometimes there are studies, and that is why the drug is not on the market.

Outcome	Grade	Effect size	Human studies	Where the evidence comes from
Fat mass reduction	DNo human evidence	Not measurable	Pooled trials, 900+ participants	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.1
Body weight	DNo human evidence	Not measurable	Pooled trials	No significant difference from placebo.1
Osteoarthritis / cartilage	DNo human evidence	Not measurable	None conclusive	A later development direction; no positive controlled human result.
Safety in humansadverse	CWeak	Not measurable	Trial programme	Generally well tolerated in the trials — which is the one thing a failed efficacy programme does establish.

AMultiple good human trials, consistentBSome human trials, mostly consistentCFew or weak human studiesDAnimal or anecdotal onlyeffect size · red = adverse

Literature searched to 2 September 2026. Human studies only; animal and cell work informs the mechanism section and nothing else.

What it is

Human growth hormone has a region — amino acids 176 to 191 — associated with fat breakdown. AOD-9604 is that fragment, isolated on the theory that it would produce growth hormone's fat-loss effect without the growth-promoting effects. Metabolic Pharmaceuticals in Australia developed it through phase 2 as an anti-obesity drug.

It has since been marketed as a food ingredient in some jurisdictions and appears in supplements, which is a regulatory status rather than an efficacy claim.

How it is thought to work

In animal and cell models it stimulates lipolysis and inhibits fat formation without affecting IGF-1 or blood glucose. The mechanism was attractive precisely because it appeared to separate the useful part of growth hormone from the rest. In humans it did not produce the outcome.

What is still unknown

Little. This is one of the few peptides where the important question was asked and answered.

Regulatory status

European Union

Not authorised as a medicine

No marketing authorisation for any indication.

United States

Not approved as a drug

Has appeared as a supplement ingredient; not an approved medicine.

Sport (WADA)

Prohibited

Growth-hormone fragments are covered by the S2 class.

Canada

Not authorised

No Health Canada authorisation.

Questions people actually ask

Does AOD-9604 burn fat?

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.

Why is it still sold if it failed?

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

1
Pooled analysis of published and unpublished AOD-9604 human trials (900+ participants): no significant difference in fat mass or body weight versus placebo.Evidence review, 2025Secondary source summarising the trial programme and its termination for lack of efficacy.

Change log

2026-09-02Initial publication. Graded D on negative human trials — distinct from D for absence of trials.