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CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin: Two Receptors, and What “Without DAC” Means

A research overview of the CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin blend: the GHRH analog and selective GH secretagogue, what published research examined, and lab handling. For research use only.

Evidence at a glance

Components studied separately

Each component has its own literature, including early human pharmacokinetic work on CJC-1295. The blend as sold has not been studied as a combination.

Why researchers are interested

The two act on different receptors, GHRH and ghrelin, so they raise growth hormone by separate routes. Pairing complementary mechanisms is the rationale for the blend, and ipamorelin was picked specifically for raising growth hormone without dragging cortisol and prolactin up with it.

What the research found

  • Sustained GH and IGF-1 increaseCJC-1295 raised growth hormone several fold and IGF-1 for days after a single dose (Teichman, 2006)
  • Selective GH releaseIpamorelin raised growth hormone without the cortisol or prolactin rise seen with earlier secretagogues (Raun, 1998)
  • Natural pulsatility retainedBoth act upstream of the pituitary, so release follows the body's own pulse pattern

Reported in the literature

  • Injection site reactions and flushing were reported in the early CJC-1295 human study.
  • No published trial has studied the two peptides given together, so the combination has no safety data of its own.
  • Neither component is approved, and there is no long term human safety data for either.
  • Growth hormone secretagogues are prohibited in competitive sport under the WADA Prohibited List.

Findings are summarised from the sources listed under References on this page, and from approved product labelling where a compound has one. These are outcomes observed in published studies, not effects claimed for any person, and nothing here is a recommendation for human use.

All research guides

The CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin blend pairs two compounds that both end up studied in relation to growth-hormone release but arrive there through different receptors. That is the entire reason they are combined, and it is the thing most descriptions of this blend leave out. This guide covers what is in the vial, the two receptor pathways, what the “without DAC” in the name means, and what the literature actually examined. It is written for researchers and is not medical guidance.

Research-use note: this blend is supplied strictly for laboratory research. It is not an approved drug or supplement and is not for human or animal consumption.

What is in the vial

  • CJC-1295 (without DAC) — a synthetic analogue of growth-hormone-releasing hormone, studied for activity at the GHRH receptor. Also referred to in the literature as modified GRF(1-29).
  • Ipamorelin — a selective growth-hormone secretagogue acting at the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R). CAS 170851-70-4, PubChem CID 9831659, C38H49N9O5, 711.9 g/mol (verified 2 October 2026).

Note that only ipamorelin carries a CAS on the specification. CJC-1295 is identified by name rather than registry number, which is worth knowing if you need to look the material up independently.

What “without DAC” means

DAC stands for Drug Affinity Complex — a chemical modification that binds the peptide to serum albumin and dramatically extends how long it persists in circulation, from minutes to days.

CJC-1295 without DAC lacks that modification. It is the short-acting form, cleared quickly, which is why the literature treats it as producing a brief pulse of GHRH-receptor activity rather than a sustained elevation. The DAC and no-DAC forms are therefore not interchangeable in an experiment: they differ in duration by orders of magnitude, and a protocol written for one will not describe the other.

If a specification simply says “CJC-1295” with no qualifier, that ambiguity is worth resolving before anything is measured.

Two receptors, not one pathway

Growth-hormone release from the pituitary is regulated through more than one input, and these two compounds engage different ones.

CJC-1295 (no DAC) Ipamorelin
Receptor GHRH receptor Ghrelin receptor (GHS-R)
Class Releasing-hormone analogue Growth-hormone secretagogue
Native ligand it mimics GHRH Ghrelin
Selectivity note GHRH-receptor directed Characterised as the first selective secretagogue

Because the two inputs are separate, they are studied together to look at both arms of the regulation in one model rather than to make one effect larger. Downstream, both are examined for their influence on growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in study models.

The selectivity point about ipamorelin matters: earlier secretagogues acted across several receptors, and ipamorelin was characterised as the first that did not, which is why it became the reference compound of its class.

For a releasing-hormone analogue on its own, see our tesamorelin research guide — tesamorelin acts at the same GHRH receptor as CJC-1295, not the ghrelin receptor.

What the research examined

  • Teichman et al. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006) — examined prolonged stimulation of growth hormone and IGF-1 secretion by CJC-1295 in healthy adults.
  • Raun et al. (European Journal of Endocrinology, 1998) — characterised ipamorelin as the first selective growth-hormone secretagogue.

These findings belong to the published research record and do not represent approved or validated uses of the research compounds supplied here.

What a blend costs you

Both components are reconstituted together and cannot be varied independently, so no result can be attributed to either receptor pathway on its own. A study designed to separate the GHRH arm from the secretagogue arm needs the single compounds.

Form, reconstitution and storage

Supplied as a lyophilized powder. Standard laboratory practice is to reconstitute with bacteriostatic water, swirl rather than shake until dissolved, and store the reconstituted solution refrigerated at 2–8 °C. The sealed vial is kept frozen and protected from light, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles are avoided. See how to reconstitute peptides.

(General lab-handling notes, not usage instructions.)

For research use only

All products and information referenced here are intended strictly for laboratory and scientific research use only. They are not for human or animal consumption and are not drugs, foods, supplements, or medical devices. Nothing here should be interpreted as medical advice, and no outcome in a person is described, implied or promised. Products are supplied against a stated purity specification.

Explore this blend and related research peptides

Common questions about CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin

What does "no DAC" mean?

DAC (Drug Affinity Complex) is a chemical addition that lets CJC-1295 bind albumin in the blood and last much longer. CJC-1295 without DAC lacks it and is the shorter-acting form. The 2006 Teichman study cited in this guide examined the DAC version.

Why are CJC-1295 and ipamorelin combined?

They act on different receptors in growth-hormone regulation: CJC-1295 at the GHRH receptor, ipamorelin at the ghrelin (GH secretagogue) receptor. Researchers pair them to study both pathways together.

How does this blend compare with tesamorelin?

Tesamorelin is a single GHRH analog. This blend adds a second, ghrelin-receptor pathway.

References

  1. Teichman SL, et al. Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006. PubMed
  2. Raun K, et al. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol. 1998. PubMed
  3. Compound identity verified against the PubChem database, retrieved 2 October 2026. PubChem