Tesamorelin is a stabilised 44-amino-acid analogue of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH).

Is tesamorelin the same as CJC-1295?

No. Both act at the GHRH receptor, but tesamorelin keeps all 44 amino acids while CJC-1295 is based on the first 29.

Is tesamorelin approved in Australia?

No. It was approved in the US in 2010 but is not approved in Australia.

What is the half-life of tesamorelin?

Published figures put it at roughly 26 to 38 minutes.

What Is Tesamorelin? The Full-Length GHRH Analogue Explained

Tesamorelin is a stabilised version of the body's full 44-amino-acid growth hormone releasing hormone, and the only GHRH analogue approved as a medicine in the US. Here is how it works and how it compares.

AussiePeptides Research Team 28 October 2026 2 min read

Tesamorelin at a glance

Tesamorelin is a synthetic version of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), the hypothalamic hormone that signals the pituitary to release growth hormone. Unlike CJC-1295, which uses only the first 29 amino acids, tesamorelin keeps the full 44-amino-acid sequence and adds a small chemical group at the start to protect it.

Type: GHRH analogue
Length: 44 amino acids
Modification: trans-3-hexenoyl group
Half-life: About 26 to 38 minutes
Developer: Theratechnologies

How it is built

Natural GHRH is cut apart quickly by the enzyme DPP-4 at its second amino acid. Tesamorelin adds a trans-3-hexenoyl group to the first amino acid, which blocks that cut while leaving the rest of the hormone unchanged. The result acts at the same GHRH receptor as the natural hormone.

Length compared (amino acids)

Natural GHRH44
Tesamorelin44
CJC-1295 / Mod GRF29
Ipamorelin5

Tesamorelin vs CJC-1295

	Tesamorelin	CJC-1295 No DAC	CJC-1295 DAC
Based on	Full GHRH (1-44)	GHRH 1-29	GHRH 1-29
Protection	N-terminal group	4 swapped amino acids	Swaps + albumin binding
Half-life	~30 min	~30 min	~6 to 8 days
Approved medicine	Yes (US, 2010)	No	No

More detail in what is CJC-1295 and the GH-axis comparison.

Regulatory history

2000sDeveloped by Theratechnologies in Canada.
2010US FDA approves tesamorelin (Egrifta) for a specific abdominal fat condition in people with HIV.
TodayNot approved in Australia. Research-grade tesamorelin is supplied for laboratory use.

Research-grade tesamorelin

We stock tesamorelin in 10mg and 20mg vials, ≥99% pure with a verified COA. It is reconstituted like other peptides.