Last updated 2 October 2026 · SARMs Store editorial team. Products on this site are supplied strictly for laboratory research and are not for human consumption. This guide summarises published research; it is not medical advice and contains no instructions for use. 18+ only.
AOD-9604 at a glance
| Class | Modified C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone (Tyr-hGH 177-191), 16 amino acids with a disulfide bridge |
|---|---|
| Developed by | Monash University research, then Metabolic Pharmaceuticals, Melbourne, 1990s to 2007 |
| Highest evidence | Phase IIb trial completed 2007, no meaningful difference from placebo on weight |
| Studied for | Lipid metabolism without the growth or glucose effects of growth hormone; later cartilage in animal models |
| CAS number | 221231-10-3 |
| Format | Lyophilised powder in a sealed vial |
| UK status 2026 | Research chemical; not licensed as a medicine; named under WADA S2 |
What AOD-9604 is
Growth hormone has two broad sets of effects: it promotes growth and raises IGF-1, and it breaks down fat. In the 1990s researchers at Monash University in Melbourne found that a small piece from the end of the growth hormone molecule seemed to carry much of the fat metabolism activity without the growth effects or the rise in blood glucose. AOD-9604, short for anti obesity drug 9604, is that fragment with a tyrosine added to the start to stabilise it. Because residue 176 of growth hormone is itself tyrosine, the result is essentially the same sequence as HGH Fragment 176-191.
What the research found
Animal studies. Heffernan and colleagues reported in Endocrinology in 2001 that AOD-9604 reduced body weight gain and fat in obese mice and increased fat breakdown in isolated fat tissue, without changing IGF-1 or insulin sensitivity. That selectivity was the basis for the clinical programme.
Human trials. Early phase trials suggested the peptide was well tolerated, with a safety profile similar to placebo. The larger phase IIb trial completed in 2007, in roughly 500 people over 24 weeks, did not show a meaningful difference in weight loss compared with placebo, and Metabolic Pharmaceuticals stopped development for obesity.
Cartilage. Later work moved to joints. Kwon and Park reported in Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science in 2015 on AOD-9604 injected into the knee in a rabbit model of osteoarthritis, alone and with hyaluronic acid, examining cartilage and lameness scores. This remains animal research.
What is missing. Any positive efficacy result in a controlled human trial, any licence as a medicine, and human data on joints. The evidence that does exist in humans is mainly about safety and tolerability.
Stability, storage and handling
Lyophilised AOD-9604 is stable in transit. Sealed vials should be refrigerated at 2 to 8C and protected from light, or kept at -20C for longer storage. The disulfide bridge between the two cysteines is part of the intended structure, so the certificate should show HPLC purity and a mass spectrometry identity consistent with a molecular weight of about 1,815 g/mol.
Legal status in the UK, 2026
Not a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. AOD-9604 is not licensed as a medicine in the UK, so it cannot be sold or advertised for human use and is supplied strictly for laboratory research. Growth hormone fragments, with AOD-9604 and hGH 176-191 named, are prohibited at all times under section S2 of the WADA Prohibited List.
What to check before buying
Milligram content per vial, HPLC purity, mass spectrometry identity and a batch number that matches the certificate. Every Origin Peptides batch is independently tested and its certificate of analysis is published on the product page and the Lab Testing page.
Frequently asked questions
Is AOD-9604 the same as AOD9604 and AOD 9604?
Yes. They are spellings of the same compound, Tyr-hGH 177-191, developed by Metabolic Pharmaceuticals.
Did AOD-9604 work in human trials?
Early trials found it well tolerated, but the larger phase IIb trial completed in 2007 did not show a meaningful difference in weight loss compared with placebo, and development for obesity was stopped.
What is the difference between AOD-9604 and HGH Fragment 176-191?
The sequences are essentially the same, because adding tyrosine to residues 177-191 reproduces residue 176. The published human trial data relate specifically to AOD-9604.
Does AOD-9604 raise IGF-1?
The published studies reported that it did not raise IGF-1 or affect blood glucose, which was the point of developing a fragment rather than using growth hormone.
Is AOD-9604 legal in the UK?
Legal to buy and possess as a research compound; not lawful to sell or advertise for human use. It is named under WADA section S2 and prohibited at all times in sport.
Key references
Heffernan M, Summers RJ, Thorburn A, et al. The effects of human GH and its lipolytic fragment (AOD9604) on lipid metabolism following chronic treatment in obese mice and beta3-AR knock-out mice. Endocrinology. 2001;142(12):5182-5189. Ng FM, Sun J, Sharma L, et al. Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormone. Hormone Research. 2000;53(6):274-278. Kwon DR, Park GY. Effect of intra-articular injection of AOD9604 with or without hyaluronic acid in rabbit osteoarthritis model. Annals of Clinical and Laboratory Science. 2015;45(4):426-432.
Related guides
- HGH Fragment 176-191 research guide
- Tesamorelin research guide
- 5-Amino-1MQ research guide
- How to read a certificate of analysis
Research products: Origin Peptides AOD-9604 5mg · Full Origin Peptides range · Lab Testing