CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin UK | The Research (2026)

Last updated 18 September 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.

CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin at a glance

Class	CJC-1295: GHRH analogue (29 amino acids, modified). Ipamorelin: pentapeptide ghrelin receptor agonist
Developed by	CJC-1295: ConjuChem, 2000s. Ipamorelin: Novo Nordisk, 1990s
Highest evidence	CJC-1295: phase I and II human pharmacology studies. Ipamorelin: phase I and a phase II in post-operative ileus (stopped)
Studied for	Growth hormone and IGF-1 release; ipamorelin also gut motility
Format	Lyophilised vial, blend 10mg or ipamorelin 5mg alone
Storage	2 to 8°C unopened, frozen long term, away from light
UK status 2026	Research chemicals; not licensed medicines; WADA S2

What CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin are

They are two different peptides that act on two different receptors and are sold together because the research literature on growth hormone secretagogues combines the two mechanisms. CJC-1295 is a modified analogue of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH), the hypothalamic signal that tells the pituitary to release growth hormone. Ipamorelin is a five-amino-acid peptide that mimics ghrelin at the growth hormone secretagogue receptor, the same receptor the small molecule MK-677 acts on. A GHRH analogue and a ghrelin mimetic act on the pituitary through separate pathways, which is why the pair appears together in the literature.

What the research found

CJC-1295. ConjuChem's phase I and II studies in healthy adults (Teichman and colleagues, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2006) showed that single injections raised growth hormone two to tenfold and IGF-1 1.5 to threefold, with effects lasting six days or more because the drug affinity complex (DAC) version binds to albumin. A later study confirmed the effect on pulsatile growth hormone release. Development stopped after 2006 and there is no efficacy trial for any body composition or ageing endpoint.

Ipamorelin. Raun and colleagues (European Journal of Endocrinology, 1998) characterised it in animals as a selective growth hormone releaser that, unlike earlier secretagogues, did not raise cortisol or prolactin at effective doses. Human phase I work confirmed growth hormone release. A phase II trial in post-operative ileus (gut paralysis after surgery) was run by Helsinn in the 2010s and did not meet its endpoint. There is no human trial for body composition.

The combination. No published study tests CJC-1295 with ipamorelin together in humans; the pairing is a research-market convention based on the two mechanisms being complementary in animal work.

MK-677 comparison. Ipamorelin and MK-677 act on the same receptor; MK-677 is oral and long acting, ipamorelin is injected and short acting. The MK-677 guide sets out the larger human record for the small molecule.

With DAC or without

Two versions of CJC-1295 exist. The original ConjuChem molecule carries a drug affinity complex that binds albumin and extends the half-life to about a week. The version usually sold as research material is CJC-1295 without DAC, also called Modified GRF 1-29, which has a half-life of about 30 minutes and produces a short pulse rather than a sustained rise. The two behave differently on the bench and a product listing should say which one it is. Origin Peptides supplies the no-DAC form in the blend.

Stability, storage and handling

Both peptides are supplied lyophilised in sealed vials. Keep unopened vials at 2 to 8 degrees Celsius or frozen for long storage, away from light. Reconstituted solutions degrade over days to weeks. The certificate should show HPLC purity and mass spectrometry identity for each peptide in a blend.

Legal status in the UK, 2026

Neither peptide is a controlled substance under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Neither is a licensed medicine, so neither can be sold or advertised for human use in the UK; both are supplied strictly for laboratory research. Both are prohibited at all times in sport under WADA section S2 (growth hormone releasing factors and secretagogues are listed by name).

What to check before buying

Which form of CJC-1295 (with or without DAC), milligrams per vial for each peptide in a blend, HPLC purity, mass spectrometry identity, a batch number matching the certificate, and cold-chain shipping. 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

Are CJC-1295 and ipamorelin the same thing?

No. CJC-1295 is a GHRH analogue; ipamorelin is a ghrelin receptor agonist. They act on different receptors.

What does DAC mean?

Drug affinity complex, a modification that binds the peptide to albumin and extends its half-life from minutes to days. Research material is usually the no-DAC form.

How does ipamorelin compare with MK-677?

Same receptor. MK-677 is an oral small molecule with a 24-hour half-life and a much larger human trial record; ipamorelin is an injected peptide with a short half-life.

Are they legal in the UK?

Legal to buy and possess as research compounds; not lawful to sell or advertise for human consumption; banned in sport.

Key references

Teichman SL, Neale A, Lawrence B, Gagnon C, Castaigne JP, Frohman LA. 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. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2006;91(3):799-805. Raun K, Hansen BS, Johansen NL, et al. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. European Journal of Endocrinology. 1998;139(5):552-561. World Anti-Doping Agency. Prohibited List 2026, section S2.

This guide summarises published research and is for laboratory reference only. Products are not for human consumption.

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CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin UK: what the research says in 2026