Study wrapper · #251
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.
Editor's note
This is the pivotal human trial for CJC-1295 and the strongest single piece of evidence in its record — reflected in its high relevance rating. Two randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind ascending-dose studies in healthy adults aged 21–61 established the peptide's core pharmacology: a single subcutaneous injection raised mean GH 2- to 10-fold for six or more days and IGF-1 1.5- to 3-fold for 9–11 days, with an estimated half-life of 5.8–8.1 days and cumulative IGF-1 elevation after repeat dosing. The abstract reports no serious adverse reactions and describes the peptide as relatively well tolerated, particularly at 30–60 µg/kg. This is genuine proof-of-concept pharmacology, not a mere mention. But its reach is precise: it demonstrates durable GH/IGF-1 elevation and defines pharmacokinetics — it does not measure body composition, athletic performance, or any disease outcome, and the sample is small and short-term. It anchors what we can say confidently about CJC-1295 (it durably raises GH and IGF-1 in humans) and marks the boundary beyond which claims become unsupported.
Plain-language abstract
This is the main human study of CJC-1295. Natural growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone (GH), but it breaks down within minutes, limiting its use as a medicine. CJC-1295 is a long-acting version designed to overcome that. In two randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials, healthy adults aged 21 to 61 received CJC-1295 or a dummy injection under the skin, either as a single dose or as repeated weekly or every-other-week doses, and were followed for 28 or 49 days. The researchers measured GH, IGF-1 (a marker of GH activity), and how the drug moved through the body. A single injection raised average GH levels 2- to 10-fold for six days or more, and IGF-1 levels 1.5- to 3-fold for 9 to 11 days. The drug's half-life was estimated at about 6 to 8 days. With repeated dosing, IGF-1 stayed above starting levels for up to 28 days, and effects built up over time. No serious adverse reactions were reported, and the drug was described as relatively well tolerated, especially at the 30 and 60 micrograms-per-kilogram doses. The study measured hormone levels and drug behaviour only — not body composition, performance, or any disease outcome — and was small and short-term.