CJC-1295 with DAC is a lab-made version of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) built to bind to albumin in the blood, so a single injection lasts for days.[1] In healthy adults it raised growth hormone and IGF-1 for a week or more, with a half-life of 5.8 to 8.1 days.[2] Its developer stopped work on it in 2006 after a trial participant died, and it has never been FDA-approved.[4]
This profile covers how CJC-1295 with DAC works, how it differs from the version without DAC, what human studies found, side effects, doses studied and the regulatory picture.
What is CJC-1295 with DAC?
CJC-1295 is the first 29 amino acids of GHRH with four amino acids swapped for stability. The “DAC” (Drug Affinity Complex) is a chemical attachment at one end that latches onto albumin, the most common protein in blood.[1][4] Canadian company ConjuChem developed it and tested it in people in the mid-2000s.[2][7]
FDA notes that sellers use at least nine different names for five related substances, which makes it hard to know which form is in a vial.[4]
How CJC-1295 with DAC works
GHRH signals the pituitary gland to release growth hormone, which in turn raises IGF-1. Natural GHRH lasts only minutes. By binding to albumin, CJC-1295 with DAC stays in circulation for days.[1][2]
In rats, it was still in the blood after 72 hours and released four times more growth hormone over two hours than the unmodified peptide.[1] In mice unable to make their own GHRH, daily injections restored normal growth.[14]
CJC-1295 with DAC vs without DAC
| With DAC | Without DAC (“mod GRF 1-29”) | |
|---|---|---|
| Half-life in humans | 5.8 to 8.1 days[2] | Never measured[11] |
| Published human studies | Three, in 63 healthy adults[4] | None[11] |
| How growth hormone rises | Sustained rise, natural pulses preserved[3] | Unknown in humans |
| First appeared | Developed as a drug in the 2000s[2] | Found in a 2009 Norwegian seizure[12] |
For the version without DAC and the popular pairing with ipamorelin, see our CJC-1295 + ipamorelin guide.
Benefits: what the research shows
- Raises growth hormone and IGF-1 for days. One injection raised growth hormone 2- to 10-fold for at least 6 days and IGF-1 1.5- to 3-fold for 9 to 11 days. With repeated doses, IGF-1 stayed above baseline for up to 28 days.[2]
- Keeps natural rhythms. In 12 healthy men, growth hormone kept its normal overnight pulses; trough levels rose 7.5-fold and IGF-1 rose 45%.[3]
- No proven health benefits. FDA found no studies of any form of CJC-1295 in people with a disease or condition.[4] The one trial in patients, for HIV-related belly fat, was stopped and never published.[9]
Side effects and safety
In FDA’s summary of the human studies, nearly all participants on CJC-1295 had at least one side effect (94% vs 29% on placebo in the first study):[4]
- Injection-site reactions in about 70%, including short-lived hive-like rashes in almost 30%
- Headache in 63% (vs 14% on placebo)
- Diarrhea in 43%
- Flushing, warmth and a temporary drop in blood pressure in 30%; in the second study, flushing in 40% at low doses and 100% at high doses
- A dose-dependent rise in heart rate[4]
Side effects were more common at 125 and 250 mcg/kg. IGF-1 rose above the normal range only at 250 mcg/kg.[4] FDA lists increased heart rate and widespread blood vessel dilation among its safety concerns.[6]
The 2006 trial death
In a phase 2 trial for HIV-associated belly fat, a participant had chest pain about two hours after his 11th weekly dose and died of a heart attack an hour later. The treating physician thought undiagnosed coronary artery disease was the most likely cause, and ConjuChem said there was no prior evidence of heart toxicity.[7] The company stopped the trial, and the data were never published.[4][8] No link to the drug was established.
CJC-1295 with DAC dosage: what has been studied
| Study | Doses |
|---|---|
| Ascending-dose trials in healthy adults | 30 to 250 mcg per kg; repeated doses every 7 or 14 days[4] |
| Pulsatility study | Single dose of 60 or 90 mcg per kg[3] |
| HIV trial (stopped) | Weekly doses escalated to 120 or 240 mcg per kg[8] |
The study authors described doses of 30 or 60 mcg/kg as relatively well tolerated.[2] No dose has been approved for any use. For converting milligrams to syringe units, see our peptide calculator.
Is CJC-1295 with DAC FDA approved or legal?
- Not FDA-approved, and development stopped in 2006.[4]
- Not for compounding: in December 2024, FDA’s compounding advisory committee voted 0 to 13 against adding CJC-1295 with DAC (and 0 to 13 against the version without DAC) to the list of substances compounding pharmacies may use.[5]
- FDA safety list: CJC-1295 was previously listed among substances that may present significant safety risks; its nomination was later withdrawn.[6]
- Banned in sport by WADA at all times as a GHRH analog.[10]
This is general information, not legal advice.
CJC-1295 vs tesamorelin and sermorelin
All three are GHRH analogs. Tesamorelin is the only one currently FDA-approved, for excess belly fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.[13] Sermorelin is a shorter-acting analog that was once FDA-approved. CJC-1295 with DAC lasts far longer than either, but it is the only one of the three never approved.