Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 27, 2026

AOD9604

AOD9604 is an orally active, lipolytic 16-amino acid peptide fragment of human growth hormone and derivative of the C-terminal domain of human growth hormone (HGH). It consists of HGH residues 176–191, with a tyrosine in place of the phenylalanine at the N-terminal end. Initial human trials showed that it retains the lipolytic properties of human growth hormone without stimulating IGF-1 production. However, later studies failed to demonstrate a sufficient lipolytic effect. Its development was terminated in 2007. Despite its limited efficacy, AOD9604 is still banned in athletes and tested for in competition.

Last revised
Jul 27, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
Length
450 w
Citations
10
Source
Wikipedia ↗
AOD9604
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Names
IUPAC name
(2S)-2-[[2-[[(4R,7S,13S,16S,19S,22S,25R)-25-[[(2S)-5-amino-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S,3S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-[[(2S)-2-amino-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoyl]amino]-4-methylpentanoyl]amino]-5-carbamimidamidopentanoyl]amino]-3-methylpentanoyl]amino]-3-methylbutanoyl]amino]-5-oxopentanoyl]amino]-22-(3-carbamimidamidopropyl)-13-(2-carboxyethyl)-7,19-bis(hydroxymethyl)-6,9,12,15,18,21,24-heptaoxo-16-propan-2-yl-1,2-dithia-5,8,11,14,17,20,23-heptazacyclohexacosane-4-carbonyl]amino]acetyl]amino]-3-phenylpropanoic acid
Other names
H-Tyr-Leu-Arg-Ile-Val-Gln-Cys(1)-Arg-Ser-Val-Glu-Gly-Ser-Cys(1)-Gly-Phe-OH
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
Abbreviations YLRIVQCRSVEGSCGF
ChemSpider
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C78H123N23O23S2/c1-9-41(8)62(101-68(115)47(18-14-28-86-78(83)84)91-69(116)50(29-38(2)3)95-63(110)45(79)30-43-19-21-44(104)22-20-43)75(122)100-61(40(6)7)74(121)94-49(23-25-56(80)105)67(114)98-55-37-126-125-36-54(65(112)88-32-57(106)89-51(76(123)124)31-42-15-11-10-12-16-42)97-70(117)52(34-102)90-58(107)33-87-64(111)48(24-26-59(108)109)93-73(120)60(39(4)5)99-71(118)53(35-103)96-66(113)46(92-72(55)119)17-13-27-85-77(81)82/h10-12,15-16,19-22,38-41,45-55,60-62,102-104H,9,13-14,17-18,23-37,79H2,1-8H3,(H2,80,105)(H,87,111)(H,88,112)(H,89,106)(H,90,107)(H,91,116)(H,92,119)(H,93,120)(H,94,121)(H,95,110)(H,96,113)(H,97,117)(H,98,114)(H,99,118)(H,100,122)(H,101,115)(H,108,109)(H,123,124)(H4,81,82,85)(H4,83,84,86)/t41-,45-,46-,47-,48-,49-,50-,51-,52-,53-,54-,55-,60-,61-,62-/m0/s1
    Key: GVIYUKXRXPXMQM-BPXGDYAESA-N
  • CC[C@H](C)[C@@H](C(=O)N[C@@H](C(C)C)C(=O)N[C@@H](CCC(=O)N)C(=O)N[C@H]1CSSC[C@H](NC(=O)[C@@H](NC(=O)CNC(=O)[C@@H](NC(=O)[C@@H](NC(=O)[C@@H](NC(=O)[C@@H](NC1=O)CCCNC(=N)N)CO)C(C)C)CCC(=O)O)CO)C(=O)NCC(=O)N[C@@H](CC2=CC=CC=C2)C(=O)O)NC(=O)[C@H](CCCNC(=N)N)NC(=O)[C@H](CC(C)C)NC(=O)[C@H](CC3=CC=C(C=C3)O)N
Properties
C78H123N23O23S2
Molar mass 1815.10 g·mol−1
Related compounds
Related compounds
 HGH Fragment 176–191
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

AOD9604 is an orally active, lipolytic 16-amino acid peptide fragment of human growth hormone and derivative of the C-terminal domain of human growth hormone (HGH). It consists of HGH residues 176–191, with a tyrosine in place of the phenylalanine at the N-terminal end.1 Initial human trials showed that it retains the lipolytic properties of human growth hormone without stimulating IGF-1 production.2 However, later studies failed to demonstrate a sufficient lipolytic effect. Its development was terminated in 2007.34 Despite its limited efficacy, AOD9604 is still banned in athletes and tested for in competition.567

Mechanism of action

AOD9604 appears to enhance lipolysis in mice by upregulating beta-3 adrenergic receptors. Beta-3 adrenergic receptor knockout mice are unresponsive to the lipolytic effects of AOD9604.1

Clinical data

In a 12 week randomised clinical trial, subjects receiving AOD9604 lost, on average, 1.8 kg more than those receiving placebo.8 Development of AOD9604 was halted following poor efficacy in a later 24 week trial.8

References

References

  1. Heffernan, M.; Summers, R. J.; Thorburn, A.; Ogru, E.; Gianello, R.; Jiang, W. J.; Ng, F. M. (December 2001). "The effects of human GH and its lipolytic fragment (AOD9604) on lipid metabolism following chronic treatment in obese mice and beta(3)-AR knock-out mice". Endocrinology. 142 (12): 5182–5189. doi:10.1210/endo.142.12.8522. ISSN 0013-7227. PMID 11713213.
  2. Stier, Heike; Vos, Evert; Kenley, David (2013-04-23). "Safety and Tolerability of the Hexadecapeptide AOD9604 in Humans". Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism. 3 (1–2): 7–15. doi:10.4021/jem157w. ISSN 1923-287X.
  3. Calzada Limited press release (26 April 2013). "AOD9604 - Important Clarifications" (PDF).
  4. Wallace, Natasha (2013-08-02). "Much ado about nothing: the peptide they say never worked". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2024-08-14.
  5. Thevis, M; Thomas, A; Schänzer, W (2014). "Detecting peptidic drugs, drug candidates and analogs in sports doping: current status and future directions". Expert Rev Proteomics. 11 (6): 663–73. doi:10.1586/14789450.2014.965159. PMID 25382550.
  6. Cox, HD; Smeal, SJ; Hughes, CM; Cox, JE; Eichner, D (Jan 2015). "Detection and in vitro metabolism of AOD9604". Drug Test Anal. 7 (1): 31–8. doi:10.1002/dta.1715. PMID 25208511.
  7. Schänzer, W; Thevis, M (2017). "Human sports drug testing by mass spectrometry". Mass Spectrom Rev. 36 (1): 16–46. doi:10.1002/mas.21479. PMID 26213263.
  8. Valentino, Michael A.; Lin, Jieru E.; Waldman, Scott A. (June 2010). "Central and Peripheral Molecular Targets for Anti-Obesity Pharmacotherapy". Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics. 87 (6): 652–662. doi:10.1038/clpt.2010.57. ISSN 0009-9236. PMC 3136748. PMID 20445536.