Key papers ✓ 4? 1

• ? Inconclusive reviewSports Med · 2026

  Safety and Efficacy of Approved and Unapproved Peptide Therapies for Musculoskeletal Injuries and Athletic Performance.

  No new data

  Narrative review of approved and unapproved peptides including sermorelin

  Narrative review of gray-market peptides including AOD-9604: favorable animal results for many such peptides, but rigorous human safety data are scarce and there is potential for harm.

  Study details

  Authors' conclusion

  Many unapproved peptides show favorable tissue repair and metabolic outcomes in animal models, but rigorous human safety data are scarce and there is potential for serious harm to patients.

  Limitations

  Covers twelve peptides, not sermorelin alone; no original data.

  DOI 10.1007/s40279-026-02437-0PubMed 41966639
• ✓ Positive animalInt J Obes Relat Metab Disord · 2001

  Increase of fat oxidation and weight loss in obese mice caused by chronic treatment with human growth hormone or a modified C-terminal fragment.

  Humans + animals14 days

  14-day mini-pump infusion of hGH, AOD9604 or saline, plus in vitro binding assays

  In obese mice, 14 days of AOD-9604 reduced body weight gain and increased fat oxidation and lipolysis like hGH, but without causing high blood sugar; it did not bind the GH receptor or drive cell proliferation.

  Study details

  Studied

  Obese (ob/ob) and lean C57BL/6J mice; hGH-receptor-transfected BaF-BO3 cells

  Compared with

  Saline

  Main outcome

  Body weight gain, fat oxidation, glycaemia

  Authors' conclusion

  Both hGH and its C-terminal fragment reduced weight gain, increased fat oxidation and stimulated lipolysis in obese mice, yet AOD9604 does not interact with the hGH receptor.

  Limitations

  Mouse study of AOD9604, a modified fragment rather than native 176-191.

  DOI 10.1038/sj.ijo.0801740PubMed 11673763
• ✓ Positive animalHorm Res · 2000

  Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormone.

  Animalssize not reported19 days

  Daily oral AOD9604 500 microg/kg, with euglycemic clamp

  In obese Zucker rats, 19 days of oral AOD-9604 cut body weight gain by over 50% vs controls without impairing insulin sensitivity.

  Key resultBody weight gain was reduced by over 50% (15.8 +/- 0.6 vs. 35.6 +/- 0.8 g) versus control

  Study details

  Studied

  Obese Zucker rats

  Compared with

  Control (and intact hGH)

  Main outcome

  Body weight gain, adipose lipolytic activity, insulin sensitivity

  Authors' conclusion

  The hGH lipolytic-domain analogue may have potential to be developed into an orally usable and safe obesity therapeutic; it showed no adverse effect on insulin sensitivity.

  Limitations

  Rat study.

  DOI 10.1159/000053183PubMed 11146367
• ✓ Positive animalEndocrinology · 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.

  Animalssize not reported14 days

  Chronic intraperitoneal administration

  In obese mice, 14 days of AOD-9604 reduced body weight and fat and restored beta-3 adrenergic receptor expression; the effect on weight was lost in beta-3 receptor knockout mice.

  Study details

  Studied

  Obese mice and beta(3)-adrenergic receptor knock-out mice

  Compared with

  Lean mice; wild-type controls

  Main outcome

  Body weight, body fat, lipolysis and beta(3)-AR RNA expression

  Authors' conclusion

  hGH and AOD9604 reduced body weight and fat and raised beta(3)-AR expression in obese mice, but their lipolytic actions are not mediated directly through beta(3)-AR.

  Limitations

  Mouse study.

  DOI 10.1210/endo.142.12.8522PubMed 11713213
• ✓ Positive animalAnn Clin Lab Sci · 2015

  Effect of Intra-articular Injection of AOD9604 with or without Hyaluronic Acid in Rabbit Osteoarthritis Model.

  Animals32 animalsRandomized4-7 weeks of injections, assessed at 8 weeks

  Randomized weekly intra-articular injections: saline, hyaluronic acid, AOD9604, or both

  In 32 rabbits with induced knee osteoarthritis, joint injections of AOD-9604 reduced cartilage damage and lameness vs saline, and worked best combined with hyaluronic acid.

  Study details

  Studied

  Rabbits with collagenase-induced knee osteoarthritis

  Compared with

  Saline

  Main outcome

  Cartilage morphology and histology, lameness

  Sample

  32 rabbits in four groups

  Authors' conclusion

  AOD9604 injections enhanced cartilage regeneration; AOD9604 with hyaluronic acid was more effective than either alone in this model.

  Limitations

  Rabbit study of AOD9604, a modified fragment, not native 176-191.

  PubMed 26275694

Reported side effects

No human safety data appear in the published abstracts reviewed; the compound is banned in sport by WADA.

✓ positive · ✗ negative · ~ mixed · ? inconclusive, judged on each paper's own main outcome. Grades: A strong human evidence → D little or none. Papers and verdicts are drawn from PubMed, Europe PMC and Russian journals (CyberLeninka); not medical advice.