AOD-9604

Chemical & identity

Sequence

YLRIVQCRSVEGSCGF

Length

16 residues

Molecular formula

C78H123N23O23S2

Molecular weight

1815.1 g/mol · PubChem

PubChem CID

71300630 · PubChem

SMILES

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

InChIKey

GVIYUKXRXPXMQM-BPXGDYAESA-N

ChEMBL ID

CHEMBL6068615 · ChEMBL

UniProt

P01241 · UniProt

Category

Metabolic/GLP-1

Chemical/structural fields are auto-pulled and source-linked. ChEMBL data: ChEMBL_36, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Mechanism (curated)

Synthetic C-terminal lipolytic fragment of human growth hormone (residues 176-191); reported to stimulate lipolysis and inhibit lipogenesis without hGH's effects on IGF-1 or glucose. Human anti-obesity efficacy was not established in trials.

Pharmacology & handling

Half-life

Short — small peptide fragment rapidly cleared.

Research

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

  Animal-only

  Kwon DR, Park GY · Annals of clinical and laboratory science · 2015 · Animal study

  This study evaluated intra-articular injections of AOD9604, with or without hyaluronic acid (HA), in a collagenase-induced knee osteoarthritis rabbit model. Thirty-two mature New Zealand white rabbits received collagenase to induce OA, then were treated weekly with saline, HA alone, AOD9604 alone, or AOD9604 combined with HA for 4–7 weeks. Cartilage degeneration and lameness were assessed at 8 weeks. Combined AOD9604 and HA treatment produced significantly lower morphological and histopathological degeneration scores and shorter lameness periods compared to all other groups, including AOD9604 or HA alone.

  PubMed 26275694

• 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.

  Animal-only

  Heffernan M et al. · Endocrinology · 2001 · Animal study

  This animal study in obese mice and beta(3)-AR knock-out mice examined how human GH and AOD9604 (a C-terminal lipolytic fragment of GH) affect lipid metabolism over 14 days of chronic intraperitoneal administration. Both compounds reduced body weight and body fat in wild-type obese mice and increased beta(3)-adrenergic receptor RNA expression in fat cells. In beta(3)-AR knock-out mice, chronic treatment with these compounds did not produce weight loss or increased lipolysis, but acute AOD9604 treatment did increase energy expenditure and fat oxidation. The authors conclude that while both hGH and AOD9604 increase beta(3)-AR expression, their lipolytic actions are not directly mediated through the beta(3)-AR pathway.

  DOIPubMed 11713213

• AOD-9604 Metabolic.

  Animal-only

  Wilding J · Current opinion in investigational drugs (London, England : 2000) · 2004 · Narrative review

  Metabolic was developing AOD-9604 for potential treatment of obesity, with phase IIa trials underway as of February 2002. The abstract does not provide data on efficacy, safety, or mechanism of action.

  PubMed 15134286

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

  Animal-only

  Ng FM et al. · Hormone research · 2000 · Animal study

  A synthetic analogue of the lipolytic domain of human growth hormone (AOD9604) was studied in obese Zucker rats. Daily oral treatment at 500 microg/kg body weight for 19 days reduced body weight gain by over 50% compared to control, increased lipolytic activity in adipose tissue, and showed no adverse effect on insulin sensitivity as measured by euglycemic clamp. The results suggest the compound may have potential as an oral therapeutic for obesity without the adverse insulin effects seen with intact hGH.

  DOIPubMed 11146367

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

  Animal-only

  Heffernan MA et al. · International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders : journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2001 · Animal study

  This study compared the effects of human growth hormone (hGH) and AOD9604, a C-terminal fragment of hGH, in obese and lean mice over 14 days. Both hGH and AOD9604 reduced body weight gain in obese mice and increased fat oxidation and lipolysis (plasma glycerol levels). Unlike hGH, AOD9604 did not cause hyperglycemia or reduce insulin secretion, and in vitro assays showed that AOD9604 does not bind to or activate the hGH receptor or induce cell proliferation. The authors conclude that hGH fragments can reduce body weight and increase fat oxidation through mechanisms independent of the hGH receptor.

  DOIPubMed 11673763

Summaries are our own; we link to originals (PubMed / DOI) and never rehost full text.

Regulatory status

FDA approved

No

WADA prohibited

Yes

Compounding status

Not an approved drug; anti-obesity development was unsuccessful. Sold as a research chemical.

Notes

Not FDA-approved; human anti-obesity trials did not establish efficacy. Prohibited in sport under WADA (growth-hormone fragment / non-approved substance), as of 2026-06-04.

Legal/regulatory status varies by jurisdiction and changes over time — accurate as of last review (2026-06-04).