Tesamorelin is a lab-made version of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) with one small chemical change, and it is one of the few research peptides with a full clinical-trial record behind it. It is also a Canadian story: Montreal’s Theratechnologies developed it, and Health Canada approved it in 2014.
This guide explains what tesamorelin is, what the trials actually measured, how it differs from sermorelin and CJC-1295, and what to check before ordering research-grade tesamorelin in Canada.
The short answer
- Tesamorelin is the full 44-amino-acid sequence of human GHRH with a trans-3-hexenoyl group added to its first residue to slow its breakdown.
- It acts on the GHRH receptor in the pituitary, so it prompts the body’s own growth hormone release rather than supplying growth hormone directly.
- In a 412-patient phase 3 trial published in 2007, visceral fat fell 15.2% over 26 weeks with tesamorelin and rose 5.0% with placebo, in people with HIV-associated abdominal fat.
- It is approved as Egrifta (US FDA 2010, Health Canada 2014) for that single indication. Research-grade tesamorelin is a laboratory reagent, not the drug product.
- Like every GHRH analogue, it is prohibited at all times in sport.
Tesamorelin
N-(trans-3-hexenoyl)-hGRF(1–44) amide. Developed as TH9507; marketed as Egrifta.
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Blue bead: the added hexenoyl group. Outlined beads: residues 30–44, which sermorelin and CJC-1295 leave out.
- Class
- GHRH analogue
- Length
- 44 amino acids plus an N-terminal hexenoyl group
- Developer
- Theratechnologies, Montreal
- Approved as
- Egrifta: US FDA 2010, Health Canada 2014, for excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy
- Research themes
- Visceral and liver fat, the GH/IGF-1 axis
Where the evidence stands
- Cell studies
- Animal studies
- Human studies
- Controlled clinical trials
The trials studied one patient population. They do not establish effects outside it.
What tesamorelin is
Growth hormone is released from the pituitary in pulses, and the main signal that turns those pulses up is GHRH, a 44-amino-acid hormone made in the hypothalamus. Native GHRH is short-lived in circulation: enzymes called DPP-4 clip its first two residues, which inactivates it.
Tesamorelin keeps all 44 natural residues and adds a trans-3-hexenoyl group to the front of the chain. That small cap protects the vulnerable N-terminus, so the molecule lasts longer while still binding the same GHRH receptor. Because it works upstream, at the pituitary, the growth hormone it releases remains subject to the body’s normal brakes, somatostatin and feedback from IGF-1.
A Montreal invention
Tesamorelin was developed by Theratechnologies, a Montreal biopharmaceutical company, under the code name TH9507. Its pivotal phase 3 trial enrolled patients in the United States and Canada. The US Food and Drug Administration approved it in November 2010 as Egrifta, and Health Canada issued a notice of compliance in April 2014.
The approved indication is narrow: reducing excess abdominal fat in people living with HIV who have lipodystrophy, a fat-redistribution problem associated with antiretroviral therapy. Egrifta is a prescription medicine. The research-grade tesamorelin sold by laboratory suppliers, including us, is a separate reagent and not the approved drug.
What the trials found
The first phase 3 trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007, randomized 412 people with HIV and abdominal fat accumulation to tesamorelin or placebo for 26 weeks. Visceral fat, measured by CT scan, fell 15.2% in the tesamorelin group and rose 5.0% with placebo. Triglycerides dropped by 50 mg/dL versus a 9 mg/dL rise with placebo, IGF-1 rose 81%, and fat under the skin barely changed. Adverse event rates were similar between groups, though more tesamorelin patients withdrew because of one.
A second phase 3 trial, run largely in Europe, produced similar results. Later work, including a 2014 trial in JAMA, looked at liver fat in the same population and reported reductions there too.
Research-grade tesamorelin with a batch-matched COA.
View tesamorelinWhat is still open
Reasonably well established
- Tesamorelin raises growth hormone and IGF-1 through the GHRH receptor.
- In people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy, it reduced visceral fat in two phase 3 trials.
- It is an approved medicine for that indication in Canada and the US.
Open questions
- How results translate to populations outside the trials.
- Long-term outcomes beyond the trial periods.
- How it compares head to head with other GHRH analogues, which has barely been studied.
Tesamorelin vs sermorelin vs CJC-1295
All three are GHRH analogues acting on the same receptor. They differ in length, in how they were engineered and in their regulatory history.
| Feature | Tesamorelin | Sermorelin | CJC-1295 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 44 residues | 29 residues | 29 residues |
| Modification | N-terminal hexenoyl group | None | Four substitutions; DAC version also binds albumin |
| Duration | Longer than native GHRH | Short | Short without DAC; days with DAC |
| Regulatory history | Approved as Egrifta (US 2010, Canada 2014) | Approved as Geref in the US (1990, 1997); withdrawn 2008 | Never approved |
| Developer | Theratechnologies, Montreal | Serono | ConjuChem, Canada |
For the fragment that started it all, read our sermorelin research guide. For long-acting CJC-1295 and its usual partner, see CJC-1295 vs ipamorelin.
TesamorelinThe 44-residue GHRH analogueView product and COA
Tesa + Ipa blendGHRH analogue with a ghrelin mimeticView product and COA
Tesa + Ipa + CJCThree secretagogues in one vialView product and COA
SermorelinGHRH(1–29), the original fragmentView product and COA
Sourcing tesamorelin in Canada
Tesamorelin is a long peptide, which makes identity and purity testing more important, not less. Before ordering from any supplier, check that:
- The mass matches. Tesamorelin weighs just over 5,100 g/mol, far heavier than sermorelin or CJC-1295, so mass spectrometry tells them apart easily. See the HPLC testing guide.
- The COA is batch-specific. The lot number on the report should match the lot on your vial. How to read a certificate of analysis walks through the details.
- Purity is measured, not assumed. Longer sequences carry more room for synthesis errors. Purity versus net peptide content explains the numbers.
- Storage is cold, dry and dark. Our peptide storage guide covers lyophilized peptides.
Athletes should note that the World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2026 Prohibited List names tesamorelin among the GHRH analogues banned at all times, and Canadian athletes are tested under the Canadian Anti-Doping Program, which applies that list.
Research use only. Tesamorelin from Pure Peptides Canada is a laboratory reagent, not the prescription drug Egrifta. It is not for human or veterinary use, and nothing in this article is dosing or medical guidance.
Frequently asked questions
What is tesamorelin?
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It contains all 44 amino acids of human GHRH plus a trans-3-hexenoyl group that slows its breakdown, and it acts on the pituitary GHRH receptor to increase the body’s own growth hormone release.
Is tesamorelin approved in Canada?
Yes, as the prescription medicine Egrifta, which Health Canada approved in 2014 for excess abdominal fat in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Research-grade tesamorelin sold by Pure Peptides Canada is a laboratory reagent, not that drug, and is not for human use.
Who developed tesamorelin?
Theratechnologies, a biopharmaceutical company based in Montreal, developed tesamorelin under the code name TH9507.
What is the difference between tesamorelin and sermorelin?
Sermorelin is the first 29 amino acids of GHRH with no modification. Tesamorelin keeps all 44 amino acids and adds a hexenoyl group that protects it from enzymatic breakdown. Both act on the same receptor.
What is the difference between tesamorelin and CJC-1295?
CJC-1295 is a 29-amino-acid GHRH fragment with four substitutions, sometimes with an albumin-binding group (DAC) that extends its activity to days. Tesamorelin is the full 44-amino-acid hormone with a single N-terminal modification, and it is the only one of the two approved as a medicine.
Is tesamorelin banned in sport?
Yes. The World Anti-Doping Agency’s 2026 Prohibited List bans GHRH analogues, including tesamorelin, at all times.
Research-grade tesamorelin, tested batch by batch
Lyophilized tesamorelin with an independent COA for every batch, tracked delivery across Canada and pricing in Canadian dollars.
References
- Falutz J, et al. Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in patients with HIV. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(23):2359–2370. DOI
- Stanley TL, et al. Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2014.
- Theratechnologies. Health Canada approves EGRIFTA (tesamorelin for injection). April 30, 2014. News release
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List, section S2. WADA
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. This article summarizes published research for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.