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Cjc-1295 Background And Mechanism — Evidence Review

By Editorial Desk · published 2026-07-28 · last reviewed 2026-08-01 · Faq

Everything below concerns CJC-1295. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.

Updated 2026-08-01. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.

CJC-1295 Background and Mechanism

The peptide binds GHRH receptors on somatotroph cells within the anterior pituitary, triggering a signalling cascade that increases growth hormone secretion. Its improved resistance to dipeptidyl peptidase IV degradation distinguishes it from the parent hormone. In the DAC-bearing version, a maleimide group reacts with a cysteine residue on serum albumin, forming a covalent bond that keeps the peptide in circulation far longer. That albumin attachment is the central design feature separating the two research variants.

Pharmacokinetic behaviour differs sharply between the two forms. The DAC-bearing peptide shows an extended circulation time measured in days, whereas the version without the complex is cleared within roughly half an hour. This gap shapes how researchers design dosing schedules in animal models. Whether the prolonged presence of the DAC form produces effects meaningfully different from the short-acting variant remains an open question, since comparative human data are scarce.

Molecular Background and Naming

CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide designed as a long-acting analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). Its structure derives from the first 29 amino acids of native GHRH, a fragment often called GRF(1-29). Four substitutions were introduced to slow enzymatic breakdown and extend activity relative to the natural sequence. The compound was developed by ConjuChem as part of a broader effort to improve the pharmacokinetic profile of peptide hormones. It is studied in laboratory and clinical research settings rather than appearing as a naturally occurring substance.

Two related forms circulate in technical discussion under the same family name. The original version carries a drug affinity complex (DAC) that binds covalently to serum albumin after administration, and this linkage substantially extends circulation time. A second form, frequently written as modified GRF(1-29) or CJC-1295 without DAC, lacks that linker and clears much faster. The naming is a frequent source of confusion because the shorthand CJC-1295 can refer to either form depending on the source. Reports sometimes fail to specify which variant was studied.

The peptide backbone includes a D-alanine at position two, which resists cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV, and several other substitutions that reduce degradation. Its molecular weight is roughly 3.4 kDa without the linker and about 3.6 kDa with it. The molecule is water soluble and is normally supplied as a lyophilized powder. Precise sequence and mass values depend on which variant is described, so technical documents usually state the exact form being referenced.

Cjc-1295 at a glance

PropertyValueNotes
Molecular weight (with DAC)~3647 DaCalculated from the full amino acid sequence
Molecular weight (without DAC)~3368 DaMod GRF(1-29) variant
AppearanceWhite lyophilized powderTypical form supplied for research
SolubilitySoluble in waterDissolves in aqueous buffers
Receptor targetGHRH receptorExpressed on pituitary somatotroph cells

Identity and Naming History

The peptide backbone corresponds to GRF(1-29), the first 29 residues of native growth hormone-releasing hormone, which retains most of the receptor-activating activity of the full-length molecule. Four substitutions distinguish the analog from the natural sequence: D-alanine at position 2, glutamine at position 8, alanine at position 15, and leucine at position 27. These changes slow cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV, the enzyme that degrades native hormone in plasma within minutes. The outcome is improved enzymatic stability combined with a still brief residence time when no additional modification is present.

Naming in this area is inconsistent, and readers should treat product labels with care. In much of the literature and in vendor catalogs, the unqualified term refers to the albumin-binding version, while the version lacking the DAC group appears as modified GRF(1-29), mod GRF(1-29), or the same name with a without-DAC qualifier. Because one abbreviation has been applied to both materials, the only reliable way to identify a sample is to check the stated sequence and the presence of the linker.

CJC-1295 is the name used for a synthetic peptide modeled on growth hormone-releasing hormone, the hypothalamic signal that prompts the pituitary to release growth hormone. The compound was described by a Canadian drug discovery company in the mid-2000s as a long-acting research tool. Two closely related molecules share the name in practice: one carries a drug affinity complex, or DAC, group, and one does not. The distinction matters because the two behave differently in circulation.

Related pages on this site

Background and Receptor Mechanism

CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide belonging to the growth hormone-releasing hormone analog family. It comprises twenty-nine amino acid residues derived from the N-terminal region of natural GHRH. The molecule incorporates several non-natural substitutions that increase resistance to enzymatic degradation. These modifications extend its activity compared with the native hormone fragment. Researchers use it to study pituitary growth hormone secretion in laboratory and clinical settings. This compound is distinct from native GHRH in its stability profile.

Two principal forms appear in the literature and in research supply. One carries a drug affinity complex, a maleimide-based group that forms a covalent bond with circulating albumin. This linkage slows clearance and produces a long-lasting elevation of peptide levels. The other form lacks that group and is often labeled MOD GRF(1-29). It has a much shorter circulation time. Both variants retain the same core receptor-binding sequence. Reported half-lives differ substantially between the two.

At the pituitary, the peptide binds the growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor on somatotroph cells. Receptor activation raises intracellular cyclic AMP and triggers release of stored growth hormone. Somatostatin and other hypothalamic signals modulate this response. Negative feedback from insulin-like growth factor 1 also influences output. The same regulatory architecture operates with the native hormone. Whether the synthetic analog alters feedback dynamics over repeated exposure remains an open question. Most published receptor work uses cell models rather than intact human systems.

Notes from published material

Butyrfentanyl or butyrylfentanyl is a potent short-acting synthetic opioid analgesic drug. It is an analog of fentanyl with around one quarter of its potency. One of the first mentions of this drug can be found in document written by The College on Problem of Drug Dependence, where it is mentioned as N-butyramide fentanyl analog. This document also states that the article describing its clinical effects (analgesic studies, μ-, δ-, κ-opioid receptor binding, and in vitro measures of drug efficacy, antinociceptive, and narcotic properties) was published in 1987. It is an agonist for the μ-opioid receptors. Butyrfentanyl has no current legitimate clinical applications; however, it is being sold as a designer drug. Side effects of fentanyl analogs are similar to those of fentanyl itself, which include itching, nausea, and potentially serious respiratory depression which can be life-threatening. Fentanyl analogs have killed hundreds of people throughout Europe and the former Soviet republics since the most recent resurgence in use began in Estonia in the early 2000s, and novel derivatives continue to appear.

== Hosts and disease development == Penicillium expansum has a wide host range, causing similar symptoms on fruits which include apples, pears, cherries, and citrus. Initial infection most often occurs at sites of fruit injury, such as bruises or puncture wounds. Although infections may start in the field, infected spots often become evident post-harvest, and expand while fruit is in storage. Infected areas are clearly delineated and light brown, and soft decaying tissue can be easily "scooped" out of the surrounding healthy tissue. Spore masses later appear on the surfaces of infected fruit, initially appearing as white mycelium, then turning blue to blue-green in color as the asexual spores mature. Fruit affected by P. expansum typically has an earthy, musty odor. Lesions measure 1–1.25 inches in diameter eight to ten weeks after infection if kept under cold storage conditions. Age factors into P. expansum infection, in that overripe or mature fruits are most susceptible to infection, while those picked underripe are less likely to become infected. In apples, the colors of the lesions may vary with variety, from lighter-brown on green and yellow apple varieties, to dark-brown on the deeper-red and other darker-color varieties. Varieties particularly susceptible to P. expansum infection include McIntosh, Golden Supreme, and Golden Delicious. Both sweet and sour cherries are affected by P. expansum. Cherry varieties found to be particularly susceptible to P. expansum infection were mainly early varieties, including Navalinda and Burlat.

The council deals with a variety of local issues such as outdoor patio applications, neighbourhood traffic plans, and exemptions from certain by-laws such as retail signs, fences, trees and ravines. Decisions made by community council are approved by Toronto City Council in order to take effect.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Background from the literature

== Uses == Coca leaves have been used by Andean civilizations since ancient times. In ancient Wari culture, Inca culture, and through modern successor indigenous cultures of the Andes Mountains, coca leaves are chewed, taken orally in the form of a tea, or alternatively, prepared in a sachet wrapped around alkaline burnt ashes, and held in the mouth against the inner cheek; it has traditionally been used as an anorectic and to combat the effects of cold and altitude sickness, although its actual effectiveness has never been systematically studied. Globally, in 2019, cocaine was used by an estimated 20 million people (0.4% of adults aged 15 to 64 years). The highest prevalence of cocaine use was in Australia and New Zealand (2.1%), followed by North America (2.1%), Western and Central Europe (1.4%), and South and Central America (1.0%). Since 1961, the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs has required countries to make recreational use of cocaine a crime. In the United States, cocaine is regulated as a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse but has an accepted medical use. While rarely used medically anymore, its accepted uses include serving as a topical local anesthetic for the upper respiratory tract and as an antihemorrhagic agent to stop bleeding in the mouth, throat, and nasal cavities.

== Synthesis == Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) have also been used to form cage architectures and in one such example Schiff base cyclization was used to form the macromolecular cage molecule. In this synthesis 1,3,5-triformylbenzene and (R,R)-(1,2)-diphenylethylenediamine undergo cycloimination in dichloromethane with trifluoroacetic acid as a catalyst to form a COF cage molecule. Macrocyclizations have also been employed to form peptoid based macromolecular cages, the specific methodology utilizes a one pot synthesis to form steroid-aryl hybrid cages using two- and three-fold Ugi type macrocyclization reactions. Dynamic covalent chemistry enables the formation of thermodynamically stable cage structures through reversible bond formation. The formation of imine bonds through the reaction between aldehyde and amine groups represents a fundamental example of this chemistry. This reversible nature allows for continuous bond breaking and reforming during synthesis, enabling error correction and driving the system toward the most thermodynamically stable products. The dynamic nature of these reactions is particularly crucial in cage synthesis for several reasons. The ability to self-correct defects during formation ensures the production of highly ordered structures with minimal imperfections. The formation of thermodynamically favored products leads to stable and well-defined cage architectures that can maintain their structural integrity under various conditions.

== History == Alimentiv operated as Robarts Clinical Trials, part of Western University starting in 1986. In 2020 the company was purchased from Western University and began operations as Alimentiv Inc., the rebranding supposedly reflected the company’s continued growth as a specialized contract research organization. Today, Alimentiv provides services in more than 64 countries worldwide, collaborates with leading scientists and organizations around the globe such as Summit Clinical Research, LLC, and works with pharmaceutical and biotechnology organizations to bring new and improved GI treatment options to patients. In 2021, Alimentiv acquired McDougall Scientific Ltd., a niche CRO specializing in statistical analysis, data management, reporting, and clinical trial design. This was followed by Alimentiv launching AcelaBio in 2021, a commercial research laboratory, located in San Diego, CA delivering histopathology and precision medicine services for global clinical trials.

Other memberships include the African Development Bank, East African Community, Group of 77, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, International Civil Aviation Organization, International Development Association, International Finance Corporation, Non-Aligned Movement, World Federation of Trade Unions and World Meteorological Organization.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reference notes

== Early life and education == Sangeeta Bhatia was born in 1968 in Boston, Massachusetts, to parents who emigrated from India. She is an alumna of Lexington High School in Lexington, MA. Her father was an engineer and entrepreneur, and her mother was one of the first women to receive an MBA in India. Bhatia's interest in engineering was sparked during her 10th-grade biology class and a visit with her father to an MIT lab, where she witnessed a demonstration of an ultrasound machine for cancer treatment. She pursued bioengineering at Brown University, where her involvement in a research group studying artificial organs solidified her decision to pursue graduate studies in the field. After graduating with honors in 1990, Bhatia was initially rejected from the MD-PhD program run by the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology (HST) but was accepted into the Mechanical Engineering Master's program. She was subsequently accepted into the HST MD-PhD program, where she was advised by Mehmet Toner. She received her Ph.D. in 1997 and her M.D. in 1999, followed by postdoctoral training at Massachusetts General Hospital. Bhatia met her husband, Jagesh Shah, as classmates in HST. Shah is currently an executive in the biotechnology industry. They have two daughters.

=== Other uses === A clinical trial comparing its efficacy and tolerability with amitriptyline in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome showed that tianeptine was at least as effective as amitriptyline and produced fewer prominent adverse effects, such as dry mouth and constipation. Tianeptine has been reported to be very effective for asthma. In August 1998, Dr. Fuad Lechin and colleagues at the Central University of Venezuela Institute of Experimental Medicine in Caracas published the results of a 52-week randomized controlled trial of asthmatic children; the children in the groups who received tianeptine had a sharp decrease in clinical rating and increased lung function. Two years earlier, they had found a close, positive association between free serotonin in plasma and severity of asthma in symptomatic persons. As tianeptine was the only agent known to both reduce free serotonin in plasma and enhance uptake in platelets, they decided to use it to see if reducing free serotonin levels in plasma would help. By November 2004, there had been two double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trials and an under-25,000 person open-label study lasting over seven years, both showing effectiveness. Tianeptine also has anticonvulsant and analgesic effects, and a clinical trial in Spain that ended in January 2007 has shown that tianeptine is effective in treating pain due to fibromyalgia. Tianeptine has been shown to have efficacy with minimal side effects in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

=== Fruits === Fruits with a wide variety of structural origins have converged to become edible. Apples are pomes with five carpels; their accessory tissues form the apple's core, surrounded by structures from outside the botanical fruit, the receptacle or hypanthium. Other edible fruits include other plant tissues; the fleshy part of a tomato is the walls of the pericarp. This implies convergent evolution under selective pressure, in this case the competition for seed dispersal by animals through consumption of fleshy fruits. Seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) has evolved independently more than 100 times, and is present in more than 11,000 plant species. It is one of the most dramatic examples of convergent evolution in biology.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Frequently asked questions

What distinguishes CJC-1295 from natural GHRH?

The synthetic peptide keeps the receptor-binding region of GHRH but carries substitutions that resist enzymatic cleavage. In the DAC version, an added group also anchors the molecule to albumin, extending its presence in the bloodstream.

Why does the DAC group matter?

The maleimide group forms a covalent link with albumin, an abundant blood protein. This attachment slows clearance, so a single administration persists much longer than the unmodified peptide. The feature is the main reason the two variants are handled differently in study design.

Is CJC-1295 an approved medicine?

It is not an approved therapeutic product in major regulatory jurisdictions. It appears in research chemical catalogs and scientific literature rather than pharmacy shelves. Clinical development was limited and did not reach approval.

Is CJC-1295 a natural hormone?

No. It is a synthetic analogue modeled on the first 29 residues of human GHRH. The substitutions and any linker are laboratory modifications rather than features of the endogenous peptide.

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