AOD-9604

AOD-9604 is a synthetic fragment of human growth hormone (residues 176-191) that was developed as an "Anti-Obesity Drug." In animal studies it increased fat breakdown, but in human obesity trials it did not beat placebo, and its developer discontinued it. It is a research chemical, not an FDA-approved medicine, and nothing here is medical advice or a recommendation to obtain or use it.

Important: AOD-9604 was tested in real human clinical trials and failed to show a meaningful weight-loss benefit. That history is a central part of understanding it. WikiPeps does not sell AOD-9604, does not provide dosing or sourcing guidance, and does not instruct self-administration. This page is for education only and is not medical advice.

What is AOD-9604?#

AOD-9604 is a short synthetic peptide based on the C-terminal lipolytic region of human growth hormone (hGH), corresponding to amino acids 176-191, with a small modification (an added tyrosine residue at one end) intended to improve stability. It is a 16-amino-acid peptide, sometimes called a "hexadecapeptide." Its name stands for Anti-Obesity Drug 9604.

It was developed in the 1990s by Metabolic Pharmaceuticals in Australia. The idea was to isolate the part of growth hormone thought to drive fat metabolism while avoiding the growth-promoting and blood-sugar effects of the full hormone. Because it never completed the approval process, AOD-9604 is sold today only as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) research chemical, often labeled "for research use only."

How does AOD-9604 work?#

The proposed mechanisms come mostly from cell and animal studies, so they should be read as hypotheses rather than established human facts. In those models, researchers reported that AOD-9604 may:

• Stimulate lipolysis — the breakdown of stored triglycerides into free fatty acids.
• Inhibit lipogenesis — the formation of new fat — in adipose tissue.
• Mimic the fat-related actions of growth hormone without raising IGF-1 or impairing glucose tolerance in the studies reported.
• Influence beta-3 adrenergic receptor expression; notably, animal work suggested its lipolytic effect is not mediated directly through the beta-3 adrenergic receptor.

These are mechanistic observations from preclinical research. They do not establish that AOD-9604 produces clinically meaningful fat loss in humans, and the human trial results below are the most relevant evidence.

What is AOD-9604 studied for?#

AOD-9604 was developed for obesity and fat loss. It went through preclinical work and a series of human trials, and has more recently drawn some research interest in cartilage and broader metabolic contexts. The key point is that the strongest claims come from animal data, while the human obesity data were disappointing.

After a larger Phase IIb obesity trial failed to reach statistical significance versus placebo, the developer discontinued AOD-9604 as an obesity drug (around 2007). No regulator has approved it for any indication.

Is AOD-9604 legal and FDA-approved?#

AOD-9604 is not FDA-approved for any use, and it is not an approved dietary supplement. It cannot legally be marketed for human consumption in the United States. In 2023 the FDA added AOD-9604 to its list of bulk drug substances identified as potentially posing significant safety risks for pharmacy compounding under section 503A, citing concerns such as limited human safety data and immunogenicity/quality questions. The FDA later restructured how it organizes these interim bulk-substances lists, but that administrative change did not make AOD-9604 an approved product — it remains an unapproved research chemical that the FDA has not cleared for compounding into medicines.

In sport, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibits AOD-9604 as a growth-hormone fragment under category S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances, and mimetics). Laws and enforcement vary by country, so check local regulations and consult a licensed professional before assuming anything about legality.

How is AOD-9604 dosed in research?#

There is no validated human dose for AOD-9604. It is not an approved medicine, and the human obesity trials that were conducted did not demonstrate efficacy, so there is no established therapeutic regimen. Published studies used a range of doses that do not translate into safe or meaningful human guidance.

WikiPeps does not publish dosing protocols or amounts for AOD-9604. Any decision about whether a substance is appropriate, and at what dose, is a medical decision that belongs with a licensed clinician who can weigh an individual's health, medications, and goals.

How is AOD-9604 reconstituted?#

AOD-9604 is typically supplied as a lyophilized powder that must be reconstituted with a sterile diluent before it can be measured as a liquid. The educational overview in the steps above describes the general process — disinfecting the vials, adding bacteriostatic water slowly down the vial wall, swirling gently rather than shaking, and storing the reconstituted vial refrigerated.

For a fuller walkthrough of the technique, sterile handling, and the reconstitution math, see our guide at /learn/guides/how-to-reconstitute-a-peptide. This is educational information about handling a research chemical, not instruction to self-administer.

What are the safety considerations?#

Human safety data for AOD-9604 are limited, because it never completed full clinical development. In the trials that were run, it was generally reported as well tolerated over the study periods, and notably it did not appear to raise IGF-1 or impair glucose tolerance the way full-length growth hormone can. That is reassuring as far as it goes, but it is not the same as proven long-term safety.

Important considerations include:

• Long-term safety is unknown. The trials were short relative to how supplements and research chemicals are often used.
• Research-chemical sourcing is unregulated. Products sold for "research use only" are not manufactured to pharmaceutical standards, so purity, sterility, dose accuracy, and potential contaminants are uncertain.
• Injection carries its own risks — infection, irritation, and reaction at the injection site.
• It is banned in sport under WADA, so use can result in sanctions for tested athletes.

Anyone considering AOD-9604 should discuss it with a licensed clinician first, especially if they have existing health conditions or take other medications.

The bottom line#

AOD-9604 is a synthetic growth-hormone fragment (residues 176-191) that was developed as an anti-obesity drug. It showed fat-burning activity in animals but failed to outperform placebo in human obesity trials, and its developer discontinued it. It is not FDA-approved, is prohibited in sport by WADA, and has only limited human safety data. WikiPeps does not sell it, does not provide dosing or sourcing guidance, and shares this information purely for education — not as medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician before making any decision.