Research Reference
AOD-9604
GH fragment (176-191) — targeted lipolysis without IGF-1 effects
Research & educational purposes only. BioMaxFit does not sell, promote, or represent peptides in any way. We are strictly educational and recommend working with your doctor on anything health-related. The information below comes from published research and documents what has been studied, not what should be done. Many of these compounds are investigational and not approved by the FDA; possession or use outside an authorized clinical trial may be illegal in your jurisdiction. This is not medical advice.
AOD-9604 (Advanced Obesity Drug) is a synthetic peptide fragment of human growth hormone (amino acids 176-191) that retains the fat-loss properties of GH without affecting IGF-1, insulin, or blood glucose. It has FDA GRAS status as a food ingredient.
AOD-9604 progressed through Phase 2 trials for obesity. Safety was confirmed with no significant adverse events, but efficacy was mixed — weight loss observed in initial trials was not replicated in later studies that included intensive diet/exercise programs. The trial program was discontinued without approval.
Standard community protocol: 300 mcg SC injection into abdominal fat, first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, 5 days on / 2 days off, 8 weeks on / 8 weeks off.
Side Effects & Safety
- GRAS status — FDA Generally Recognized As Safe as a food ingredient
- No GH axis effects — does not alter IGF-1, insulin, or glucose levels
- Injection site redness — mild, standard for SC peptides
- Mild headache — infrequent
- Slight stomach upset — if injected too close to eating
- Water retention — rare, unlike full GH
- No diabetogenic effects — blood sugar neutral, no acromegaly risk
AOD-9604 has one of the cleanest safety profiles in the peptide space due to its GH fragment design.
Research Basis
Animal studies: Both hGH and AOD-9604 reduced body weight gain via increased fat oxidation and plasma glycerol levels without affecting IGF-1 or insulin (Ng et al., 2001). AOD-9604 stimulates lipolysis through beta-3 adrenergic receptor pathways (Heffernan et al., 2001). Oral doses of 500 mcg/kg reduced body weight gain in Zucker rats without affecting lean mass or blood glucose (Ng et al., 2000).
Human clinical context: AOD-9604 progressed through Phase 2 trials. Safety was confirmed with no significant adverse events. Efficacy was mixed — weight loss observed in initial trials but not replicated in later studies that included intensive diet/exercise programs. No effects on IGF-1, insulin, or glucose were confirmed in humans.
Joint health: Intra-articular AOD-9604 enhanced cartilage regeneration in rabbit OA models, with combined AOD-9604 + hyaluronic acid outperforming either alone (Kwon & Park, 2015).