The Half-Life Problem — Solved
Native growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) has a half-life of about 7 minutes in circulation — far too short for practical research protocols. CJC-1295 DAC solves this limitation through an elegant molecular trick: the Drug Affinity Complex (DAC) modification allows the peptide to bind to albumin in circulation, dramatically extending its half-life to approximately 6-8 days.
Key Takeaway
CJC-1295 DAC's albumin-binding mechanism extends its active half-life from minutes to ~6-8 days, enabling once-weekly research dosing while preserving natural pulsatile GH secretion patterns.
Mechanism of Action
CJC-1295 DAC consists of the first 29 amino acids of GHRH with four amino acid substitutions for metabolic stability, plus the DAC modification. It binds to GHRH receptors on pituitary somatotroph cells, stimulating growth hormone (GH) synthesis and release.
Critically, unlike exogenous GH administration, CJC-1295 DAC preserves the natural pulsatile GH secretion pattern. The hypothalamic-pituitary feedback loop remains intact, providing sustained but physiologically patterned GH elevation rather than a flat, supraphysiological spike.
DAC vs. No-DAC (mod GRF 1-29)
This distinction confuses many researchers. "CJC-1295 without DAC" is more accurately called modified GRF(1-29) — it has the same GHRH(1-29) backbone with stabilizing substitutions, but lacks the albumin-binding DAC moiety:
- CJC-1295 DAC: Half-life ~6-8 days, sustained GH elevation, once-weekly dosing protocols
- mod GRF(1-29): Half-life ~30 minutes, acute GH pulse, multiple daily doses needed
Synergy with Ipamorelin
CJC-1295 DAC is frequently studied alongside Ipamorelin, a growth hormone secretagogue peptide (GHSP). The rationale is mechanistic: GHRH analogs (like CJC-1295) and GHRPs (like Ipamorelin) activate different receptor pathways — GHRH receptor vs. ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) — potentially producing additive or synergistic GH release. Published research supports this dual-pathway approach for greater GH elevation than either peptide alone.
Phase 2 Clinical Data
Human clinical trials of CJC-1295 DAC demonstrated dose-dependent increases in GH and IGF-1 levels lasting up to 6 days per injection. The sustained elevation profile confirmed the extended pharmacokinetics predicted by the albumin-binding mechanism.
Available Products
CJC-1295 DAC: 2mg · 5mg | Ipamorelin 5mg · 10mg. All ≥98% HPLC verified.
For research purposes only.