Modified growth-hormone fragment
AOD-9604
A modified growth-hormone fragment studied in obesity programs without an approved use and with unresolved route, product, and safety questions.
Also known as AOD9604 · lipotropin · hGH fragment 176-191
01 · Evidence profile
One molecule, four evidence questions
Older obesity studies exposed hundreds of participants, but the evidence did not establish an approved weight-loss use.
FDA found insufficient pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic information for proposed uses and routes.
Clinical safety reporting is incomplete, and FDA identifies immunogenicity and impurity concerns.
Identity, route, formulation, sterility, and comparability of compounded products are uncertain.
02 · Identity
What it is
AOD-9604 is a modified fragment related to amino acids 176-191 of human growth hormone. It is not full-length growth hormone.
03 · Product identity
The molecule is not the finished product.
Oral clinical-study material, compounded injections, and transdermal products are not interchangeable. FDA found route-specific evidence gaps.
None identified in the United States.
- No FDA-approved indication
04 · Evidence snapshot
What the evidence can and cannot say
FDA reviewed several human obesity studies, including larger oral programs, and documented the available adverse-event reporting. That confirms human exposure, not an established benefit.
The record does not establish meaningful weight loss, long-term benefit, or safety for injectable or transdermal products. FDA found no human information for some proposed routes.
05 · Claim check
Three claims under the lens
“AOD-9604 has been given to people in clinical studies.”
FDA's review describes several human studies, primarily using oral or intravenous routes.
- Evidence basis
- Regulatory or product record
- Scope
- Historical study products and routes described in FDA's review.
“Human exposure proves AOD-9604 is an effective fat-loss drug.”
Exposure and tolerability data do not establish a clinically meaningful weight-loss outcome.
- Evidence basis
- No reliable human outcome evidence
- Scope
- Weight-loss efficacy, not merely participation in a study.
“Injectable AOD-9604 has a well-characterized safety profile.”
FDA identifies limited safety data, immunogenicity concerns, and missing information for proposed injectable use.
- Evidence basis
- Regulatory or product record
- Scope
- Compounded injectable AOD-9604.
06 · Safety boundary
Before this becomes personal
This brief does not convert an incomplete development program into a self-experiment. No sourcing, reconstitution, injection, or weight-loss regimen is provided.
AOD-9604 is named as a prohibited growth-hormone fragment on the 2026 WADA Prohibited List.
Reviewed 2026-07-23. This status is not personal clearance to compete.Check the governing record ↗07 · Sources
Check the primary record
08 · Provenance
Review history
Initial brief based on FDA's 2024 compounding review and current safety-risk page.
Responsible editor: Anthony Treviso. Editorial source review completed. This page has not been independently medically reviewed by a physician or pharmacist.