Which has more human data?

Going by the research status on each profile (Sermorelin: Discontinued; Tesamorelin: FDA-approved), the labels are not on a single scale of human testing, so this page does not rank them. Each profile's References section lists the studies, with the species and study type.

What are the half-lives?

Sermorelin: 10-20 minutes. Tesamorelin: No published PK data found. Figures are as reported in the cited studies, with the species where stated.

Are they FDA-approved?

Sermorelin: research status “Discontinued”. Previously FDA-approved (Geref), since discontinued in the US; compounded sermorelin is not an FDA-approved product. Tesamorelin: research status “FDA-approved”. Approved prescription product (Egrifta) for HIV-associated lipodystrophy only. Use for general fat loss or anti-aging is off-label. Not addressed by the April 2026 503A Category 2 removals or the July 2026 PCAC votes. See the FDA peptide regulatory tracker for sourced compounding status.

How are they administered in the research?

Sermorelin: Subcutaneous injection. Tesamorelin: Subcutaneous injection. This describes the published studies and is not a recommendation for human use.

How do their proposed mechanisms differ?

Sermorelin: In plain terms: It is a short copy of the hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. GHRH fragment (GRF 1-29) that stimulates growth hormone secretion from the anterior pituitary (review, Prakash 1999). Tesamorelin: In plain terms: It is a lab-made version of the hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. Synthetic GHRH analog with trans-3-hexenoic acid modification, stimulates natural GH release. These are mechanisms proposed in the cited research, at the research stage listed for each compound.

Sermorelin vs Tesamorelin: Research Comparison

Built from the Sermorelin, Tesamorelin research profiles · Profiles last updated October 1, 2026 · Reviewed by The Peptide Dispatch Editorial Team

TL;DR

This page compares Sermorelin and Tesamorelin using only their research-profile data. Sermorelin (research stage: Discontinued; half-life: 10-20 minutes). It is a short copy of the hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. Tesamorelin (research stage: FDA-approved; half-life: Not established in published research). It is a lab-made version of the hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. Educational summary, not medical advice.

Where each point comes from: Clinicalhuman trials and FDA labels Lab / animalrodent, cell and ex vivo studies Community-reporteduser experience and commonly used protocols, not from clinical studies

Educational summary. Everything below is taken from each compound's research profile and describes what was reported in the cited studies — not a promise of results, a dose recommendation, or an endorsement for human use. Not medical advice. Full disclaimer.

Side-by-side comparison

	Sermorelin	Tesamorelin
Category	Growth Hormone	Growth Hormone
Research status	Discontinued	FDA-approved
Regulatory note (as of Sept 2026)	Previously FDA-approved (Geref), since discontinued in the US; compounded sermorelin is not an FDA-approved product. Regulatory tracker →	Approved prescription product (Egrifta) for HIV-associated lipodystrophy only. Use for general fat loss or anti-aging is off-label. Not addressed by the April 2026 503A Category 2 removals or the July 2026 PCAC votes. Regulatory tracker →
Half-life	10-20 minutes	No published PK data found
Administration route	Subcutaneous injection	Subcutaneous injection
Dosing used in published research (not a recommendation)	Diagnostic: 1 µg/kg IV single dose; pediatric GHD treatment: 30 µg/kg SC once daily at bedtime.	2 mg subcutaneously daily; pooled analysis of two multicenter double-blind placebo-controlled phase 3 trials, 806 ART-treated HIV patients with excess abdominal fat (543 tesamorelin, 263 placebo), 26-week core plus 26-week extension
Community-reported protocol (not from clinical studies)	Community-reported100–300 mcg, subcutaneous injection	Community-reported2 mg daily, subcutaneous injection
How it works (as summarized from the cited research)	In plain terms: It is a short copy of the hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. GHRH fragment (GRF 1-29) that stimulates growth hormone secretion from the anterior pituitary (review, Prakash 1999).	In plain terms: It is a lab-made version of the hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. Synthetic GHRH analog with trans-3-hexenoic acid modification, stimulates natural GH release.
Effects reported in research (study subjects as stated)	Physiology studies describe natural pulsatile GH release ClinicalFormerly FDA-approved for pediatric GHD; no longer marketed in the US.	ClinicalVisceral fat reduction in ART-treated HIV patients: -24 cm2 VAT vs +2 cm2 on placebo at 26 weeks (~15% treatment effect); not studied for the general population ClinicalFDA approved ClinicalEffect is specific to visceral fat; the same trials found no significant change in abdominal subcutaneous fat ClinicalNo clinically meaningful change in glucose parameters at 26 and 52 weeks in the phase 3 trials
Potential side effects	Transient facial flushing Injection-site pain Headache	Injection-site reactions, arthralgia, peripheral oedema and paraesthesia are the reported events ClinicalIGF-1 rose by a mean of about 108 ng/mL versus a small decline on placebo - IGF-1 monitoring is part of clinical use ClinicalThe phase 3 programme found no clinically meaningful differences in glucose parameters at 26 or 52 weeks Benefits regress after discontinuation
Profile description	The first 29 amino acids of natural GHRH; physiology studies describe physiological (pulsatile) GH release patterns. Formerly FDA-approved for pediatric GHD; no longer marketed in the US.	FDA-approved GHRH analog for reducing excess abdominal visceral fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy. In phase 3 trials in ART-treated HIV patients, visceral fat changed by -24 cm2 versus +2 cm2 on placebo at 26 weeks, with no clinically meaningful change in glucose parameters at 26 and 52 weeks.
References cited on the profile	2	2

Key differences in the published research

Research status: Sermorelin — Discontinued; Tesamorelin — FDA-approved.
FDA approval: only Tesamorelin carries an “FDA-approved” research status.
Category: the same on every profile (Growth Hormone).
Reported half-life: Sermorelin — 10-20 minutes; Tesamorelin — No published PK data found.
Administration route in the literature: the same on every profile (Subcutaneous injection).
Evidence cited: Sermorelin’s profile lists 2 references; Tesamorelin’s profile lists 2 references.

Regulatory status

Sermorelin: Previously FDA-approved (Geref), since discontinued in the US; compounded sermorelin is not an FDA-approved product. Details →
Tesamorelin: On the FDA peptide regulatory tracker: FDA-approved. Details →

For the sourced, dated status of every peptide in FDA's 2026 compounding actions, see the FDA peptide regulatory tracker.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which has more human data?: Going by the research status on each profile (Sermorelin: Discontinued; Tesamorelin: FDA-approved), the labels are not on a single scale of human testing, so this page does not rank them. Each profile's References section lists the studies, with the species and study type.
What are the half-lives?: Sermorelin: 10-20 minutes. Tesamorelin: No published PK data found. Figures are as reported in the cited studies, with the species where stated.
Are they FDA-approved?: Sermorelin: research status “Discontinued”. Previously FDA-approved (Geref), since discontinued in the US; compounded sermorelin is not an FDA-approved product. Tesamorelin: research status “FDA-approved”. Approved prescription product (Egrifta) for HIV-associated lipodystrophy only. Use for general fat loss or anti-aging is off-label. Not addressed by the April 2026 503A Category 2 removals or the July 2026 PCAC votes. See the FDA peptide regulatory tracker for sourced compounding status.
How are they administered in the research?: Sermorelin: Subcutaneous injection. Tesamorelin: Subcutaneous injection. This describes the published studies and is not a recommendation for human use.
How do their proposed mechanisms differ?: Sermorelin: In plain terms: It is a short copy of the hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. GHRH fragment (GRF 1-29) that stimulates growth hormone secretion from the anterior pituitary (review, Prakash 1999). Tesamorelin: In plain terms: It is a lab-made version of the hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. Synthetic GHRH analog with trans-3-hexenoic acid modification, stimulates natural GH release. These are mechanisms proposed in the cited research, at the research stage listed for each compound.

References

Sermorelin

Sermorelin: a review of its use in the diagnosis and treatment of children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency
Prakash A, Goa KL. BioDrugs : clinical immunotherapeutics, biopharmaceuticals and gene therapy. 1999. PMID: 18031173.
Study type: Drug review.
DOI: 10.2165/00063030-199912020-00007 · PubMed
Growth hormone-releasing factor analogue (hGRF1-29NH2): immunoreactive-GRF plasma levels after intravenous and subcutaneous administration
Rafferty B, Poole S, Clarke R, Schulster D. The Journal of endocrinology. 1985. PMID: 2866222.
Study type: Rat PK (IV, SC).
DOI: 10.1677/joe.0.107r005 · PubMed

Tesamorelin

Effects of tesamorelin (TH9507), a growth hormone-releasing factor analog, in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with excess abdominal fat: a pooled analysis of two multicenter, double-blind placebo-controlled phase 3 trials with safety extension data
Falutz J, Mamputu JC, Potvin D, Moyle G, Soulban G, Loughrey H et al. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism. 2010. PMID: 20554713.
Study type: Pooled analysis of two phase 3 RCTs, n=806.
DOI: 10.1210/jc.2010-0490 · PubMed
Predictors of Treatment Response to Tesamorelin, a Growth Hormone-Releasing Factor Analog, in HIV-Infected Patients with Excess Abdominal Fat
Mangili A, Falutz J, Mamputu JC, Stepanians M, Hayward B. PloS one. 2015. PMID: 26457580.
Study type: Secondary analysis of the two phase 3 RCTs, n=806.
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140358 · PubMed

Read the full profiles

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Educational content — not medical advice. Effects described are drawn from cited research in study subjects.

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