AOD9604

What is AOD9604?

AOD9604 is a 16-amino-acid peptide made from the tail end of human growth hormone, residues 177 to 191, with a tyrosine added at the start. Its two cysteines are joined by a disulfide bridge. Researchers at Monash University in Melbourne made it to isolate the part of growth hormone that acts on fat.

The idea: growth hormone burns fat, but also raises IGF-1 and affects blood sugar. A fragment that only touched fat would be a cleaner research tool.

How does it work?

• Fat metabolism: in obese rodents it increased fat breakdown and cut weight gain.
• No growth signal: it does not act like full growth hormone on IGF-1 or growth.
• Beta-3 pathway: studies in knock-out mice point to links with the beta-3 adrenergic receptor, a fat-burning pathway.

What do researchers study it for?

• Fat breakdown and fat-formation pathways
• Obesity models in rodents
• Comparisons with full HGH 191AA and with HGH Fragment 176-191