Withdrawn or restrictedHuman evidenceProhibited in sport

Sermorelin

Also referred to as GRF 1-29, Geref

Historically approved in a paediatric growth-hormone-deficiency population and used diagnostically. Not studied as a wellness intervention in adults.

Molecule class: GHRH (1-29) analogue
Category: GH axis
Last evidence review: 2026-08-23

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Human studies

Animal / in vitro

Graded claims

—

Participants

Mechanism

What is being studied

GHRH receptor agonist stimulating endogenous pulsatile growth hormone release.

Evidence

Claims, graded individually

Each statement below carries its own evidence level, its own confidence rating, and its own account of what remains unestablished. A compound does not have a single grade.

GH-Axis Research

BModerateModerate confidenceHuman evidence

Sermorelin was associated with increased growth velocity in children with growth hormone deficiency.

What is not established

This is a paediatric deficiency population. It does not support use in adults without deficiency.

Supporting sources (1)

Open-label trialHumanIdentifier pending verification

Sermorelin in growth-hormone deficiency diagnostics and paediatric use

Multiple · Paediatric endocrinology literature · 1996

Population: Children with growth-hormone deficiency; adult diagnostic use
Endpoint: Growth velocity in children; GH response in diagnostic use
Route: Subcutaneous and intravenous (diagnostic)
Quantity as reported: As per the historical approved labelling
Frequency: Daily in the therapeutic paediatric use

Result. Reported increases in growth velocity in the paediatric deficiency population.

Adverse events. Injection-site reactions, flushing, headache.

Limitations. The evidence base is a paediatric deficiency population and a diagnostic application. It does not support extrapolation to adults without deficiency.

Search PubMed for this literature →

Last evidence review: 2026-08-23

Human evidence

1 human study catalogued

Human and non-human evidence are kept strictly separate. They are never pooled, averaged, or presented as a single body of support.

Open-label trialHumanIdentifier pending verification

Sermorelin in growth-hormone deficiency diagnostics and paediatric use

Multiple · Paediatric endocrinology literature · 1996

Population: Children with growth-hormone deficiency; adult diagnostic use
Endpoint: Growth velocity in children; GH response in diagnostic use
Route: Subcutaneous and intravenous (diagnostic)
Quantity as reported: As per the historical approved labelling
Frequency: Daily in the therapeutic paediatric use

Result. Reported increases in growth velocity in the paediatric deficiency population.

Adverse events. Injection-site reactions, flushing, headache.

Limitations. The evidence base is a paediatric deficiency population and a diagnostic application. It does not support extrapolation to adults without deficiency.

Search PubMed for this literature →

Pharmacology

Reported parameters

Half-life

12 minutes

Approximately 11–12 minutes.

Visualise this half-life →

Routes studied

Subcutaneous
Intravenous (diagnostic)

Evidence from one route does not transfer to another. Topical, oral, and injected administration can produce entirely different exposure from the same quantity.

Regulatory status

The previously approved US product was discontinued. Compounded preparations exist; these are not the historically approved product.

Storage as documented

Consult compounding pharmacy documentation; no current approved US labelling.

Safety

Signals reported in the literature

This lists what has been reported. It is not a complete safety profile, and for several compounds in this catalogue no systematic safety surveillance exists at all.

Injection-site reactions, flushing, headache
Long-term data in adults without deficiency are absent

Limitations

What the evidence cannot tell you

Given as much prominence as the findings, because for most compounds in this category it is the more important half.

Efficacy evidence is a paediatric deficiency population
Diagnostic use is not the same as therapeutic use

Reference

Evidence grading key

AStrong

Multiple high-quality human trials, or strong systematic-review or meta-analytic evidence.

BModerate

Human controlled evidence exists, but replication or sample size is limited.

CPreliminary

Small human studies, observational evidence, or early-phase clinical work.

DPreclinical

Predominantly animal or in-vitro evidence. No adequate human outcome data.

EMechanistic

Biological plausibility or mechanistic reasoning without adequate outcome evidence.

XInsufficient / conflicting

Evidence is absent, irreconcilable, or too weak to support any directional statement.

Other compounds studied in the same research areas

Tesamorelin

A GHRH analogue with phase 3 randomised evidence in one specific population: adults with HIV-associated abdominal lipodystrophy.

Ipamorelin

A GH secretagogue reported as more selective than earlier compounds in the class. The evidence is pharmacodynamic, not outcome-based.

CJC-1295

Early-phase human pharmacokinetic work exists. The DAC and non-DAC forms behave very differently and are routinely conflated in commercial material.

Hexarelin

A potent secretagogue notable for rapid desensitisation and for effects on cortisol and prolactin that ipamorelin was designed to avoid.