Quick answer: AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide of 16 amino acids derived from the C-terminal region of human growth hormone, with a tyrosine at the start. It was designed to isolate the part of the hormone studied for its effect on lipid metabolism in cell and rodent work, without the hormone's growth-related activity. It is not an approved product, it is sold for laboratory research only, and its small size makes purity and identity testing straightforward to read on a certificate.
What AOD-9604 is
AOD-9604 is often written "AOD9604" or "AOD 9604", and all three spellings refer to the same molecule. The name comes from the Australian company that developed it, and the number is a catalogue identifier. Structurally it is a short peptide of 16 amino acids: a fragment from the C-terminal end of human growth hormone, with a tyrosine at the N-terminus. A tyrosine at that position is a common modification in peptide work because it makes the fragment easier to label and track in the laboratory.
The idea behind the design was simple. Human growth hormone does many things, and researchers wanted to know which part of the molecule is responsible for its effect on lipid handling. The C-terminal fragment was isolated for that reason. Our discovery and history article tells that story in full, and the structure and synthesis article covers the amino acid sequence.
What the research literature describes
The published work on AOD-9604 sits mainly in cell culture and rodent studies. In those models, researchers reported that the fragment influenced lipid breakdown and lipid synthesis in fat tissue, and that it did so without the effects on insulin sensitivity and growth that are associated with full-length growth hormone. Some of the early work used obese mice and mice lacking the beta-3 adrenergic receptor to probe the mechanism.
It is worth being precise about what this means. These are findings in laboratory models. They are not evidence about what any compound does in people, and this guide makes no such claim. The development of the compound as a drug for obesity went through clinical trials, and a phase 2b trial did not meet its primary endpoint, after which that programme was discontinued. The compound is not an approved drug. Our mechanism article and preclinical research article go through the cell and animal data and where the open questions sit.
Why it is a popular research compound
Several features make AOD-9604 a convenient material for a laboratory. It is short and chemically unmodified, so it is straightforward to synthesize with good yield. It lacks the lipid side chains and linkers found on longer incretin-family peptides, which keeps its impurity profile relatively simple. And because it is a well-defined fragment, results from different laboratories can be compared more easily than with a heavily modified analog.
That simplicity also makes quality problems easier to spot. A short peptide should give a clean chromatographic peak, and the measured mass should match the calculated value closely. When a certificate for a short peptide shows multiple large impurity peaks, the problem is usually in synthesis or purification, not in the difficulty of the compound.
How to read an AOD-9604 certificate
Because AOD-9604 is small, a certificate for it should be easy to interpret. Here is what to look for.
- HPLC purity. A measured purity figure and the chromatogram, with one dominant peak. Understanding HPLC purity explains the trace, and the AOD-9604 purity article describes what to expect for this compound.
- Identity. The report should say how identity was confirmed and name the compound; the sequence should match the published AOD-9604 sequence.
- Content. Look for a measured quantity of peptide per vial and compare it with the label.
- Lot code and test date. Both should match the vial.
- Endotoxin and sterility. Needed for any cell-based work.
If the format is new to you, how to read a COA walks through a certificate step by step. Our supplier checklist is in how to choose a research peptide supplier, and the buying notes specific to this compound are in where to buy AOD-9604.
How it differs from the incretin-family peptides
AOD-9604 is often listed beside compounds such as retatrutide, tirzepatide and cagrilintide because all of them appear in metabolic research. The resemblance ends there. The incretin-family peptides act on receptors at the cell surface, such as the GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors, and several are long, lipid-modified molecules. AOD-9604 is a short, unmodified fragment of a different hormone, and it was studied through a different route. Regarding them as interchangeable in an experiment would be a mistake, because the pathways, the expected readouts and the quality concerns are all different.
If you are mapping the landscape, our four-compound metabolic comparison covers the incretin side, and the guide to reta explains the newest member of that family. Keeping the two groups clearly separate makes literature searches, assay design and supplier checks much cleaner.
Storage and handling
AOD-9604 is supplied as a lyophilized powder. General laboratory practice is to keep the sealed vial refrigerated and protected from light, heat and moisture, and to avoid repeated temperature cycling. Once reconstituted for an assay, a peptide solution is less stable than the dry powder, so working solutions are best prepared fresh. Our reconstitution and storage article has the details, and the calculator guide helps with the concentration arithmetic.
Common points of confusion
A few things trip people up when they first read about this compound. First, AOD-9604 is not the same as human growth hormone, and it is not a growth hormone secretagogue like the compounds in our CJC-1295 and ipamorelin articles. Secretagogues prompt the body's own hormone release; AOD-9604 is a fragment of the hormone itself. Second, because it was once investigated by a pharmaceutical developer, people assume that means it is cleared for general use. It is not.
The regulatory position also deserves a mention. The compound is not an approved medicine, and some sporting bodies list it as a prohibited substance. Researchers working under institutional rules should check what applies to their own setting.
What V8 Peptides publishes for AOD-9604
We supply AOD-9604 as a 5 mg research vial. We have not yet published a certificate for this product. We have asked our laboratory supply chain for reports on every product that lacks one, and AOD-9604 is on that list. When the report arrives it will go on the COA page and the product page will be updated. Until then, the product page describes the compound and the specification we supply to, and we say plainly that no certificate is published.
Frequently asked questions
What is AOD-9604?
A synthetic 16-amino-acid peptide derived from the C-terminal region of human growth hormone, with an N-terminal tyrosine. It was designed to isolate the part of the hormone studied for lipid-metabolism effects in cell and rodent models.
Are AOD-9604 and AOD9604 the same thing?
Yes. AOD-9604, AOD9604 and AOD 9604 are three spellings of the same compound.
Is AOD-9604 a growth hormone?
No. It is a short fragment of the hormone, and it is also different from secretagogue peptides that prompt the body's own release of the hormone.
Is AOD-9604 an approved drug?
No. Its clinical development for obesity was discontinued after a phase 2b trial missed its primary endpoint, and it is sold only as a laboratory research compound.
What should an AOD-9604 certificate show?
A lot code, test date and laboratory name, measured HPLC purity with the chromatogram, identity confirmation, measured content, and endotoxin and sterility results.
How is the powder stored?
General practice is refrigeration of the sealed vial, protected from light, heat and moisture. See the reconstitution and storage article.
Does V8 Peptides publish a certificate for AOD-9604?
Not yet. We have requested one and will post it on the COA page when it arrives.
Is this advice for use in people?
No. AOD-9604 is supplied for laboratory research only, and nothing here is guidance for use in people or animals.
Where to go next
For a fuller picture of the compound, start with the AOD-9604 research overview and the research FAQ. To check the certificates we have published for other products, visit the COA page.
References
- Ng FM, et al. Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormone. Hormone Research. 2000;53(6):274-278.
- Heffernan M, et al. The effects of human GH and its lipolytic fragment (AOD9604) on lipid metabolism following chronic treatment in obese mice and beta(3)-AR knock-out mice. Endocrinology. 2001;142(12):5182-5189.
- Heffernan M, et al. Increase of fat oxidation and weight loss in obese mice caused by chronic treatment with human growth hormone or a modified C-terminal fragment. International Journal of Obesity. 2001;25(10):1442-1449.
- Stier H, Vos E, Kenley D. Safety and tolerability of the hGH fragment AOD9604 in a human study. Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolic Syndrome. 2013;3:1000139.
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or animal consumption. Not a drug, food or cosmetic. This article is educational and describes published research; it makes no claims about outcomes in people or animals.