Quick answer: CJC-1295 (without DAC, also called Mod GRF 1-29) and ipamorelin are two different kinds of research peptide that are often combined: the first is a growth hormone-releasing hormone analog, the second a ghrelin-receptor agonist. Researchers pair them because they act through separate receptors on pituitary cells. The buyer's main risk is variant mix-ups, since "CJC-1295" can mean either the no-DAC or the DAC form, so the label and the certificate must say which one is in the vial.
What the two peptides are
CJC-1295 without DAC. This is a 29-amino-acid analog of the first 29 residues of growth hormone-releasing hormone, the part of the native hormone that carries its activity. Four amino acid substitutions make it more resistant to enzymatic breakdown than the natural fragment, which is why it is also called Mod GRF 1-29. It has no drug affinity complex attached, so in research it behaves as a short-acting signal. Our CJC-1295 no-DAC overview has the detail. Ipamorelin. A synthetic pentapeptide that binds the ghrelin receptor, also called the growth hormone secretagogue receptor. It was described in the late 1990s as a selective secretagogue because, in the original characterization, it released growth hormone without a marked effect on other pituitary hormones in the models tested. See the ipamorelin overview.Why the two are combined in research
The pituitary somatotroph cell carries both a GHRH receptor and a ghrelin receptor. The two pathways run through different intracellular signalling routes, and in published work stimulating both together gives a response larger than either alone. That pattern is called synergy, and it is the main reason the pair appears as a blend. It gives researchers a way to study how the two inputs interact in the same cell preparation or animal model.
Our mechanism article goes through the two signalling pathways step by step, and CJC-1295 and ipamorelin in growth hormone research summarizes how the combination is used experimentally. A shorter contrast of the two molecules on their own is in CJC-1295 vs ipamorelin.
"CJC-1295" can mean two different molecules
This is the single most important point for anyone sourcing the blend. CJC-1295 exists in two forms. The no-DAC form is the 29-residue peptide described above. The DAC form has a drug affinity complex, a reactive group that binds to albumin in plasma, attached to the peptide. In published animal and early clinical pharmacology, the DAC version had a much longer duration of activity than the no-DAC version, because albumin binding protects it from clearance.
The two forms are different compounds with different pharmacokinetics, and the literature on one does not transfer to the other. Yet sellers regularly list "CJC-1295" without saying which. When a listing is vague, check the molecular weight on the certificate and the product name. Our DAC vs no-DAC comparison explains how to tell them apart, and where to buy CJC-1295 no-DAC covers the sourcing side.
Buying a blend versus mixing your own
Some researchers buy the two peptides separately and combine them; others buy a prepared blend. A prepared blend removes one source of arithmetic error, but it also means you are relying on the supplier to have weighed and combined each component accurately. The vials we supply are declared as 5 mg of each peptide (5/5) or 10 mg of each (10/10), so a 10/10 vial contains 10 mg of CJC-1295 no-DAC and 10 mg of ipamorelin.
Whichever route you take, the checks are the same: a declared amount of each component, and a certificate that confirms both are present. The purity testing article explains what a good result looks like for a two-component product, and where to buy CJC-1295 and ipamorelin gives the supplier checklist.
Experimental design notes
A combination is easiest to interpret when the experiment includes each peptide on its own and the pair together, at matched concentrations, in the same preparation. Without those arms, a larger response cannot be attributed to synergy rather than simply to adding two stimuli. Timing matters too. Because the no-DAC form is short-acting in animal work, sampling windows are usually kept tight around the time of exposure, whereas the DAC form would call for a very different design.
It also helps to remember that receptor desensitization is a real feature of this system. Repeated stimulation of the ghrelin receptor can blunt its response in preclinical models, so a protocol that repeats exposure has to account for it. Published studies describe these effects in detail, and the preclinical research article summarizes which models were used and what they showed. None of this is guidance for use in people or animals; it is simply the kind of design thinking that the literature expects from a controlled study.
Why short half-life peptides need careful sampling
Because the no-DAC form is cleared quickly in animal studies, the timing of any measurement is part of the result. A reading taken too early or too late can miss the response entirely, and a study that reports only a single time point leaves out most of the picture. When you read a paper on this combination, check how many time points were sampled, whether baseline values were taken beforehand, and whether the vehicle control was handled in exactly the same way. These details separate a reliable result from one that cannot be repeated.
Storage, stability and handling
Both peptides are supplied as a lyophilized powder. General laboratory practice is to keep the sealed vial refrigerated and shielded from light, heat and moisture. Growth hormone-releasing peptides of this type are short-chain and break down faster once in solution than in the dry state, so working solutions are best made fresh for each experiment. Details and the volume arithmetic for a two-component vial are in reconstitution and storage for the blend and the calculator guide.
How to read the documentation
- Both components named. The certificate should identify CJC-1295 without DAC and ipamorelin separately, and say which CJC-1295 form is present.
- Measured purity. Look for a measured HPLC purity figure and an attached chromatogram, not only a specification limit.
- Content. Purity says how much of the sample is the target; content says how much is in the vial.
- Lot code and test date. They should match the label on the vial.
- Endotoxin and sterility. Needed for any cell-based work.
If the layout is unfamiliar, how to read a COA walks through a certificate line by line, and understanding HPLC purity explains the chromatogram.
What V8 Peptides publishes for this blend
We supply the CJC-1295 (no DAC) and ipamorelin blend in 5/5 mg and 10/10 mg vials, and the same peptides separately as CJC-1295 no-DAC and ipamorelin. We have not yet published a certificate for these products. We have requested reports for every product that lacks one, and each will be added to the COA page when it arrives. The certificates already there can be checked directly on the Accumark Labs site.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between CJC-1295 with DAC and without DAC?
The DAC form has an albumin-binding group attached, which in published pharmacology gave it a far longer duration of activity. The no-DAC form, also called Mod GRF 1-29, does not. They are different compounds.
Why are CJC-1295 and ipamorelin used together?
They act on two different receptors on the same pituitary cell. In published work the combined response is larger than either alone, which makes the pair a useful tool for studying how the two pathways interact.
What does "no DAC" mean?
DAC stands for drug affinity complex. "No DAC" means the peptide has no such attachment and so does not bind albumin.
What does 5/5 or 10/10 mean on a blend vial?
It is the declared amount of each component. A 10/10 vial declares 10 mg of CJC-1295 no-DAC and 10 mg of ipamorelin.
How can I tell the DAC and no-DAC forms apart?
Check the product name and the molecular weight on the certificate. The DAC form is a much larger molecule because of the attached group.
Does V8 Peptides publish a certificate for this blend?
Not yet. We have requested one and will post it on the COA page when it arrives.
How should the powder be stored?
General practice is refrigeration of the sealed vial, protected from light, heat and moisture. See the reconstitution and storage article.
Is this advice for use in people?
No. These peptides are 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 each peptide, start with the CJC-1295 and ipamorelin research overview and the research FAQ. To check the certificates we have published, visit the COA page.
References
- Raun K, et al. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. European Journal of Endocrinology. 1998;139(5):552-561.
- Jette L, et al. Human growth hormone-releasing factor (hGRF)1-29-albumin bioconjugates activate the GRF receptor on the anterior pituitary in rats: identification of CJC-1295 as a long-lasting GRF analog. Endocrinology. 2005;146(7):3052-3058.
- Teichman SL, et al. Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. 2006;91(3):799-805.
- Bowers CY. Growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP). Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 1998;54(12):1316-1329.
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.