CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin
CJC-1295 With DAC vs Without DAC
CJC-1295 with DAC includes a Drug Affinity Complex (DAC) — a maleimidopropionic acid linker that covalently binds serum albumin, extending half-life to approximately one week. Without DAC (also called Modified GRF 1-29), the peptide has a plasma half-life of only about 30 minutes.
Key facts
- With DAC half-life
- ~7 days (albumin-bound)
- Without DAC half-life
- ~30 minutes
- Without DAC name
- Modified GRF 1-29 (Mod GRF 1-29)
Why the two versions
DAC prolongs exposure for weekly research administration. The non-DAC form produces a brief GH pulse mimicking physiological release, suitable for different research designs.
Quick reference
| Feature | With DAC | Without DAC |
|---|---|---|
| Half-life | ~7 days | ~30 min |
| Mechanism | Albumin binding | Free peptide |
| Also known as | CJC-1295 DAC | Mod GRF 1-29 |
Extended research context
The CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin deep dive
Deep dive: why CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin are studied together
CJC-1295 is a modified GHRH (growth-hormone-releasing hormone) analogue; Ipamorelin is a selective growth-hormone secretagogue that binds the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a). In pituitary-cell research models the two act on independent pathways whose downstream effect converges on GH release — CJC-1295 amplifies the endogenous GHRH signal while Ipamorelin adds a separate ghrelin-pathway stimulus. That's why supplier catalogues frequently package them together as a research reference blend.
DAC vs no-DAC: which CJC-1295 is which
'CJC-1295 with DAC' contains a Drug Affinity Complex (a Lys-maleimide moiety) that binds serum albumin and extends half-life to several days. 'CJC-1295 no-DAC' (also called Modified GRF 1-29) lacks the linker and clears in minutes. These are pharmacologically different peptides. A CoA must specify which form is in the vial; mass differs (~3,367 Da with DAC vs ~3,367 minus linker for no-DAC).
Ipamorelin's selectivity profile
Unlike earlier GHS-R agonists (e.g. GHRP-6), Ipamorelin was engineered for minimal cross-activity at cortisol- and prolactin-releasing pathways in research models. That receptor selectivity is why it is the reference secretagogue for controlled pituitary-cell studies.
Research applications
- ▸Pituitary-cell GH-release assays (comparator vs GHRH and hexarelin)
- ▸Half-life comparison studies: DAC vs no-DAC CJC-1295 forms
- ▸Ghrelin-receptor binding assays for Ipamorelin analogue development
- ▸Analytical HPLC method development for lipidated GHRH analogues
- ▸Stability testing under refrigerated storage
Handling checklist
- ✓Store lyophilised at −20 °C long-term
- ✓Reconstitute in bacteriostatic water; both peptides dissolve readily
- ✓Aliquot immediately, refrigerate at 2–8 °C, use within 28 days
- ✓Confirm salt form and DAC/no-DAC status on CoA before starting a study
- ✓Do not use for human administration — research reference only
Common research-handling mistakes
Learnt from thousands of researcher orders across our UK labs.
✗ Confusing DAC and no-DAC CJC-1295
Fix: Check the CoA — the two have very different pharmacokinetics.
✗ Assuming Ipamorelin acts on GHRH receptors
Fix: It binds the ghrelin receptor (GHS-R1a) — a separate pathway from CJC-1295.
✗ Storing reconstituted solution at room temperature
Fix: Refrigerate 2–8 °C after reconstitution.
Continue researching
Peer-reviewed guides, comparators and matched reference materials.
Related questions researchers ask
- Is CJC-1295 the same as Modified GRF 1-29?
- What is the difference between DAC and no-DAC CJC-1295?
- Does Ipamorelin raise cortisol?
- Why are CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin blended together?
- How long is the half-life of CJC-1295 with DAC?
Frequently asked questions
- Which is more commonly co-studied with ipamorelin?
- The non-DAC form (Mod GRF 1-29), because both are short-acting.
Primary sources & clinical trials
Peer-reviewed research and registered trials from PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, PubChem, FDA and NIH. All links open in a new tab and point to the primary source, so every claim can be verified at origin.
- PubMedTeichman et al., JCEM 2006pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMedRaun et al., Ipamorelin, the first selective GH secretagogue — Eur J Endocrinol 1998 (PMID 9849822)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubMedSinha et al., Growth-hormone secretagogues — Endocr Rev (PMID 15855273)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubChemPubChem · CJC-1295 (CID 16137828)pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- PubChemPubChem · Ipamorelin (CID 9831659)pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- TrialClinicalTrials.gov · GH-secretagogue trialsclinicaltrials.gov
- GuidelineGoogle — Creating helpful, reliable, people-first contentdevelopers.google.com
Written and reviewed by
Jack Muncaster · Founder, UK Peptides
Jack founded UK Peptides in Manchester after repeatedly receiving research compounds with missing or recycled paperwork. He is responsible for supplier selection, batch release decisions and the content published in this research library. Every article here is sourced to primary literature and every product page to a signed third-party certificate.
More CJC-1295 & Ipamorelin articles
- CJC-1295 Mechanism: The GHRH AnalogueCJC-1295 mechanism: binds and activates the GHRH receptor on pituitary somatotrophs, triggering pulsatile growth-hormone release through Gαs signalling.
- Ipamorelin Mechanism: The Ghrelin ReceptorIpamorelin mechanism: selective agonist of the growth-hormone secretagogue receptor GHS-R1a (ghrelin receptor), triggering pulsatile GH release.
- What Is a Growth Hormone Secretagogue?A growth-hormone secretagogue is a molecule that triggers pituitary release of growth hormone. Peptide and non-peptide classes explained.
- CJC-1295 Molecular Structure and PropertiesCJC-1295 molecular structure: 30-residue GHRH analogue with amino-acid substitutions and optional maleimidopropionic acid DAC linker for albumin binding.
- Ipamorelin vs GHRP-2 vs GHRP-6: Selectivity ResearchIpamorelin is a selective GHS with minimal cortisol/prolactin effects. GHRP-2 and GHRP-6 also raise cortisol and prolactin in reported research studies.
Popular across the research hub
One flagship guide from every other research category — keep exploring.
- Retatrutide ResearchReta Peptides Explained
- GHK-Cu (Copper Peptide)GHK vs GHK-Cu: The Difference
- TB-500 (Thymosin β4 fragment)What Does TB-500 Stand For?
- BPC-157 (Pentadecapeptide)BPC-157 Mechanism: Multi-Pathway Research
- Peptide ReferenceWhat Is the Polypeptide Group?
- Bacteriostatic WaterWhy Bacteriostatic Water Is Used to Reconstitute Peptides