AOD-9604 is a synthetic 16-amino-acid peptide fragment derived from a C-terminal region of human growth hormone (residues 176–191). It has been investigated in preclinical lipid-metabolism research.

Is AOD-9604 growth hormone?

No. AOD-9604 is a short synthetic fragment of the hGH sequence, not the full-length 191-amino-acid growth-hormone protein. It does not reproduce hGH's broader endocrine actions.

What part of growth hormone is AOD-9604 derived from?

The C-terminal region historically described as the lipolytic domain, residues 176–191 of hGH.

What has AOD-9604 been researched for?

Preclinical lipid-metabolism research in adipocyte and rodent obesity models. Human clinical evidence is comparatively limited.

Is AOD-9604 the same as Retatrutide?

No. AOD-9604 is a short hGH-derived peptide fragment. Retatrutide is a distinct synthetic triple-receptor agonist peptide investigated at GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors. They are chemically and pharmacologically different.

Is PepDirect AOD-9604 intended for human use?

No. AOD-9604 is supplied strictly as a laboratory research material. It is not marketed as a medicine, food supplement or product for human or veterinary use.

↳ Research overview

What Is AOD-9604?

AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide fragment derived from a C-terminal region associated with human growth hormone research. It is chemically distinct from intact hGH and has been investigated in preclinical metabolic research contexts.

This guide covers AOD-9604's identity, its relationship to the full-length hGH sequence and the shape of the published evidence, no usage guidance, no consumer-effect claims.

For laboratory research context only. PepDirect supplies AOD-9604 as a research material, not for human or veterinary use.

§ Identity

What is AOD-9604?

AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide fragment corresponding to a region historically described as the C-terminal 'lipolytic domain' of human growth hormone (residues 176–191 of hGH, with a modification at the N-terminus in the version studied by Ng et al.). It is not full-length growth hormone.

Compound: AOD-9604 (synthetic hGH-derived peptide fragment)
Chemical identity data (PubChem CID 71300630, CAS 221231-10-3)
Sequence region: derived from hGH residues 176–191
Length: 16 amino acids (fragment)

Lot-specific identity and purity should be verified against the printed lot number and its corresponding Certificate of Analysis.

§ vs hGH

How is AOD-9604 related to growth hormone?

AOD-9604 is a fragment, 16 residues, corresponding to a specific C-terminal region of the full-length ~191-amino-acid human growth hormone protein. Full-length hGH engages the growth-hormone receptor and drives a broad spectrum of biological effects (linear growth, IGF-1 signalling, insulin-antagonist activity) that a short fragment does not reproduce.

Research findings involving full-length hGH should not automatically be assigned to AOD-9604. The fragment does not necessarily act through the same receptor mechanisms as intact growth hormone.

§ Development

Why was AOD-9604 developed for research?

The fragment was developed in preclinical metabolic research at Monash University and Metabolic Pharmaceuticals as an experimental probe of the 'lipolytic domain' hypothesis, the idea that C-terminal hGH residues could be studied in isolation for their effects in lipid-metabolism models. Animal studies at the time reported effects on lipid metabolism in obese-mouse models (Ng et al., Heffernan et al.).

Preclinical lipolytic findings in rodent models are not established human weight-loss, fat-burning or metabolism-enhancing outcomes. The regulatory history for AOD-9604 as a human product has been limited to supplement-status frameworks in some jurisdictions.

§ Evidence

What has AOD-9604 research investigated?

Mechanistic / in-vitro work, lipolysis-related pathway studies in adipocyte models.
Animal / preclinical research, lipid-metabolism endpoints in rodent obesity models.
Human research, comparatively limited; older clinical-development studies with mixed reported outcomes.

§ Comparison

AOD-9604 vs growth hormone

Molecular size, full-length hGH (~22 kDa, 191 aa) vs AOD-9604 (16 aa peptide fragment).
Fragment vs full peptide hormone, AOD-9604 is a short synthetic peptide, not a protein hormone.
Research purpose, fragment-based mechanistic probe vs full endocrine hormone with broad receptor engagement.
Biological scope, hGH drives systemic growth-hormone-receptor signalling; AOD-9604 is studied in a narrower experimental metabolic context.

§ Related

AOD-9604 and other metabolic research peptides

Cagrilintide, retatrutide and MOTS-C are all also studied in metabolic research contexts but are chemically and pharmacologically distinct from AOD-9604. Findings for one should not be transferred to another.

§ Research product

View the AOD-9604 research product

AOD-9604 is supplied by PepDirect as a lyophilised research material with lot-specific documentation.

View AOD-9604 Research Peptide →

§ References

Selected research references

AOD-9604 · PubChem CID 71300630 (peptide fragment)PubChem (NCBI)
Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormone (animal / preclinical)PubMed · Ng et al.
The effects of hGH and its lipolytic fragment (AOD9604) on lipid metabolism in obese mice and β3-AR knockout mice (animal / preclinical)PubMed · Heffernan et al.

§ FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is AOD-9604?: AOD-9604 is a synthetic 16-amino-acid peptide fragment derived from a C-terminal region of human growth hormone (residues 176–191). It has been investigated in preclinical lipid-metabolism research.
Is AOD-9604 growth hormone?: No. AOD-9604 is a short synthetic fragment of the hGH sequence, not the full-length 191-amino-acid growth-hormone protein. It does not reproduce hGH's broader endocrine actions.
What part of growth hormone is AOD-9604 derived from?: The C-terminal region historically described as the lipolytic domain, residues 176–191 of hGH.
What has AOD-9604 been researched for?: Preclinical lipid-metabolism research in adipocyte and rodent obesity models. Human clinical evidence is comparatively limited.
Is AOD-9604 the same as Retatrutide?: No. AOD-9604 is a short hGH-derived peptide fragment. Retatrutide is a distinct synthetic triple-receptor agonist peptide investigated at GLP-1, GIP and glucagon receptors. They are chemically and pharmacologically different.
Is PepDirect AOD-9604 intended for human use?: No. AOD-9604 is supplied strictly as a laboratory research material. It is not marketed as a medicine, food supplement or product for human or veterinary use.