CJC-1295 DAC
Anti-Aging, Performance
In short
- A GHRH(1-29) analogue with a drug affinity complex that binds covalently to serum albumin, extending its half-life to roughly six to eight days.
- The DAC is the entire difference from the non-DAC form, and it changes the pharmacology completely — sustained elevation rather than a pulse.
- That sustained elevation is the main criticism: GH is normally secreted in pulses, and continuous elevation is not physiological.
- Reached phase 2 human trials, which were discontinued.
- Prohibited at all times in sport under WADA class S2.
Structure
A 29-amino-acid GHRH analogue conjugated to a maleimide drug affinity complex. PubChem has no entry under this research-market name, and peptides of this size are represented by sequence rather than a small-molecule diagram.
How it works
The peptide is modified GHRH(1-29) with four substitutions resisting enzymatic degradation, plus a maleimide group that forms a covalent bond with cysteine-34 on serum albumin after injection.
Albumin conjugation is what produces the multi-day half-life. The peptide remains attached to a long-lived carrier protein and is released gradually, producing a persistent elevation of GH and IGF-1 — often described as a "GH bleed" rather than the pulses natural secretion produces.
Whether that matters is genuinely debated. GH pulsatility is thought to be important for some downstream signalling, and continuous elevation may not reproduce the same effects as pulsatile release even at equivalent total exposure.
What the research shows
Human studies confirmed sustained increases in GH and IGF-1 lasting well over a week after a single dose, with dose-dependent magnitude.
A phase 2 programme was conducted and discontinued. Reported development issues have circulated but the compound simply did not progress to approval.
No controlled evidence establishes body composition or recovery outcomes.
Dosing in the literature
Figures below are quoted from published studies, with the species or population they were measured in. They are records of what was studied, not recommendations.
| Studied in | Amount | Route | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Human — single-dose pharmacokinetic and GH/IGF-1 studies | 30–60 µg/kg produced sustained GH and IGF-1 elevation for 6+ days | subcutaneous | PubMed |
Commonly reported ranges
These are amounts people report using. They are not from any study, have not been evaluated for safety, and are reproduced here only because they circulate widely and are better seen alongside the evidence than instead of it.
| Reported by | Amount | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Commonly reported | 1–2 mg once or twice weekly | subcutaneous |
No published human pharmacokinetic study establishes a dose, interval, or duration for this compound. Community figures below have no trial behind them and are reports of practice, not evidence. The multi-day half-life means dosing errors accumulate rather than clear. A mistake with the non-DAC form is gone in an hour; the same mistake here persists for a week.
Handling and storage
Supplied as a lyophilised powder requiring reconstitution with bacteriostatic water. The powder is comparatively stable; once reconstituted it is refrigerated and used within weeks. Track the date you reconstitute each vial — the Inventory section does this, and it is the difference between knowing a vial is three weeks old and guessing.
Weekly or twice-weekly subcutaneous injection. Unlike the non-DAC form, timing relative to food and sleep is largely irrelevant — the elevation is continuous, so there is no pulse to align with.
Side effects
Reported: water retention, tingling and numbness in the extremities, joint discomfort, and lethargy — the expected consequences of sustained GH and IGF-1 elevation.
Carpal tunnel symptoms and reduced insulin sensitivity are class effects of prolonged GH elevation and are more likely here than with pulsatile agents, precisely because the elevation is sustained.
No long-term human safety data exists for this compound.
Combinations
Frequently combined with a GHRP for the two-receptor synergy, though the rationale is weaker here — the GHRP produces a pulse against a background that is already continuously elevated.
Combining sustained GHRH stimulation with anything that further raises IGF-1 compounds the same exposure.
Research status
Developed by ConjuChem, reaching phase 2 before discontinuation. The albumin-conjugation pharmacokinetics are genuinely published and are the solid part of the file. Efficacy for any indication was never established.
Legal status
Not approved in any jurisdiction. Development discontinued. Sold for research use only. GH secretagogues and releasing factors appear on the FDA list of substances presenting significant risks for compounding.
WADA status
PROHIBITED AT ALL TIMES under WADA class S2 — growth hormone secretagogues, their releasing factors and mimetics are explicitly named. Any tested athlete should treat this as an anti-doping violation.
Conclusion
CJC-1295 with DAC is the most pharmacologically distinctive GHRH product here — a genuinely clever albumin-conjugation approach with published human pharmacokinetics.
It is also the one where the criticism has the most force: it abolishes GH pulsatility, which may be the thing that mattered. And with a week-long half-life, there is no undoing a dose you regret.
Sources
Track your own CJC-1295 DAC protocol
Peppers logs your doses, models your levels from this half-life, tracks your vials and tells you when you will run out. Free on iPhone.
Reference and educational information only. Not medical advice. Nothing here diagnoses, treats, or prescribes, and nothing here is a recommendation to use any compound. The compounds described are research chemicals and are not approved for human consumption. Legal and anti-doping status change — the review date above is when these claims were last checked. Talk to a qualified clinician about anything you intend to take.