en · de · es · fr · pt
cjc-1295-notes.peptides6823.com › Guide › Cjc-1295 Structure And Mechanism — What the Evidence Shows

Cjc-1295 Structure And Mechanism — What the Evidence Shows

By Editorial Desk · published 2026-05-24 · last reviewed 2026-06-07 · Guide

GHRH analogue raises a handful of sensible questions. This page answers them in order, starting with the fundamentals and moving to applications.

Reviewed 2026-06-07. Anything still debated is marked as such rather than presented as settled.

CJC-1295 Structure And Mechanism

Binding to GHRH receptors on pituitary somatotroph cells triggers cyclic AMP signaling and stimulates growth hormone synthesis and release. Because the peptide acts upstream of the pituitary, effects are mediated through endogenous growth hormone rather than direct receptor activation in peripheral tissues. Increases in insulin-like growth factor 1 are generally described as a downstream consequence. Most published human exposure data come from small early-stage studies, and the clinical significance of the pharmacokinetic profile remains incompletely characterized.

CJC-1295 is a synthetic analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone, built on the 29-amino-acid GHRH(1-29) fragment. Four substitutions distinguish it from the natural sequence: D-alanine at position 2, glutamine at position 8, alanine at position 15, and leucine at position 27. These changes reduce enzymatic cleavage and extend the peptide's persistence in circulation. The compound is discussed in two forms, one carrying a drug affinity complex and one without it.

Compound Identity and Development History

The compound emerged from work at a Canadian biotechnology firm in the early 2000s. Early human studies examined its effect on growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 in healthy volunteers and in people with HIV-associated fat redistribution. Reports described sustained increases in both markers after a single injection. Development did not advance to regulatory approval, and the clinical programme was later discontinued. The molecule is now encountered mainly as a research chemical rather than a marketed medicine.

Two forms circulate in research settings and are frequently confused. One carries the drug affinity complex and is often written as CJC-1295 with DAC; the other lacks that group and is usually called modified GRF(1-29). The two share the same core sequence but differ sharply in how long they persist in blood. Products labelled only as CJC-1295 normally refer to the version carrying the complex. Documentation that omits the distinction leaves the intended molecule ambiguous.

Cjc-1295 at a glance

PropertyValueNotes
Physical formLyophilized white powderSupplied as a freeze-dried solid for research use
Molecular weightApproximately 3,647 Da (DAC form)Lower for the variant lacking the albumin-binding moiety
SolubilitySoluble in water and aqueous bufferTypically dissolved in sterile or bacteriostatic water
Typical storage temperature−20 °C or belowDry powder, desiccated and protected from light
Common analytical methodReversed-phase HPLC with mass spectrometryUsed for purity estimation and identity confirmation

Background and Molecular Design

The second form adds a maleimide-bearing linker to the lysine at the carboxyl end. This group reacts with cysteine-34 on circulating serum albumin, forming a covalent bond that keeps the peptide in the bloodstream for far longer. ConjuChem developed the molecule as a way to extend the action of a peptide without frequent administration. The albumin attachment is the defining structural feature of the drug affinity complex version. Whether continuous exposure produces effects distinct from shorter pulses remains an unresolved research question.

Related pages on this site

Analytical Characterization and Storage

Stability depends heavily on physical state. A lyophilized powder kept dry, desiccated, and shielded from light typically holds its integrity for months to years at minus twenty degrees Celsius, and longer at minus eighty. Once dissolved, the peptide becomes far more vulnerable, since peptide bond hydrolysis, oxidation of susceptible residues, and aggregation all proceed faster in solution. Buffers near neutral pH are generally gentler than strongly acidic or alkaline conditions. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles and exposure to air-liquid interfaces during vigorous mixing cause losses that are easy to overlook.

Verification matters because research peptides vary widely in quality. A certificate of analysis is only as reliable as the method behind it, and a single chromatographic trace reveals little about counter-ions, residual solvents, or water content. Independent laboratories commonly pair mass confirmation with chromatographic purity and, where relevant, quantify water along with acetate or trifluoroacetate content. Reported purity figures are not standardized across suppliers, so a stated value such as ninety-eight percent is not directly comparable unless the analytical method, column, and detection wavelength accompany it.

Structure And Receptor Pharmacology

CJC-1295 belongs to a class of synthetic peptides modeled on growth hormone releasing hormone, a forty-four amino acid signal produced by the hypothalamus. The compound is built from the first twenty-nine residues of the natural sequence, with four substitutions introduced at positions 2, 8, 15 and 27. These changes were designed to slow enzymatic breakdown while preserving receptor activation. The result is a peptide that is shorter than native GHRH and considerably more resistant to ordinary clearance pathways in circulation.

Two related forms appear under the CJC-1295 name. The simpler analogue, commonly written as modified GRF(1-29), carries the four substitutions but no additional conjugation. The second form attaches a maleimidopropionic acid linker to a lysine residue, a modification frequently called the drug affinity complex. That linker reacts with the free thiol on serum albumin to form a covalent bond. Because albumin has a long residence time in blood, the conjugated peptide stays in circulation far longer than the unconjugated analogue.

Background and Molecular Features

Two related peptides circulate under the CJC-1295 label, and they differ mainly in how long they persist in circulation. The version carrying a drug affinity complex includes a maleimidopropionic acid linker that forms a covalent bond with serum albumin. The other version, usually written as modified GRF(1-29) or tetrasubstituted GRF(1-29), lacks that linker and is cleared quickly. Mixing the two produces inconsistent readings of published half-life values, because the linker rather than the receptor-facing sequence drives most of the difference.

The core sequence keeps the receptor-binding region of GHRH while replacing four positions that are vulnerable to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 and other proteases. Substitutions at positions 2, 8, 15, and 27 raise metabolic stability relative to the natural hormone. The N-terminal residues remain essential for activity, so changes there generally lower potency. Molecular weight sits near 3368 daltons for the tetrasubstituted analog without the linker, while the albumin-binding form is heavier because of the added maleimide group.

CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide modeled on growth hormone-releasing hormone, the hypothalamic signal that prompts the pituitary to release growth hormone. Its sequence corresponds to the first twenty-nine residues of human GHRH, with four substitutions that slow enzymatic breakdown. Early descriptions placed the compound in research on growth hormone deficiency and related conditions, and later literature groups it with the long-acting GHRH analogs. The name appears in both laboratory and popular fitness writing, where it sometimes labels chemically different peptides.

Supporting material

== Adverse effects == Preclinical, phase I, and phase II clinical trials indicated that tirzepatide exhibits adverse effects similar to those of other established GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as dulaglutide (sold as Trulicity) and semaglutide (sold as Wegovy, Ozempic, and Rybelsus). These effects occur largely in the gastrointestinal tract. In the phase-II randomized controlled trial of tirzepatide for type II diabetes published in The Lancet in 2018, the most frequently observed symptoms were nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, which increase in incidence as dosage increases. The proportion of patients who discontinued taking tirzepatide also increased as the dosage increased, with patients taking 15 mg having a 25% discontinuation rate and 5.1% of those taking 5 mg. To a slightly lesser extent, patients also reported reduced appetite. Other side effects reported were dyspepsia, constipation, abdominal pain, dizziness, and hypoglycemia. A systematic review published in 2024 found that tirzepatide was well tolerated and not associated with pancreatitis, but later case reports have found that pancreatitis sometimes follows initiation of treatment with tirzepatide. In 2026, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) updated its guidance on GLP-1 medications after an increase in reports to the agency's Yellow Card Scheme of acute pancreatitis, with fatalities, in patients taking semaglutide or tirzepatide, to warn of a small risk of developing severe acute pancreatitis.

The Bradford assay, a colorimetric protein assay, is based on an absorbance shift of the dye Coomassie brilliant blue G-250. The Coomassie brilliant blue G-250 dye exists in three forms: anionic (blue), neutral (green), and cationic (red). Under acidic conditions, the dye is red; when it is deprotonated, the red form of the dye is converted into its blue form, which can bind to the protein being assayed. If there is no protein present, then the solution will remain brown. Dye-protein interactions are driven by electrostatic interactions between positively charged arginine (and to a lesser extent, lysine and histidine) and the deprotonated negatively charged sulfonate groups on the dye, as well as hydrophobic interactions with the aromatic amino acids (tryptophan, tyrosine, phenylalanine). Binding of the dye to the protein stabilizes the anionic form of the dye, which can be detected colorimetrically by a shift from 465 nm to 595 nm. The cationic (unbound) form is red and has an absorption spectrum maximum at 465 nm, whereas the anionic bound form has an absorption spectrum maximum at 595 nm. The increase of absorbance at 595 nm is proportional to the amount of bound dye, and thus to the amount (concentration) of protein present in the sample. Unlike other protein assays, the Bradford protein assay is less susceptible to interference by various chemical compounds such as sodium, potassium or even carbohydrates like sucrose, that may be present in protein samples. An exception of note is elevated concentrations of detergent.

The first step is the condensation of three amino acids—L-α-aminoadipic acid, L-cysteine, L-valine into a tripeptide. Before condensing into the tripeptide, the amino acid L-valine must undergo epimerization to become D-valine. The condensed tripeptide is named δ-(L-α-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteine-D-valine (ACV). The condensation reaction and epimerisation are both catalysed by the enzyme δ-(L-α-aminoadipyl)-L-cysteine-D-valine synthetase (ACVS), a nonribosomal peptide synthetase or NRPS. The second step in the biosynthesis of penicillin G is the oxidative conversion of linear ACV into the bicyclic intermediate isopenicillin N by isopenicillin N synthase (IPNS), which is encoded by the gene pcbC. Isopenicillin N is a very weak intermediate, because it does not show strong antibiotic activity. The final step is a transamidation by isopenicillin N N-acyltransferase, in which the α-aminoadipyl side-chain of isopenicillin N is removed and exchanged for a phenylacetyl side-chain. This reaction is encoded by the gene penDE, which is unique in the process of obtaining penicillins.

Russia is pursuing deals to supply its vaccine abroad. According to the Russian Direct Investment Fund, they had received orders for more than 1.2 billion doses of the vaccine as of December 2020. Over 50 countries had made requests for doses, with supplies for the global market being produced by partners in India, Brazil, China, South Korea, Hungary, and other countries. In August 2020, according to the Russian authorities, there were at least 20 countries that wanted to obtain the vaccine. The Israeli Hadassah Medical Center signed a commercial memorandum of understanding to obtain 1.5–3 million doses. Argentina agreed to buy 25 million doses of Russia's COVID-19 vaccine, subject to its clearing clinical trials; the vaccine was registered and approved in Argentina in late December 2020. The Brazilian state of Bahia signed an agreement to conduct Phase III clinical trials of the Sputnik V vaccine and planned to buy 50 million doses to market in northeastern Brazil. On 21 January 2021, Argentine president Alberto Fernández became the first Latin American leader to be inoculated with Sputnik V, shortly after it was approved for use in the country. Two months after being vaccinated he developed fever and headache, and tested positive for COVID-19. He was asymptomatic ten days later, was discharged from medical treatment subject to medical follow-up as usual for former COVID-19 patients, and resumed his normal activities.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Supporting material

After the internationalization of the war, several among them stepped off the fence and entered the political contest. The French strategy of inducing the Viet Minh to attack well-defended bases in remote areas at the end of their logistical trails succeeded at the Battle of Nà Sản. French efforts were hampered by the limited usefulness of tanks in forest terrain, the lack of a strong air force, and reliance on soldiers from French colonies. The Viet Minh used novel and efficient tactics, including direct artillery fire, convoy ambushes, and anti-aircraft weaponry to impede land and air resupplies, while recruiting a sizable regular army facilitated by large popular support. They used guerrilla warfare doctrine and instruction from China, and used war materiel provided by the Soviet Union. This combination proved fatal for the French bases, culminating in a decisive French defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. An estimated 400,000 to 842,707 soldiers died during the war as well as between 125,000 and 400,000 civilians. Both sides committed war crimes, including killings of civilians (such as the Mỹ Trạch massacre by French troops), rape and torture. The State of Vietnam gained full independence legally in June 1954, although the transfer of power was not yet complete. Despite gaining a great military advantage and controlling most of the country's territory, the Viet Minh had to accept a separation at the 17th parallel due to diplomatic pressure from the Chinese.

SXXK motif is located at the N-terminal end of α2 helix and includes two residues that are important for the enzyme function. Ser-310 : Includes a serine nucleophile that is acylated by both peptide substrate and β-lactam antibiotics. Lys-313 : Plays an important role in providing the dense hydrogen bound network at the active site and is in distance of Ser 310, ASN-364 and the carbonyl backbone of Ser-362. SXN motif that includes Ser-362, Ser-363 and Asn-364 KTG motif that includes Lys-497, Thr-498 and Gly-499 Research also implies that adjacent regions to the active site which differ between different PBP have significant influence on the rate of β-lactam acylation rate.

== Antidote == In case of a bite from the black mamba, the victim should be treated according to a standard protocol. The most important part of this treatment is the intravenous injection of a polyvalent antivenom. South African Vaccine Producers produces this antivenom. Polyvalent means that it can be used for different snakebites: vipers, mambas and cobras. Large quantities of the antivenom must be injected to counter the effects of the venom. The polyvalent antivenin is produced by injecting horses with adapted venom. The venom is first detoxified to prevent too much damage and death. This is mostly done by complexing the venom with an aldehyde like formalin. The venom is also administered with an adjuvant, like aluminium hydroxide or sodium alginate, to stimulate the immunological response. When the venom is injected, the body will produce antibodies. These will bind components – the variability of peptides – of the venom, which prevent further activity of the molecule and are ultimately removed by the immune system of the body. These antibodies are collected and purified from the blood and then packaged in mostly a liquid form. Horses are used because of the large blood volume. The final antivenom product expires after 5 years and needs to preferentially be kept cool, 4-8 °C. It can, however, survive different environmental situations for some weeks to months, without losing its potency. Because several venoms of different snakes are injected over time, the horse will develop different antibodies against all the venoms.

== Function == As well as all the other enzymes in the PLCPs group, chymopapain is a cysteine protease. Proteases are enzymes that hydrolyse peptide bonds between the residues that conform a protein. In every hydrolysis a water molecule is released. Specifically, a cysteine protease is an enzyme which breaks the peptide bond by using the thiol group of a cysteine residue as the nucleophile. In order to hydrolyse, the whole catalytic triad of the enzyme must be used. This is constituted by a cysteine, the Cys159 residue, a histidine, the His203 residue, and a third residue, which tends to be an asparagine, specifically the Asn313 residue. The functional groups used in the reaction are the thiol group of the cysteine and the imidazolium ring of a histidine. The asparagine residue works orientating the imidazolium ring of the histidine.

As both are carotenoids, xanthophylls and carotenes are similar in structure, but xanthophylls contain oxygen atoms while carotenes are purely hydrocarbons, which do not contain oxygen. Their content of oxygen causes xanthophylls to be more polar (in molecular structure) than carotenes, and causes their separation from carotenes in many types of chromatography. (Carotenes are usually more orange in color than xanthophylls.) Xanthophylls present their oxygen either as hydroxyl groups and/or as hydrogen atoms substituted by oxygen atoms when acting as a bridge to form epoxides.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Supporting material

M80 Stilleto, from the M Ship Co. Article about testing of Stiletto Article about Stiletto operations against drug trafficking Article about Stiletto transforming Navy Details and Specifications of the M80 Stiletto Naval Vessel Official project website Official Stiletto Principal Characteristics

In the fields of medicine, biotechnology, and pharmacology, drug discovery is the process by which new drugs are discovered. Historically, drugs were discovered by identifying the active ingredient from traditional remedies or by serendipitous discovery. Later chemical libraries of synthetic small molecules, natural products, or extracts were screened in intact cells or whole organisms to identify substances that have a desirable therapeutic effect in a process known as classical pharmacology. Since sequencing of the human genome which allowed rapid cloning and synthesis of large quantities of purified proteins, it has become common practice to use high throughput screening of large compound libraries against isolated biological targets which are hypothesized to be disease-modifying in a process known as reverse pharmacology. Hits from these screens are then tested in cells and then in animals for efficacy. Even more recently, scientists have been able to understand the shape of biological molecules at the atomic level and to use that knowledge to design (see drug design) drug candidates. Modern drug discovery involves the identification of screening hits, medicinal chemistry, and optimization of those hits to increase the affinity, selectivity (to reduce the potential of side effects), efficacy/potency, metabolic stability (to increase the half-life), and oral bioavailability. Once a compound that fulfills all of these requirements has been identified, it will begin the process of drug development prior to clinical trials.

The T5 exonuclease chews back DNA from the 5' end of each fragment, exposing 3' overhangs on each DNA fragment. The complementary overhangs on adjacent DNA fragments anneal via complementary base pairing. The Phusion DNA polymerase fills in any gaps where the fragments anneal. Taq DNA ligase repairs the nicks on both DNA strands. Because the T5 exonuclease is heat labile, it is inactivated at 50 °C after the initial chew back step. The product is thus stable, and the fragments assembled in the desired order. This one-pot protocol can assemble up to 5 different fragments accurately, while several commercial providers have kits to accurately assemble up to 15 different fragments in a two-step reaction. However, while the Gibson assembly protocol is fast and uses relatively few reagents, it requires bespoke DNA synthesis as each fragment has to be designed to contain overlapping sequences with the adjacent fragments and amplified via PCR. This reliance on PCR may also affect the fidelity of the reaction when long fragments, fragments with high GC content or repeat sequences are used.

== Background == In the late 1970s, tooth adhesion phosphate monomer 2-methacryloyloxethyl phenyl hydrogen phosphate (Phenyl-P) was developed for tooth-saving restoration techniques. 4-Methacryloyloxyethyl trimellitic acid anhydride (4-META) that adheres to not only tooth structures but also dental alloys, was developed almost at the same time. In order to create adhesive monomers having higher performance, investigation and optimization of adhesive monomer molecular structure was carried out. The results of the experiments have provided adhesive monomers with a more suitable chemical structure, and one of those is MDP.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Frequently asked questions

How does CJC-1295 differ from modified GRF(1-29)?

The two share the same 29-amino-acid backbone. CJC-1295 carries an additional albumin-binding moiety that markedly extends its residence time in circulation, while the form without that moiety clears faster. Literature sometimes applies the name loosely to either variant.

Is CJC-1295 an approved medicine?

It has not been approved by major regulatory agencies for any therapeutic indication. Material sold under this name is typically distributed for laboratory research only. Clinical use is not supported by large controlled trials.

What is known about its half-life?

Early human studies of the albumin-binding form reported circulation half-lives on the order of several days. The value depends on assay method and study design. Estimates for the form without the binding moiety are considerably shorter.

What is CJC-1295?

It is a synthetic peptide analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone. Four substitutions in its sequence make it more resistant to enzymatic degradation than the natural hormone. In the version carrying a drug affinity complex, the peptide binds albumin and remains in circulation for days.

Network