Growth factorInjectable

AOD-9604

Also known as: Anti-Obesity Drug-9604 · hGH fragment 176–191

AOD-9604 is a synthetic fragment of the growth-hormone molecule studied for its possible role in fat metabolism, without the broader effects of full growth hormone.

Physician-reviewedDr. Bushra Mir, Medical Director · DHA-licensedReviewed 10 July 2026

The molecule, up close

Class: Growth-hormone fragment
Origin: Corresponds to the C-terminal region (176–191) of growth hormone
Chemistry: Short peptide fragment
Typical format: Injectable / oral
Regulatory status: Prescription-only; used under physician guidance

This page is educational information, not medical advice or an offer of treatment. Peptides used clinically are prescription medicines; whether any is appropriate for you is a decision a physician makes after a diagnostic assessment.

What it is

AOD-9604 was developed from a specific fragment of the growth-hormone molecule associated with fat metabolism, with the aim of isolating that effect without the wider actions of the full hormone. It was investigated as a potential anti-obesity drug — hence the name.

That development history matters, because the marketing claims often made for AOD-9604 sit awkwardly against what its trials actually found.

What it's studied for

Interest centres on fat metabolism and body-composition signalling. It has been studied specifically in the context of weight and obesity.

The important context is that this research didn't establish it as an effective weight-loss treatment.

The science

AOD-9604 corresponds to a portion of the growth-hormone molecule linked to fat metabolism, and was studied for that effect in isolation from growth hormone's other actions.

Whether that translates into meaningful effects in people is precisely the question its trials didn't answer favourably.

Typical form

Injectable

Shown in the dispensing format most often used in research and clinical settings. Where any protocol is appropriate, the route, dose and schedule are a physician’s decision — not a fixed recipe.

Safety & considerations

Prescription-only where used at all, and physician-supervised. Weight concerns are worth a proper medical assessment — where a physician can be straight about where AOD-9604's evidence stands and map out what genuinely helps.

As with any research peptide, product sourcing and clinical oversight are central to responsible use.

Status & oversight

AOD-9604 is a research compound used under medical supervision; its trials didn't support the weight-loss claims often made for it. Any use is individualised and medically directed.

Common questions

AOD-9604, in brief.

Does AOD-9604 cause weight loss?

Clinical trials didn't establish it as an effective weight-loss treatment, and it isn't approved for that use. Claims that it 'burns fat' run ahead of the evidence.

Is AOD-9604 approved?

It's a prescription research compound used under medical supervision rather than a licensed weight-loss medicine, and its trials didn't support the fat-loss claims often made for it — which is exactly the kind of thing a proper assessment sorts out, so you're weighing real options rather than marketing.

Is AOD-9604 the same as growth hormone?

No. It's a fragment of the growth-hormone molecule studied for fat metabolism in isolation. It isn't growth hormone and isn't a substitute for approved growth-hormone therapy.

Peptides of this kind are prescription medicines. Whether any protocol is appropriate is decided the way the rest of the practice works — from data, after an assessment.

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How this is written

Physician-reviewed and evidence-led. We describe what a compound is studied for and where the evidence stands — not what it will do for you — and we revise pages as the science changes. Reviewed by Dr. Bushra Mir, Medical Director · DHA-licensed.

References

Peer-reviewed references for this compound are added by the physician author before publication.