AOD-9604: clinical evidence record
Also known as: Anti-Obesity Drug 9604, hGH 177-191 fragment
Oliver Mackman · Editorial director · Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937)
Last updated 2026-05-22
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AI-friendly summary · AOD-9604
Reached Phase 2b human obesity trials with Metabolic Pharmaceuticals (Australia) in the 2000s. Did not progress to phase 3. Modest effect signal in the published trial work.
Mechanism of action
How AOD-9604 works
Synthetic 15-amino-acid peptide corresponding to residues 177 to 191 of human growth hormone, the C-terminal fragment associated with the lipolytic activity of the parent hormone without the growth-promoting or hyperglycaemic actions in preclinical work.
Top peer-reviewed citations
Selection of the most-cited peer-reviewed literature on AOD-9604. Where a verified PMID or DOI is shown, the citation links to the original record. Other citations list the title, authors, journal and year so the reader can locate the paper through the journal index or the PubMed search linked below. PeptideClear publishes editorial commentary, not clinical guidance.
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The effects of human GH and its lipolytic fragment (AOD9604) on lipid metabolism following chronic treatment in obese mice and beta(3)-AR knock-out mice
Heffernan MA, Summers RJ, Thorburn A, et al.. Endocrinology, 2001.
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Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9604) of human growth hormone
Ng FM, Sun J, Sharma L, et al.. Hormone research, 2000.
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Effects of oral administration of a synthetic fragment of human growth hormone on lipid metabolism
Heffernan MA, Jiang WJ, Thorburn AW, et al.. American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism, 2000.
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Antilipogenic action of synthetic C-terminal sequence 177-191 of human growth hormone
Wu Z, Ng FM. Biochemistry and molecular biology international, 1993.
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Detection and in vitro metabolism of AOD9604
Cox HD, Smeal SJ, Hughes CM, et al.. Drug testing and analysis, 2015.
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Effect of Intra-articular Injection of AOD9604 with or without Hyaluronic Acid in Rabbit Osteoarthritis Model
Kwon DR, Park GY. Annals of clinical and laboratory science, 2015.
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Increase of fat oxidation and weight loss in obese mice caused by chronic treatment with human growth hormone or a modified C-terminal fragment
Heffernan MA, Thorburn AW, Fam B, et al.. International journal of obesity and related metabolic disorders : journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 2001.
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AOD-9604 Metabolic
Wilding J. Current opinion in investigational drugs (London, England : 2000), 2004.
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Safety and Efficacy of Approved and Unapproved Peptide Therapies for Musculoskeletal Injuries and Athletic Performance
Mendias CL, Awan TM. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2026.
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Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions
Rahman OF, Lee SJ, Seeds WA. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews, 2026.
Full PubMed search: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=AOD-9604.
Registered clinical trials
As of 2026-07-13, no interventional trials for AOD-9604 are listed on ClinicalTrials.gov or the ISRCTN registry. This is itself informative: much of the AOD-9604 evidence base is preclinical, which is why the evidence grade above matters.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov and the ISRCTN registry, refreshed 2026-07-13. See the peptide clinical-trials tracker for the full picture across compounds.
UK regulatory status
Plain-English summary of where AOD-9604 sits under the four UK and international frameworks that govern peptide supply. Editorial commentary, not legal advice.
- Misuse of Drugs Act 1971: Not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
- Psychoactive Substances Act 2016: Not scheduled under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016.
- MHRA medicines classification: No UK marketing authorisation as a medicine.
- WADA Prohibited List: WADA Prohibited List S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors), prohibited at all times.
Risks and unknowns
What the literature does not yet show about AOD-9604
Known concerns
- The evidence for AOD-9604 is mixed: some human data exists alongside a larger preclinical literature. Mixed evidence is easy to quote selectively, so check whether a claim you have read rests on the human work or the animal work.
- There are no registered interventional clinical trials for AOD-9604 on ClinicalTrials.gov or the ISRCTN registry. Nobody is currently running the study that would answer the safety and efficacy questions.
- AOD-9604 holds no UK marketing authorisation, so nothing you can buy has been assessed by a regulator, released by batch, or dispensed by an accountable pharmacy. Purity, dose accuracy and sterility rest entirely on the seller's own documentation.
- AOD-9604 appears on the WADA Prohibited List. For anyone subject to testing under UK Anti-Doping or an international federation, use is a violation, and detection windows for peptide metabolites extend well beyond the period of use.
Open questions in the literature
- Long-term outcomes beyond the duration of the published trials are unknown, and the published trials are considerably shorter than the periods over which people actually use these compounds.
- Interactions between AOD-9604 and prescribed medicines are not systematically studied, which matters most for anyone already on treatment for a long-term condition.
- Effects on body composition, and whether any change is maintained after stopping, are among the least well characterised parts of the metabolic literature.
Regulatory note
No UK marketing authorisation as a medicine. Prohibited at all times under WADA S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors). The moment a UK seller or commentator makes a therapeutic claim, MHRA can treat the product as an unlicensed medicinal product.
Important: PeptideClear publishes encyclopedia commentary only and does not recommend human use. Speak to a UK-registered prescriber before any medical decision.
Related reading on PeptideClear
Frequently asked questions
What is the evidence level for AOD-9604?
What is the UK regulatory status of AOD-9604?
Has AOD-9604 been tested in human clinical trials?
Where can I read the source literature for AOD-9604?
Last verified 2026-05-22. Editorial commentary, not legal or clinical advice. Citations without a linked identifier can be located through the PubMed search and the journal index.