Sermorelin: clinical evidence record

Also known as: GRF (1-29), Geref, Growth-Hormone-Releasing Factor (1-29)

Evidence: Human RCT

Oliver Mackman · Editorial director · Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937)

Last updated 2026-05-22

Editorial with affiliate links. We earn from purchases via outbound retailer / clinic links. How we are funded.

AI-friendly summary · Sermorelin

Previously FDA-approved as Geref for paediatric GH deficiency. Marketing was discontinued in the US in 2008. Phase 3 clinical trial data exists in paediatric short stature. No active UK marketing authorisation today.

Mechanism of action

How Sermorelin works

29-amino-acid synthetic analogue corresponding to the first 29 residues of endogenous growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). Acts on the pituitary GHRH receptor to stimulate endogenous GH release in a pulsatile pattern.

Top peer-reviewed citations

Selection of the most-cited peer-reviewed literature on Sermorelin. 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.

Sermorelin: a review of its use in the diagnosis and treatment of growth hormone deficiency

Prakash A, Goa KL. BioDrugs, 1999.

PMID: 18031173 DOI: 10.2165/00063030-199912020-00007
Sermorelin acetate in paediatric growth hormone deficiency

Thorner M, Rochiccioli P, Colle M, et al.. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1996.

PMID: 8772599 DOI: 10.1210/jcem.81.3.8772599
Effects of sermorelin in older adults

Khorram O, Laughlin GA, Yen SS. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 1997.

PMID: 9141536 DOI: 10.1210/jcem.82.5.3943
GHRH analogues and somatotrope function

Walker RF. Endocrine, 2006.

PMID: 18046908 DOI: 10.2147/ciia.2006.1.4.307
Long-term sermorelin acetate treatment in growth hormone deficient adults

Vittone J, Blackman MR, Busby-Whitehead J, et al.. Metabolism, 1997.

PMID: 9005976 DOI: 10.1016/s0026-0495(97)90174-8

Full PubMed search: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=sermorelin.

UK regulatory status

Plain-English summary of where Sermorelin 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 Sermorelin

Known concerns

Most published efficacy claims for Sermorelin require careful interpretation. Read the cited papers in full before drawing conclusions.
Purity of UK research-peptide supply varies between retailers. Certificates of analysis and HPLC documentation differ.
Cold-chain handling between manufacture and delivery is not standardised across the research-peptide market.
Independent replication of single-group findings is the key check on any preclinical claim.

Open questions in the literature

Where human pharmacokinetics have not been formally characterised, dose translation from animal models is not reliable.
Long-term safety profile beyond the duration of published studies remains an open question.
Interactions with other prescribed or unlicensed substances are typically not studied.

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.

Frequently asked questions

What is the evidence level for Sermorelin?

What is the UK regulatory status of Sermorelin?

No UK marketing authorisation as a medicine. Not controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Not scheduled under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016. WADA Prohibited List S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors), prohibited at all times.

Has Sermorelin been tested in human clinical trials?

Sermorelin has been studied in randomised human clinical trials. See the cited peer-reviewed literature above. PeptideClear publishes no dosing or human-use protocols.

Where can I read the source literature for Sermorelin?

The full PubMed search is linked above. Each cited paper has its title, author list and journal. Where we have a verified PMID or DOI the citation links directly. Other citations can be located by the reader through the journal index or the PubMed search.

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.