Sermorelin: clinical evidence record
Also known as: GRF (1-29), Geref, Growth-Hormone-Releasing Factor (1-29)
Oliver Mackman · Editorial director · Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937)
Last updated 2026-05-22
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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.
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Sermorelin: a review of its use in the diagnosis and treatment of children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency
Prakash A, Goa KL. BioDrugs : clinical immunotherapeutics, biopharmaceuticals and gene therapy, 1999.
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Once daily subcutaneous growth hormone-releasing hormone therapy accelerates growth in growth hormone-deficient children during the first year of therapy. Geref International Study Group
Thorner M, Rochiccioli P, Colle M, et al.. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 1996.
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Endocrine and metabolic effects of long-term administration of [Nle27]growth hormone-releasing hormone-(1-29)-NH2 in age-advanced men and women
Khorram O, Laughlin GA, Yen SS. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 1997.
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Sermorelin: a better approach to management of adult-onset growth hormone insufficiency?
Walker RF. Clinical interventions in aging, 2006.
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Effects of single nightly injections of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29) in healthy elderly men
Vittone J, Blackman MR, Busby-Whitehead J, et al.. Metabolism: clinical and experimental, 1997.
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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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Growth hormone-releasing hormone attenuates amyloid deposition and neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease models
Pedrolli F, Morello G, Gesmundo I, et al.. Cell death & disease, 2026.
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A new era of doping? Use of peptide and peptide-analog drugs in recreational and professional sport and bodybuilding: a critical review
Coutinho LFD, DE Oliveira Neves LF, Camilo RP. The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 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.
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Analysis of growth hormone releasing hormone and its analogs in urine using nano liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole/orbitrap mass spectrometry
Uçaktürk E, Nemutlu E. Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis, 2026.
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Growth hormone - releasing hormone antagonists induce autophagy in cancer cells
Sigdel M, Fakir S, Sarker MMR, et al.. Growth hormone & IGF research : official journal of the Growth Hormone Research Society and the International IGF Research Society, 2025.
Full PubMed search: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=sermorelin.
Registered clinical trials
As of 2026-07-13, Sermorelin has 37 interventional trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov and the ISRCTN registry. Registration means a study is planned, running or completed. It is not evidence of efficacy, and a listing is not an endorsement.
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 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
- Sermorelin has been studied in randomised human trials, which is a materially stronger position than most compounds on this site. Trial populations, endpoints and durations are still narrower than everyday use, so results describe the trial, not every person.
- 37 registered interventional trials exist for Sermorelin and 3 are recruiting, so the evidence base is actively moving. A registration is not a result, and a recruiting trial has by definition not reported.
- Sermorelin 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.
- Sermorelin 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 Sermorelin and prescribed medicines are not systematically studied, which matters most for anyone already on treatment for a long-term condition.
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 Sermorelin?
What is the UK regulatory status of Sermorelin?
Has Sermorelin been tested in human clinical trials?
Where can I read the source literature for Sermorelin?
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.