Entry 0016Rev 1.0GHRH analogue

Sermorelin

GHRH (1–29) amide · C149H246N44O42S

Reviewed

2 Nov 2026

Scientific editor

[Name, PhD]

References

11 sources

Sermorelin is the first 29 residues of growth hormone-releasing hormone, with an amide at the end. That short piece keeps the full hormone's activity at the pituitary.3 It was licensed in the US as Geref, first as a diagnostic test and later to treat children with growth hormone deficiency.7

The maker stopped selling it in 2008. In 2013 the FDA ruled that it had not been withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness.7

Residues

29

Avg mass

3357.9 g/mol

US licence

1990–2009

WADA class

S2.2.4

01

Identity

Value
SequenceYADAIFTNSYRKVLGQLSARKLLQDIMSR-NH2
Based onHuman GHRH (1–44), first 29 residues
FormulaC149H246N44O42S
Avg mass3357.9 g/mol
CAS86168-78-7
BrandsGeref (Serono)
RelativesCJC-1295 adds four substitutions and an albumin-binding lysine to the same 29 residues; tesamorelin is all 44 residues with a hexenoyl cap
02

History

  1. GHRH isolated and sequenced from pancreatic tumours that caused acromegaly.1,2

  2. Shortened versions made; the 1–29 amide keeps full activity on rat pituitary cells.3

  3. FDA approves Geref as a test of pituitary growth hormone secretion.7

  4. Licensed in Ireland; the licence is withdrawn in 2007.9

  5. FDA approves Geref for idiopathic growth hormone deficiency in children.7

  6. The sponsor discontinues both products; the approvals are withdrawn in 2009.7

  7. FDA rules that Geref was not withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness.7

03

What the studies measured

StudyPeople or modelWhat was measuredFindingSource
Ling 1984Rat pituitary cellsGrowth hormone release by shortened GHRHThe 1–29 amide kept activity[3]
Pelletier 198718 dairy cowsMilk yield against full-length GHRHMilk yield rose 14.6% with the 1–29 fragment and 18.6% with the 1–44 peptide[11]
Thorner 1996110 children with growth hormone deficiency, open-labelHeight velocityRose from 4.1 to 8.0 cm a year at 6 months and 7.2 cm at 12 months[4]
Corpas 199210 healthy older men, 9 young menGrowth hormone and IGF-1 over 14 daysBoth rose; in older men they reached young-adult levels[5]
Vittone 199711 healthy men aged 64 to 76, 6 weeksNight-time growth hormone, IGF-1, body compositionNight-time growth hormone rose; IGF-1 and body composition did not change[6]
04

Regulatory and sport status

As of this revision. General information, not legal advice.

WhereStatus
USApproved 1990 and 1997; discontinued by the sponsor in 2008. The FDA has ruled the withdrawal was not for safety or effectiveness.7
EUPreviously licensed nationally, for example in Ireland from 1991 to 2007. No current authorisation found.9
UKNo current licence found.
SportProhibited at all times. Named in WADA class S2.2.4 with CJC-1295 and tesamorelin.10
05

Open questions

  1. Whether raising growth hormone and IGF-1 in older adults brings any functional benefit. The short trials found no change in body composition.5,6
  2. How the pattern of exposure affects IGF-1: the 1997 study concluded that once-nightly exposure was less effective than exposure several times a day.6
  3. Long-term safety in adults, which no controlled trial has measured.
06

Common questions

Is sermorelin the same as GHRH?

It is the first 29 of GHRH's 44 residues, with an amide at the end. That fragment keeps the full hormone's activity at the pituitary.

Why was Geref taken off the market?

The sponsor stopped selling it in 2008. In 2013 the FDA ruled that it had not been withdrawn for reasons of safety or effectiveness.

How is sermorelin different from CJC-1295?

CJC-1295 starts from the same 29 residues but swaps four of them for stability and adds a lysine that binds albumin, so it lasts days rather than minutes.

How is it different from tesamorelin?

Tesamorelin is the full 44-residue hormone with a hexenoyl group added, and is licensed in the US. Sermorelin is the 29-residue fragment.

Is sermorelin banned in sport?

Yes. It is named in WADA class S2.2.4 and prohibited at all times.

—

See also

Tesamorelin Entry 0004Tesamorelin vs sermorelin ComparisonCJC-1295 Entry 0010Ipamorelin Entry 0009Growth hormone axis Shelf
07

References

  1. Guillemin R, et al. Growth hormone-releasing factor from a human pancreatic tumor that caused acromegaly. Science. 1982;218(4572):585–587. PMID 6812220
  2. Rivier J, Spiess J, Thorner M, Vale W. Characterization of a growth hormone-releasing factor from a human pancreatic islet tumour. Nature. 1982;300(5889):276–278. PMID 6292724
  3. Ling N, et al. Synthesis and in vitro bioactivity of C-terminal deleted analogs of human growth hormone-releasing factor. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1984;123(2):854–861. PMID 6435620
  4. Thorner M, et al. Once daily subcutaneous growth hormone-releasing hormone therapy accelerates growth in growth hormone-deficient children during the first year of therapy. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1996;81(3):1189–1196. PMID 8772599
  5. Corpas E, et al. Growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone-(1-29) twice daily reverses the decreased GH and insulin-like growth factor-I levels in old men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1992;75(2):530–535. PMID 1379256
  6. Vittone J, et al. Effects of single nightly injections of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29) in healthy elderly men. Metabolism. 1997;46(1):89–96. PMID 9005976
  7. US Food and Drug Administration. Determination that GEREF (sermorelin acetate) injection was not withdrawn from sale for reasons of safety or effectiveness. Federal Register. 4 March 2013;78(42):14095–14096.
  8. Prakash A, Goa KL. Sermorelin: a review of its use in the diagnosis and treatment of children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency. BioDrugs. 1999;12(2):139–157. PMID 18031173
  9. Health Products Regulatory Authority (Ireland). GEREF 50, licence PA0285/006/001: authorised 26 July 1991, withdrawn 6 July 2007. hpra.ie
  10. World Anti-Doping Agency. The 2026 Prohibited List (in force 1 January 2026). wada-ama.org Class S2.2.4.
  11. Pelletier G, et al. Injection of synthetic human growth hormone-releasing factors in dairy cows. 1. Effect on feed intake and milk yield and composition. J Dairy Sci. 1987;70(12):2511–2517. PMID 2896206

Peptidarium Library. Sermorelin (entry 0016), revision 1.0, 2 November 2026. peptidarium.com/library/sermorelin

08

Revision history

RevDateChangeBy
1.02 Nov 2026Entry created.[Scientific editor]

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