Weight Loss & Wellness
Medically supervised therapy that supports weight management.
GLP-1 TherapyAOD-9604 PeptideB12 / MIC InjectionOptional: NAD+
Peptide therapy · hGH C-terminal fragment
AOD-9604, a GH-fragment positioned for targeted fat mobilization.
AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide that mimics the C-terminal fragment (residues 176-191) of human growth hormone. It was originally developed by Metabolic Pharmaceuticals as a candidate obesity therapy intended to drive lipolysis without the broader GH-axis or glucose effects of full-length growth hormone. The branded development program did not deliver a successful Phase IIb obesity endpoint, and AOD-9604 is not FDA-approved. We use it as a 503A compounded adjunct in carefully selected metabolic protocols and frame the human evidence as weak.
What it is
AOD-9604 (Anti-Obesity Drug 9604) is a 16-amino-acid peptide corresponding to the C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone (residues 176-191), with a tyrosine added at the N-terminus for stability. It was designed to retain the lipolytic activity of GH while shedding its growth-promoting, insulin-antagonizing, and IGF-1-driving effects.
Clinical development by Metabolic Pharmaceuticals advanced through Phase II trials in obese adults. The Phase IIb study did not achieve a statistically significant weight-loss difference versus placebo, and pharmaceutical development as an obesity drug was discontinued. AOD-9604 is currently available in the United States only as a 503A compounded peptide under physician prescription. It is not FDA-approved.
How it works
Lipolytic mechanism (preclinical). The hGH (176-191) fragment binds receptors on adipocytes and stimulates lipolysis (triglyceride breakdown) and inhibits lipogenesis in animal models, an effect distinct from the somatotropic action of full-length GH. The molecular target is not fully characterized; activity is reported to be independent of GH receptor binding and IGF-1 induction.
No GH-axis activation. Unlike tesamorelin or full-length GH, AOD-9604 does not raise IGF-1, does not produce a pulsatile GH response, and has not been associated with insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, or acromegalic features in published trials. This is the most clinically relevant differentiator and is the rationale for its niche positioning.
What the human trials showed. Phase IIa data suggested modest fat-mass reduction. The pivotal Phase IIb obesity trial did not meet its primary efficacy endpoint. Subsequent human studies have been limited. Genesis does not present AOD-9604 as a primary weight-loss therapy.
Conditions and use cases
Where AOD-9604 has a defensible role.
- Adjunct inside a Weight Loss & Wellness stack for patients seeking targeted fat-mobilization support alongside GLP-1 therapy or alongside lifestyle change.
- Patients where GH-axis activation is contraindicated or undesired (active malignancy history, diabetic retinopathy, glucose intolerance).
- Not a standalone weight-loss therapy. Patients seeking meaningful body-weight reduction should consider GLP-1 therapy first.
- Not appropriate for athletic performance enhancement. WADA status should be confirmed.
Expected timeline
What patients commonly observe.
Week 0 to 4
Initiation
Daily or near-daily subcutaneous injection. Injection-site reactions are the most common early effect.
Month 1 to 3
Early response window
Patients are reassessed for tolerance and any measurable change in waist circumference or body composition. Continuation is contingent on response.
Month 3 to 6
Reassessment
Provider reviews body-composition data and patient experience. AOD-9604 is discontinued or continued at a defined cadence.
Stacks that include this therapy
AOD-9604 appears in this stack.
Investment and access
Care plans, not menus.
Genesis Longevity therapies are dispensed only after a complimentary consultation and Good Faith Exam. Schedule yours to receive a personalized plan tailored to your biology and goals.
Side effects
What patients commonly report.
Common. Injection-site reactions (redness, discomfort, swelling). Mild headache. Transient fatigue. Reports are based on a limited published safety dataset.
Less common. Nausea or GI upset. Skin sensitivity. No consistent signal for hypoglycemia, insulin resistance, or IGF-1 elevation in published Phase II data.
Rare but possible. Hypersensitivity reaction. The long-term safety profile of compounded AOD-9604 outside the original Phase II trials is not well characterized.
Contraindications
Who should not use this therapy.
Show contraindications
Absolute. Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Known peptide hypersensitivity. Active malignancy (precautionary, given limited oncologic safety data).
Relative. Children and adolescents (no data). History of eating disorder. Severe hepatic or renal impairment (no compound-specific data).
Pairs well with
Therapies that complement this protocol.
- FDA-approved
Tesamorelin
Visceral fat reduction via growth hormone axis support.
Strong evidence - FDA-approved
GLP-1 Therapy
Appetite regulation and clinically guided metabolic weight loss.
Strong evidence - 503A compounded
B12 / MIC Injection
Energy metabolism, fat processing, and lipotropic support.
Moderate evidence
Frequently asked
Frequently asked questions about AOD-9604.
Not in the clinical sense. The Phase IIb obesity trial did not meet its primary endpoint, and AOD-9604 was not approved for weight loss. We use it as a targeted lipolytic adjunct, not as a primary weight-loss therapy.
Tesamorelin and recombinant GH activate the GH-IGF-1 axis. AOD-9604 is a small GH fragment positioned to drive lipolysis without raising IGF-1, without producing pulsatile GH release, and without the glucose-handling concerns associated with GH-axis activation. The trade-off is much weaker human efficacy evidence.
Published Phase II data did not show meaningful changes in fasting glucose or insulin sensitivity. This is part of its rationale relative to GH-axis therapies. Your provider will complete a metabolic evaluation before initiation.
No. GLP-1 therapy has substantially stronger human RCT evidence for weight loss. AOD-9604 is an adjunct and is most appropriate when GLP-1 is contraindicated, not tolerated, or layered alongside other components of a metabolic program.
Patients with WADA testing obligations should confirm current prohibited-list status with their sport-governing body before use.
Sources
Citations & references
- [1]Heffernan M et al. The effects of human GH and its lipolytic fragment (AOD9604) on lipid metabolism following chronic treatment in obese mice. Endocrinology 2001;142:5182–9. Source
- [2]Ng FM et al. Metabolic studies of a synthetic lipolytic domain (AOD9401) of human growth hormone. Horm Res 2000;53:274–8. Source
- [3]Metabolic Pharmaceuticals AOD-9604 obesity Phase IIb development overview (program discontinued for the obesity indication).
- [4]FDA Human Drug Compounding overview. Source
Status & disclosures
- Not FDA-approved
- AOD-9604 is not FDA-approved for any indication. The Phase IIb obesity trial did not meet its primary endpoint and pharmaceutical development for obesity was discontinued.
- 503A compounded
- Available only through licensed 503A compounding pharmacies under physician prescription. Genesis discloses compounding status before initiation.
- Weak human evidence
- Mechanistic preclinical data are reasonable. Human efficacy evidence is weak. AOD-9604 is not a substitute for GLP-1 therapy or for nutrition, sleep, and resistance-training foundations.
- Athletes
- Patients subject to WADA testing should confirm current prohibited-list status with their sport-governing body before initiating therapy.
Next step
Talk to a Genesis provider about AOD-9604.
Schedule a consultation. Physician-led, evidence-graded.
Or keep reading: See the Weight Loss & Wellness stack