growth hormone C-terminal fragment · studied for fat loss (failed phase 2b trials), cartilage and joint injury in animals

AOD-9604 dosage

AOD-9604 is a modified 16-amino-acid tail of growth hormone that was tested as an oral obesity drug by Metabolic Pharmaceuticals in the early 2000s. Six human trials covered 25 to 400 mcg/kg IV and 0.25 to 30 mg oral daily for up to 6 months; the drug was well tolerated but the weight-loss endpoint failed and development stopped. Community use is 250 to 500 mcg subcutaneously once a day, fasted, for 8 to 12 weeks. Expect little from it for fat loss; the trial data says so.

By the Peptide Calculations editors · Updated 2026-10-19

0.25 mg to 1 mg oral dailyper day

Basis: clinical trial (METAOD006, 2006, phase 2b, 502 obese adults, 6 months, Metabolic Pharmaceuticals; earlier METAOD005 ran 1 to 30 mg daily in 300 subjects for 12 weeks). tablets; safety endpoints fine, weight-loss endpoint not met

How often: once daily
When: morning, fasted, 30 to 60 minutes before food or training
How long: 8 to 12 weeks, then 4 weeks off
Route: subcutaneous, abdomen; the trials were oral and IV
Storage: lyophilized: fridge or freezer; reconstituted: fridge, use within 4 weeks (commonly reported)

Dose ranges by source

Range	Per	Basis	Note
0.25 mg to 1 mg oral daily	day	clinical trial (METAOD006, 2006, phase 2b, 502 obese adults, 6 months, Metabolic Pharmaceuticals; earlier METAOD005 ran 1 to 30 mg daily in 300 subjects for 12 weeks)	tablets; safety endpoints fine, weight-loss endpoint not met
25 mcg/kg to 400 mcg/kg IV single dose	dose	clinical trial (METAOD001 and 002, 2001, phase 1 and 2a, 15 healthy men and 23 obese men, single 20-minute infusions)	safety and pharmacokinetics only
250 mcg to 500 mcg per day	day	commonly reported	subcutaneous, fasted morning dose, 8 to 12 weeks; 300 mcg is the most quoted

AOD-9604 dose to units chart

5 mg vial + 2 mL bacteriostatic water = 2.5 mg/mL (25 mcg per unit on a U-100 insulin syringe). 5 mg + 2 mL = 2.5 mg/mL, so 250 mcg = 0.1 mL = 10 units, 300 mcg = 12 units and 500 mcg = 20 units. One vial is 20 doses at 250 mcg.

Dose	mL	Units (U-100)	Doses per vial
250 mcg	0.1	10	20
400 mcg	0.16	16	12
500 mcg	0.2	20	10
1 mg	0.4	40	5

Different vial or water? Full 5 mg + 2 mL table or set your own numbers below.

Side effects

injection site redness
headache (reported)
few side effects in the trials, which is the one clear finding

Before you start. The largest trial (502 people, 6 months) did not show meaningful weight loss and the Australian regulator declined an obesity indication. It does not raise IGF-1 or affect blood sugar in the trials, which is good for safety and bad for the fat-loss story. Not medical advice. Talk to a clinician and start low.

AOD-9604 dosage questions

AOD-9604 dosage for weight loss?

Community use is 250 to 500 mcg subcutaneously once a day, fasted, for 8 to 12 weeks. The human trials gave 0.25 to 30 mg orally every day for up to 6 months and did not produce meaningful weight loss, so keep expectations low.

How many units of AOD-9604 is 300 mcg?

At 2.5 mg/mL (5 mg in 2 mL) 300 mcg is 12 units. 250 mcg is 10 units and 500 mcg is 20 units.

When is the best time to take AOD-9604?

Morning on an empty stomach, 30 to 60 minutes before eating or training, is the standard community timing. The oral trials dosed once daily without a fasting rule.

Did AOD-9604 work in clinical trials?

It was well tolerated in six trials, with no effect on blood sugar or IGF-1, but the 6-month phase 2b trial missed its weight-loss endpoint and the company stopped development. That is the most honest summary available.

Sources

Brands we recommend for AOD-9604. We are independent and have no affiliation with any brand: no affiliate links, no referral codes, no paid placements. These are the suppliers whose testing and certificates hold up when we check them.

Licensed Peptides two accredited labs on every lot, certificates public, card and Apple Pay checkout
Core Peptides long track record, public certificates, wide catalog
Ascension Peptides public third-party testing, clear pricing

This page is an educational summary of published labels, trials and commonly reported use. It is not medical advice and does not replace a clinician.