Tesamorelin

Also called Egrifta, Egrifta SV, Egrifta WR and TH9507^{1, 3, 7}

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Tesamorelin is a lab-made copy of the hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone, with a small chemical cap added. FDA approved it in 2010, as Egrifta, to shrink the deep belly fat that builds up in some people with HIV.^{1, 4} In two large trials that fat fell 14% to 18% over six months while it barely changed on placebo, and it came back when people stopped.^{1, 7} Single small trials have tested it for liver fat, belly fat without HIV and memory. No trial has tested it for muscle, fat loss or anti-aging in healthy people. It is sold online as a "peptide," but it's a prescription biologic, and compounded copies sit outside the federal compounding rules.^{4, 5}

See every peptide's status in the regulatory tracker

At a glance

Where to get it

MoveWell sells no peptides. All options and prices

Molecular structure

A chain of 44 amino acids, the same as human growth hormone-releasing hormone, with a six-carbon hexenoyl group on the first one. Too large to draw atom by atom, so this is a sequence diagram.

The added hexenoyl group on tyrosine 1

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Length

44 amino acids

Formula

C221H366N72O67S

Weight

5,135.9 Da

Salt

Acetate

Ends

Hexenoyl group at the start, amide at the end

Form

Powder in a vial, injected under the skin

Formula, weight and salt from the Egrifta WR label, for the free base.¹ Drawn from the human GHRH(1–44) sequence; the formula we computed from it matches the label.

What it is

The hypothalamus makes growth hormone-releasing hormone, which tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. Tesamorelin is a synthetic version of that 44-amino-acid hormone with a hexenoyl group attached to the first amino acid.¹

Theratechnologies developed it under the code TH9507.⁷ FDA approved it as Egrifta on November 10, 2010.⁴ Two newer formulations followed. Egrifta SV, a more concentrated single-vial version approved in 2018, is mixed daily.¹⁷ Egrifta WR, approved in March 2025, is mixed once a week and is replacing Egrifta SV.^{2, 3} In September 2025 an affiliate of Future Pak bought Theratechnologies.¹⁵

The trials enrolled adults with HIV and lipodystrophy who had excess fat in the belly. Diabetes was an exclusion. The fat measured was visceral fat, the deep fat around the organs.^{1, 6}

In 2012 its European partner withdrew an application to sell it in the EU, after Europe's medicines committee said the benefit had not been shown to be clinically meaningful.¹¹

How it works

• Pituitary signal. It binds the same receptor as the body's own GHRH, with similar potency, so the pituitary makes and releases more of its own growth hormone in pulses.¹
• IGF-1. Growth hormone raises IGF-1. In the first phase 3 trial IGF-1 rose 81%, while it fell 5% on placebo.⁶
• Deep belly fat. Visceral fat fell, while the fat just under the skin of the belly barely changed.⁷
• Only while you take it. When people switched to placebo after six months, the visceral fat came back.¹

Unlike most compounds sold as peptides, these effects were measured in people, in large randomized trials.

Evidence map

Each claimed use is graded separately. A high grade for one use says nothing about the others.

Scale: 5 FDA-approved, 4 strong human, 3 limited human, 2 animal or lab only, 1 anecdotal

Key studies

The approved-use trials enrolled people with HIV on treatment. Europe's medicines committee said they weren't representative of European patients and that the fat loss hadn't been shown to improve health.¹¹

By goal

Pick your goal to see what the evidence supports.

Sources: Egrifta WR label,¹ Falutz 2010,⁷ Stanley 2019,⁸ Makimura 2012.⁹

How it's used

We don't give doses. For reference, the FDA label sets one for its approved use only.

Your prescriber sets your dose. The label says Egrifta WR and Egrifta SV "are not substitutable."¹

Side effects and who should avoid it

• Common. In the six-month trials, the most frequent side effects were injection-site reactions, joint pain, pain in the arms or legs, muscle pain and swelling of the legs.¹
• Higher IGF-1. IGF-1 rises on treatment. The label asks doctors to monitor it and consider stopping if it stays high.¹ Europe's committee called this a major safety concern because high IGF-1 may be linked to cancer.¹¹
• Cancer. The label warns of a possible increased risk of tumors and says not to use it with active cancer.¹
• Blood sugar. The label warns of glucose intolerance and a higher diabetes risk than placebo in trials.¹
• Fluid retention. Swelling, joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome.¹
• Allergic reactions. Reported in 4% of trial patients.¹
• Critical illness. The label says to consider stopping it in people who are acutely critically ill.¹
• Who should avoid it. Pregnancy, active cancer, an allergy to tesamorelin, and anyone whose pituitary system is disrupted, for example after pituitary surgery, head radiation or head injury.¹
• Long-term heart safety. Not established, per the label.¹

Compared with

Sources: Egrifta WR label,¹ WADA 2026 list.¹² See our guides to hexarelin, tabimorelin and sermorelin, another GHRH analog.

Stacks

Tesamorelin is often discussed with ipamorelin, CJC-1295 or MK-677, which push growth hormone through other routes. We found no study of any combination. Each adds its own effect on IGF-1 and blood sugar, and none of the others is approved.

Myths vs evidence

All options and prices

MoveWell sells no peptides. Checked November 1, 2026

Brand, with a prescription

Cash prices vary by pharmacy. A doctor can prescribe it for other uses, but those uses aren't approved and coverage depends on your plan and diagnosis.

Compounded tesamorelin

Some clinics offer compounded tesamorelin. Egrifta became a biologic on March 23, 2020, and FDA says biologics licensed this way "are not eligible for the exemptions for compounded drugs" under sections 503A and 503B.^{4, 5} Tesamorelin isn't in the Oct 2026 HHS peptide policy either.¹⁴ We don't link compounded tesamorelin.

Research use only products

We don't list sellers. In August 2026 FDA warned online peptide sellers whose products included tesamorelin that a "research use only" label doesn't excuse products clearly meant for people.¹³

Legal status history

Newest first.

1. Current statusNov 1, 2026FDA-approved as Egrifta WR (and Egrifta SV during the transition) for excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy. Regulated as a biologic. Banned in sport.^{1, 4, 12}
2. Next · no dateEgrifta SV is phased out as Egrifta WR takes over.³
3. Oct 28, 2026HHS peptide compounding policy covers six peptides. Tesamorelin is not one of them.¹⁴
4. Aug 24, 2026FDA warning letters to "research use only" peptide sellers name tesamorelin among their products.¹³
5. Sep 25, 2025An affiliate of Future Pak completes its purchase of Theratechnologies.¹⁵
6. Sep 5, 2025Egrifta WR reaches specialty pharmacies.³
7. Mar 25, 2025Theratechnologies announces FDA approval of Egrifta WR, a formulation mixed once a week.²
8. Mar 23, 2020Egrifta and Egrifta SV become biologics under the law that moved protein drugs to biologics licenses. That ends eligibility for the compounding exemptions.^{4, 5}
9. Nov 2018Theratechnologies announces FDA approval of a single-vial formulation, Egrifta SV.¹⁷
10. Jun 21, 2012The EU applicant, Ferrer, withdraws its application. Europe's committee had provisionally found that the benefits didn't outweigh the risks.¹¹
11. Nov 10, 2010FDA approves Egrifta.⁴
12. Dec 2007First phase 3 trial published.⁶

FAQ

Related guides

References