CJC-1295 With Dac

What Is CJC-1295 with DAC?

CJC-1295 with DAC is a synthetic long-acting GHRH analogue studied in laboratory and clinical research. The DAC moiety binds it to serum albumin, extending its half-life to roughly 5.8–8.1 days. It is not FDA-approved, and human data remain limited. For research use only.

CJC-1295 with DAC is a synthetic 29-amino-acid analogue of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (hGHRH 1-29), originally engineered by ConjuChem Biotechnologies (Montreal, Canada) for extended plasma exposure through covalent albumin binding. Its name reflects two structural components: the core GHRH peptide sequence (CJC-1295) and the Drug Affinity Complex (DAC) — a maleimidopropionic acid moiety on a C-terminal lysine that forms stable covalent linkages with free thiol groups on endogenous plasma proteins, principally serum albumin. Within melanocortin-adjacent GH-axis pharmacology, it is studied as a reference long-acting GHRH receptor agonist.

Disclaimer: CJC-1295 with DAC is a research compound not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for human or veterinary use. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This product is strictly for laboratory research purposes only.

CJC-1295 with DAC Research Background

CJC-1295 with DAC was identified during research into albumin-bioconjugate GHRH analogues in the mid-2000s. In cultured rat anterior-pituitary work, maleimido derivatives of hGRF 1-29 were bioconjugated to serum albumin and screened for stability and GH-secretory activity, and CJC-1295 was identified as the long-lasting candidate (Jetté et al., 2005).

The core sequence incorporates four amino-acid substitutions relative to native hGHRH 1-29 — D-Ala at position 2, Gln at position 8, Ala at position 15, and Leu at position 27 — which increase resistance to proteolytic inactivation by dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) and other plasma proteases (Jetté et al., 2005). It was subsequently investigated in Phase 1/2 human pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies (Teichman et al., 2006). Commercial pharmaceutical development was later discontinued, and the compound has not received FDA approval for any indication.

How Does CJC-1295 with DAC Work? Mechanism of Action

CJC-1295 with DAC works in two sequential steps: the DAC moiety binds serum albumin to extend systemic exposure, then the GHRH peptide activates the GRF receptor on pituitary somatotrophs, engaging GH synthesis and secretion in preclinical and clinical models.

DAC Technology and Covalent Albumin Binding

Picture the injected peptide meeting circulating albumin: the maleimidopropionic acid group of the DAC moiety undergoes a selective Michael addition with the free thiol of Cys34 on serum albumin, forming a stable covalent thioether bond under physiological conditions. This converts CJC-1295 into an albumin-bound reservoir with a half-life approaching albumin's own (~5.8–8.1 days in human pharmacokinetic data), which slowly presents the active GHRH moiety to pituitary receptors (Teichman et al., 2006). Conceptually, this resembles the albumin-tethering strategies used by later long-acting peptides, but uses a direct covalent bond rather than non-covalent fatty-acid binding.

GRF Receptor (GHRHR) Activation and the cAMP Pathway

The CJC-1295 peptide component binds the GRF/GHRH receptor on anterior-pituitary somatotrophs — a seven-transmembrane Gαs-coupled GPCR (Jetté et al., 2005). Receptor activation is understood to stimulate adenylyl cyclase, raise intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP), and engage protein kinase A (PKA), a cascade associated with GH1 gene transcription and release of stored growth-hormone granules. These signalling steps reflect established GHRH-receptor pharmacology; compound-specific downstream effects remain characterised only in preclinical and early clinical models.

GH and IGF-1 Axis Stimulation

Growth hormone released from somatotrophs is associated with hepatic production of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). In the Phase 1/2 study, a single subcutaneous injection was associated with dose-dependent 2- to 10-fold increases in mean plasma GH sustained for 6 or more days and 1.5- to 3-fold increases in mean plasma IGF-1 sustained for 9–11 days (Teichman et al., 2006). Findings are limited to that clinical dataset and are not established for research-grade material.

Preservation of Pulsatile GH Secretion

A notable observation in the clinical dataset is that GH pulse amplitude appeared amplified without abolishing the natural pulsatile secretory pattern — a profile the authors described as distinct from recombinant GH administration (Teichman et al., 2006). Evidence remains limited and is not consistent across all exposure models.

What Are the Key Research Areas for CJC-1295 with DAC?

In controlled laboratory settings, CJC-1295 with DAC has been investigated across the following areas. These reflect preclinical and clinical-trial contexts only and do not constitute claims of efficacy or safety for research-grade material.

CJC-1295 with DAC vs. Comparable GHRH Analogues

Within GH-axis research, CJC-1295 with DAC is distinguished by albumin conjugation, which extends receptor-engagement duration far beyond short-acting analogues. The comparison below situates it among reference compounds researchers commonly benchmark against.

Chemical Properties of CJC-1295 with DAC

Reported Observations in Clinical Trials (Historical Data)

The following are historical observations reported in the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of the pharmaceutical-grade formulation (Teichman et al., 2006). They describe trial participants, not research-grade material, and should not be extrapolated. Data remain limited.

• In the trial, single subcutaneous injections at 30 or 60 μg/kg were reported as relatively well tolerated.

• Fluid-related observations (e.g., transient water retention) were reported in a subset of participants, consistent with GH-axis activation.

• Injection-site reactions (erythema, induration) were reported at low frequency and described as mild and transient.

• Headache, nausea, and flushing were reported at low frequency, consistent with GH-secretagogue-class pharmacology.

• No serious adverse reactions were reported at the studied doses; one participant death was determined by investigators to be unrelated to the study drug.

• Long-term human safety data are absent; sustained IGF-1 elevation carries theoretical concerns around glucose homeostasis and cell-proliferation pathways in extended-exposure models.

What Are the Risks and Limitations of CJC-1295 with DAC Research?

This section is mandatory reading before working with CJC-1295 with DAC in any laboratory setting.

Handling Precautions: CJC-1295 with DAC should be handled by trained laboratory personnel only, in a controlled research environment. Use appropriate PPE (nitrile gloves, laboratory coat, eye protection) at all times. Avoid direct skin contact or inhalation of any reconstituted solution, and avoid aerosol generation during reconstitution. Critically, the DAC maleimide reacts with free thiols — exclude DTT, β-mercaptoethanol, glutathione, and cysteine from all reconstitution, storage, and assay buffers, as these consume the maleimide and abolish albumin-binding functionality.

Exposure Risks: CJC-1295 with DAC is a GHRH-analogue research peptide thought to activate the GRF/GHRH receptor and elevate GH/IGF-1 axis signalling in preclinical models. Risk tier: moderate — because of albumin conjugation, accidental systemic exposure could be associated with prolonged, days-long activity. No human safety data exists for this research-grade compound.

Storage: Store lyophilised CJC-1295 with DAC at −20 °C in a dry, dark, sealed environment with desiccant. Store reconstituted material at 4 °C and use within 48–72 hours. Protect from light, heat, moisture, and oxidising conditions; avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles, which may compromise both the peptide backbone and the DAC maleimide.

Toxicity and Data Limitations: No chronic toxicity data exist for research-grade CJC-1295 with DAC. All findings are from short-duration preclinical models and a discontinued clinical program only, and are not evidence of safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CJC-1295 with DAC, and what is it studied for in research? CJC-1295 with DAC is a synthetic 29-amino-acid GHRH analogue with a Drug Affinity Complex moiety that covalently binds serum albumin, extending its half-life to about 5.8–8.1 days (Teichman et al., 2006). It is investigated in preclinical and clinical research for GRF-receptor activation and GH/IGF-1 axis signalling. It is not FDA-approved and is for laboratory research use only.

What is the difference between CJC-1295 with DAC and without DAC (Modified GRF 1-29)? Both share the same DPP-IV-resistant hGHRH 1-29 backbone. Without DAC, the peptide lacks the maleimide albumin-binding moiety, giving a half-life of roughly 30 minutes and short GH pulses. With DAC, covalent albumin binding extends the half-life to days, and clinical data reported sustained GH and IGF-1 elevation — a fundamentally different pharmacokinetic profile (Teichman et al., 2006).

How does the DAC maleimide technology work? The DAC is a maleimidopropionic acid group on a C-terminal lysine. On contact with plasma, the maleimide undergoes a Michael addition with the free thiol of albumin Cys34, forming a stable covalent thioether bond (Jetté et al., 2005). Thiol-containing reagents (DTT, β-mercaptoethanol, glutathione) must be excluded from all buffers, as they consume the maleimide and prevent albumin conjugation.

Is CJC-1295 with DAC FDA-approved? No. It was investigated in Phase 1/2 clinical trials, but commercial development was discontinued and no FDA approval was granted for any indication (Teichman et al., 2006). Research-grade CJC-1295 with DAC is not a pharmaceutical product and is not approved for human or veterinary use.

How does CJC-1295 with DAC compare with Sermorelin and Tesamorelin? All are GHRH-based analogues studied on the GH axis. Sermorelin and Tesamorelin are short-acting relative to the DAC-conjugated form; CJC-1295 with DAC's albumin binding is associated with markedly longer receptor-engagement duration in research contexts. Comparative profiles are model-dependent and evidence remains limited.

How should CJC-1295 with DAC be stored in the laboratory? Store lyophilised material at −20 °C, sealed, light-protected, with desiccant; store reconstituted material at 4 °C and use within 48–72 hours. Exclude all thiol-containing reagents from reconstitution and assay systems, and avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles to preserve both the backbone and the DAC maleimide.

What to Look for in a Supplier When Sourcing Research-Grade CJC-1295 with DAC

Check that every batch is independently third-party tested for purity and identity, and that a Certificate of Analysis (COA) is available for each lot. Prefer suppliers that sell strictly for preclinical and in-vitro research use, provide HPLC purity data (≥98%), and document storage and handling. You can consider verified suppliers such as RCD Bio, where all compounds are supplied strictly for preclinical and in-vitro research use.

Note: All products referenced are strictly for LABORATORY AND RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY. They are not to be used for any human or veterinary purposes.

References

1. Teichman SL, Neale A, Lawrence B, Gagnon C, Castaigne J-P, Frohman LA. Prolonged stimulation of growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor I secretion by CJC-1295, a long-acting analog of GH-releasing hormone, in healthy adults. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2006;91(3):799–805. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16352683/

2. Jetté L, Léger R, Thibaudeau K, et al. Human growth hormone-releasing factor (hGRF)1-29-albumin bioconjugates activate the GRF receptor on the anterior pituitary in rats: identification of CJC-1295 as a long-lasting GRF analog. Endocrinology. 2005;146(7):3052–3058. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15817669/

ATTENTION: This content is for LABORATORY AND RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY. Not for human or veterinary use. Educational purpose only. No human consumption.