What Is CJC-1295 and How Does It Work
CJC-1295 is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), the hypothalamic signal that tells the pituitary gland to secrete growth hormone. Native GHRH has a half-life of only a few minutes in circulation. CJC-1295's core modification - a version of GRF(1-29) - is often paired with a second modification called DAC (Drug Affinity Complex), a chemical tag that binds reversibly to circulating albumin. That albumin binding is what extends the compound's active half-life from minutes to roughly a week, allowing sustained stimulation of the pituitary rather than a single brief pulse.
Two forms exist in research use, and they are not interchangeable. CJC-1295 with DAC is the long-acting version described above, typically dosed weekly. CJC-1295 without DAC - often labeled Mod GRF 1-29 - lacks the albumin-binding extension and clears within a couple of hours, which is why it is dosed multiple times daily and timed around the body's natural GH pulse windows rather than run as a weekly injection.
Research Dosing
Dosing below reflects ranges reported in published pharmacokinetic research and common research-protocol conventions, not personal medical guidance.
| Form | Dose | Frequency | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| CJC-1295 (with DAC) | 1–2mg | Once weekly | SubQ injection |
| CJC-1295 (no DAC / Mod GRF 1-29) | 100mcg | 1–3× daily, fasted | SubQ injection |
Context: The no-DAC form is almost always paired with a ghrelin-receptor secretagogue like Ipamorelin, since the short-acting GHRH pulse and the secretagogue's clean GH-release trigger are studied together as a combined stack rather than CJC-1295 alone.
Regulatory Status
CJC-1295 is not an FDA-approved drug and is not currently listed on the FDA's 503A or 503B bulk drug substance lists for compounding pharmacies. Products sold as "CJC-1295" - including the one carried in the BioStackIQ shop - are marketed and sold as research chemicals for laboratory and research use only, not for human consumption. This is a legal distinction, not a safety endorsement: research-use framing does not indicate that a product has been evaluated by any regulator for human safety or efficacy. Consult a qualified healthcare provider before considering any peptide protocol.
What Research Shows
Human pharmacokinetic data on the DAC-modified form is more established than for most research peptides. A 2006 clinical trial in healthy adults documented a half-life of 5.8 to 8.1 days for CJC-1295 with DAC, alongside sustained elevation of both growth hormone and IGF-1 following administration - the mechanistic basis for its weekly dosing convention.
For the combined CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin stacking protocol - dosing schedule, timing around sleep and training, and cycle structure - see the peptide stacks for muscle growth guide.