Research material and lot documents
Tesamorelin vs ipamorelin compares two compounds that stimulate growth hormone release through different receptors: tesamorelin is a 44-amino-acid analog of GHRH that binds GRF receptors, and ipamorelin is a five-amino-acid peptide that its 1998 discovery paper describes as acting through a GHRP-like receptor. Sources: FDA label for Egrifta WR, revised March 2025 and 1998 ipamorelin discovery paper, PMID 9849822.
No. The Egrifta label describes tesamorelin as a GRF analog. The 1998 paper describes ipamorelin as "a pentapeptide (Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2)" found among compounds that lack the central dipeptide Ala-Trp of growth hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP)-1. The authors worked in rat pituitary cells, anaesthetised rats and swine, and reported that ipamorelin "stimulates GH release via a GHRP-like receptor." A 2014 human trial calls ipamorelin a "ghrelin-receptor agonist." Sources: 1998 ipamorelin discovery paper, PMID 9849822 and 2014 ipamorelin trial, PMID 25331030.
Receptor: GRF receptors, per the label.
Length: 44 amino acids plus a hexenoyl group on the N-terminal tyrosine.
Formula and mass: C221H366N72O67S; 5135.9 Da as free base equivalent.
FDA record: Egrifta, approved November 10, 2010 (BLA 022505), listed as a prescription product.
Human trials: randomized trials in HIV-associated groups and in older adults.
Sources: FDA label for Egrifta WR, revised March 2025, Drugs@FDA record for BLA 022505 and tesamorelin peptide identity and research record.
Receptor: a GHRP-like receptor, described as a ghrelin receptor in a 2014 trial report.
Length: 5 amino acids, Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2.
Formula and mass: C38H49N9O5; 711.9 g/mol.
FDA record: no application found in Drugs@FDA data on October 15, 2026; listed on FDA's compounding page for bulk substances that may present significant safety risks.
Human trials: one phase 2 trial in postoperative ileus (NCT00672074).
Sources: 1998 ipamorelin discovery paper, PMID 9849822, PubChem ipamorelin record, CID 9831659 and 2014 ipamorelin trial, PMID 25331030.
A search of Drugs@FDA data for ipamorelin returned no application on October 15, 2026. FDA's page on bulk drug substances that may present significant safety risks, with content current as of April 22, 2026, lists "Ipamorelin acetate" under 503B, added September 29, 2023. It says: "Compounded drugs containing Ipamorelin acetate may pose risk for immunogenicity for certain routes of administration due to the potential for aggregation or peptide-related impurities." Sources: Drugs@FDA search page and FDA page on bulk drug substances that may present significant safety risks.
Egrifta, the tesamorelin product, has an approval record. Its history is on tesamorelin FDA approval records.
The 2014 report describes a multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial in 117 adults after bowel resection. The question was postoperative ileus. The authors reported no significant differences between ipamorelin and placebo in the key and secondary efficacy analyses (P = 0.15 for the key endpoint), called it a small proof-of-concept study, and said ipamorelin was well tolerated. The registry record is NCT00672074 (sponsor Helsinn Therapeutics (U.S.), Inc.). Source: 2014 ipamorelin trial, PMID 25331030.
The tesamorelin trials are listed on the tesamorelin peptide identity and research record.
A PubMed search for both names returned 7 records on October 15, 2026. All seven are 2026 review articles. A ClinicalTrials.gov search for both names returned no record. A name search can miss differently named or unindexed work, so these counts show what the databases return, not that no study exists. Sources: PubMed search for tesamorelin and ipamorelin and ClinicalTrials.gov search for tesamorelin and ipamorelin.
The page tesamorelin research material and lot records explains what a listing and a lot report show, and Curo's research catalog holds the listings.
The comparison with a second growth hormone-releasing hormone analog is on tesamorelin vs sermorelin.