Short answer: CJC-1295 is one of the few research peptides that reached a real phase 2 drug trial, and its history is more complicated than most guides admit. In healthy volunteers it was well tolerated, with no serious adverse reactions, and it kept growth hormone and IGF-1 elevated for one to two weeks after a single injection. Then, in 2006, its developer halted a phase 2 trial after a participant died; the link to the drug was never publicly established, and development stopped. Here is what the trials show, what the reported side effects are, and why the long half-life is both the selling point and the main concern.
What CJC-1295 is (with and without DAC)
CJC-1295 is a modified version of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It was developed by ConjuChem, a Montréal company, using a “Drug Affinity Complex” (DAC): a chemical linker that makes the peptide bind to albumin in the blood. Albumin protects it from breakdown, so instead of lasting minutes, it lasts days. The product sold as “CJC-1295 without DAC” (also called modified GRF 1-29) has the stabilizing amino-acid changes but not the albumin linker, so it acts for a much shorter time.
| CJC-1295 with DAC | CJC-1295 without DAC (Mod GRF 1-29) | |
|---|---|---|
| Half-life | About 6 to 8 days in humans | Roughly 30 minutes (estimates vary) |
| GH pattern | Raised baseline for days | Short pulse |
| Human trial data | Phase 1 and phase 2 | Essentially none published |
The difference matters for safety. A short pulse that fades within hours behaves more like the body’s own rhythm; a level that stays up for a week cannot be switched off if something goes wrong. More on how it compares in CJC-1295 vs tesamorelin vs ipamorelin.
What the human trials showed
The key paper is Teichman and colleagues, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in 2006: two randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials in healthy adults aged 21 to 61, lasting 28 and 49 days.
- Growth hormone: a single injection raised average GH 2- to 10-fold for 6 days or more.
- IGF-1: it rose 1.5- to 3-fold for 9 to 11 days; with repeated doses it stayed elevated for up to 28 days.
- Half-life: 5.8 to 8.1 days.
- Safety: “No serious adverse reactions were reported,” and the drug was described as relatively well tolerated.
That is real data, but it covers healthy volunteers over a few weeks. The non-serious side effects were not detailed in the published abstract.
The 2006 trial that was halted
ConjuChem then ran a phase 2, placebo-controlled trial of weekly CJC-1295 in 192 people with HIV-associated abdominal obesity, the same condition tesamorelin was later approved for. In July 2006, the company halted the study after a participant died at a site in Argentina. At the time, the cause and its relationship to the drug were “being investigated.” No public finding linking the death to CJC-1295 was released, and the program did not continue.
How to read this: a single death in a trial does not prove a drug caused it, and it is often unrelated. But it is the reason CJC-1295 never had a full safety evaluation, and it is a fact most product pages leave out. You should know it.
Flushing, water retention, tingling: the reported effects
| What people report | Mechanism | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| Flushing, warmth, head rush shortly after injection | Known with GHRH analogues | Common and usually short-lived. |
| Injection-site redness or itching | Local reaction | Also seen with approved GHRH drugs (17% with tesamorelin). |
| Water retention, swelling | Growth hormone effect | Can last longer with DAC because levels stay up. |
| Tingling, numbness, joint pain | Fluid around nerves and joints | Documented class effects on GH-raising drug labels. |
| Higher blood sugar | GH opposes insulin | Relevant for anyone with prediabetes or diabetes. |
For the measured version of these effects in an approved drug of the same class, see tesamorelin side effects.
Health Canada, FDA and WADA
| Health Canada | Not authorized. CJC-1295 is named in Health Canada’s April 2026 advisory on unauthorized injectable peptides and was among products seized from Canada Peptide in 2025. |
|---|---|
| FDA (USA) | Not approved. Clinical development stopped after 2006. |
| WADA (sport) | Prohibited at all times under S2 (GHRH and its analogues). |
See TrueLabs CJC-1295 and its COA →
Frequently asked questions
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What are the side effects of CJC-1295?
In trials in healthy adults, no serious adverse reactions were reported. Commonly reported effects include flushing after injection, injection-site reactions, water retention, tingling and higher blood sugar, which are typical of drugs that raise growth hormone.
Is CJC-1295 safe?
It was well tolerated over a few weeks in healthy volunteers, but a 2006 phase 2 trial was halted after a participant died, the drug’s development stopped, and long-term safety has never been studied.
What is the difference between CJC-1295 with and without DAC?
DAC links the peptide to albumin in the blood, giving a half-life of about 6 to 8 days. Without DAC, it acts for minutes to hours and produces short GH pulses.
How long does CJC-1295 with DAC last?
Its measured half-life in humans was 5.8 to 8.1 days, and a single dose kept IGF-1 elevated for 9 to 11 days.
Is CJC-1295 legal in Canada?
CJC-1295 is not authorized by Health Canada and is named in its April 2026 advisory on unauthorized injectable peptides.
Is CJC-1295 banned in sport?
Yes. WADA prohibits GHRH analogues, including CJC-1295, at all times under S2.
Related reading
- CJC-1295 and ipamorelin: why they are sold together
- IGF-1 vs IGF-1 LR3
- Tesamorelin side effects: what the Egrifta label shows
- Ipamorelin side effects
- Ipamorelin and CJC-1295 in Canada
References
- Teichman SL, Neale A, Lawrence B, Gagnon C, Castaigne JP, 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. DOI
- aidsmap. Lipodystrophy study halted after patient death. July 2006. aidsmap
- Health Canada. Think twice before injecting peptides bought online. Public advisory, April 9, 2026. Health Canada
All TrueLabs products are sold for in vitro and laboratory research use only. They are not intended for human or veterinary use, and nothing in this article is medical advice. If you have diabetes, prediabetes or a history of cancer, talk to a doctor.