Tesamorelin: research summary
For laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use. This page summarises published literature. It gives no advice on use.
What the literature covers
Tesamorelin (TH9507) is a synthetic analogue of growth-hormone-releasing factor (GRF). It contains the 44-amino-acid GRF sequence with a trans-3-hexenoyl group added at the N-terminus, which makes it more resistant to enzymatic breakdown.
Published reviews describe its pharmacology as a GRF analogue, and population pharmacokinetic models have been published. In receptor terms it acts on the GHRH receptor, the same target as native GRF.
It is a large peptide, with a molecular weight of about 5136 g/mol (C221H366N72O67S). At this size, mass spectrometry for identity and HPLC for purity are both important on the CoA.
Key facts
| Tesamorelin | Ipamorelin | |
|---|---|---|
| CAS | 218949-48-5 | 170851-70-4 |
| Formula | C221H366N72O67S | C38H49N9O5 |
| Molecular weight (g/mol) | 5136 | 711.9 |
Source: PubChem CID 16137828.
Tesamorelin compared with Ipamorelin
Tesamorelin and Ipamorelin both relate to growth-hormone release but act on different receptors. Tesamorelin is a 44-residue GHRH-receptor agonist built on the GRF sequence. Ipamorelin is a pentapeptide that acts on the ghrelin (GHS-R1a) receptor.
Full side-by-side: Tesamorelin vs Ipamorelin
Frequently asked questions
- What receptor does Tesamorelin act on?
- The growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) receptor, the same receptor as native GRF.
- How is Tesamorelin different from native GRF?
- It has the GRF(1-44) sequence with an N-terminal trans-3-hexenoyl modification, which improves its stability against enzymes.
- Why is identity testing important for Tesamorelin?
- At about 5.1 kDa, truncated or modified sequences are possible, so the CoA's mass-spectrometry result confirms the intact molecule.
Published literature cited
- González-Sales M, Barrière O, Tremblay PO, Nekka F, Mamputu JC, Boudreault S, Tanguay M. (2015). Population pharmacokinetic analysis of tesamorelin in HIV-infected patients and healthy subjects. Clin Pharmacokinet. PMID 25358450 · doi:10.1007/s40262-014-0202-x
- Wang Y, Tomlinson B. (2009). Tesamorelin, a human growth hormone releasing factor analogue. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. PMID 19243281 · doi:10.1517/13543780802707658
- Tomlinson B. (2006). Drug evaluation: tesamorelin, a synthetic human growth hormone releasing factor. Curr Opin Investig Drugs. PMID 17086939
Every citation was looked up by PMID in Europe PMC (MEDLINE) on 2026-10-14 and its title matched. Citation means the paper exists and is relevant to the compound. It does not mean the paper supports any use.