Peptide reference
Sermorelin
Last reviewed · Written by the PepCycle team
Sermorelin is a synthetic peptide consisting of the first 29 amino acids of growth-hormone-releasing hormone — the shortest fragment that retains full activity. Unlike most compounds in this reference it was once an approved medicine, marketed as Geref, before being withdrawn from the US market in 2008 for commercial reasons.
What Sermorelin is
Natural growth-hormone-releasing hormone is 44 amino acids long, but its biological activity lives almost entirely in the first 29. Sermorelin is exactly that fragment, synthesised. It binds the GHRH receptor on the pituitary and prompts release of the body's own growth hormone, in a pulse that mirrors natural physiology more closely than a long-acting analogue does.
It is unusual among compounds people log with peptide trackers in having had a genuine regulatory life: it was approved and marketed as Geref for diagnostic use and for growth hormone deficiency in children before being discontinued in the US in 2008. Reporting at the time attributed the withdrawal to commercial decisions rather than a safety finding.
How it is supplied and stored
Today Sermorelin circulates in two very different channels: as a research-chemical vial, and — in some jurisdictions and at various times — as a compounded preparation from a pharmacy. The two carry entirely different levels of oversight, and the difference belongs in your record.
- Research vials are lyophilised, typically 2–9 mg, reconstituted with bacteriostatic water.
- Compounded preparations arrive with pharmacy labelling, a beyond-use date and a prescriber's name — all of which should be copied into the log.
- Because it is short-acting, entries tend to be frequent, which makes a fast logging flow worth more than a clever one.
Research context and status
As a former approved product, Sermorelin has a real clinical literature, chiefly in paediatric growth hormone deficiency and as a diagnostic agent for pituitary function. That evidence base concerns specific, supervised clinical uses and does not extend to unsupervised use in adults.
In the US, the FDA's 2023 review of bulk substances placed several growth-hormone-pathway peptides outside the categories eligible for compounding; the practical availability of compounded Sermorelin has shifted as a result. Regulatory status is genuinely a moving target here — check the current position rather than a two-year-old summary.
What to record
- Source channel — pharmacy-compounded (with prescriber) or research supplier.
- Vial mg, water volume, reconstitution date and any beyond-use date printed by a pharmacy.
- Amount in mcg and, importantly, the time of day, since short-acting compounds make timing the interesting variable.
- Injection site, rotated and recorded.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Sermorelin (Geref) discontinued?
Geref was withdrawn from the US market in 2008. Contemporary reporting described the discontinuation as a commercial decision by the manufacturer rather than the result of a safety finding. It remains a compound with an approval history, unlike most research peptides.
How is Sermorelin different from CJC-1295?
Both are GHRH analogues, but Sermorelin is the plain GHRH (1-29) fragment with a half-life of minutes, while CJC-1295 is modified for a longer half-life — dramatically so in the DAC form. That is a pharmacokinetic difference, not a quality ranking.
Is Sermorelin available by prescription?
Availability depends on country and on current compounding rules, which have changed in the US in recent years. If you obtained it through a pharmacy with a prescription, record the prescriber and the pharmacy label in your log; that provenance is worth keeping.
Related pages
Track Sermorelin without re-doing the maths
Enter the vial once — mass, diluent volume, lot, date — and every entry after that converts automatically between mcg, mL and syringe units, with the vial counting down as you log.
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