As of September 2026, the FDA and the EMA have not approved AOD-9604. It went through two randomized obesity trials. The first found a modest weight-loss difference against placebo. The longer one failed, and the program ended around 2007. It is banned in sport. If a vial sold as AOD-9604 reaches you, nobody can tell you from the outside what is in it.
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What is AOD-9604?
AOD-9604 is a lab-made piece of human growth hormone, the part believed to be behind that hormone's fat-burning effects. An Australian biotechnology company developed it in the early to mid 2000s as a possible obesity medicine. The company ended that program around 2007, and the record does not say how the compound reaches people today.
Does AOD-9604 work?
The main obesity trial, a 24-week Phase IIb study, failed to show a strong enough effect. An earlier 12-week trial had found a modest weight-loss difference against placebo.
What we found. 2 completed randomized trials, both placebo-controlled and both in people with obesity. 1 lab-dish study.
| Study | Tested in | Status | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early 12-week obesity trial | People | Published or reported | About 1.8 kg more weight loss than placebo over 12 weeks. The record calls the difference modest |
| Later 24-week Phase IIb trial | People | Completed. Program ended | Did not show a large enough fat-breakdown or weight-loss effect. The program ended around 2007 |
| Lab study, "Antilipogenic action of synthetic hGH(177-191) fragment" | Lab dishes | Published | Early groundwork on how the hGH(177-191) fragment acts against fat formation |
The lab study is early groundwork. It cannot tell you what happens in people.
How we count a trialIs AOD-9604 safe?
Nobody knows beyond the short term. The record says human safety data stop at short-term tests of how well people tolerated it. It does not report what those tests found. The two trials ran for 12 and 24 weeks. No animal safety study appears on this record. That is the compound as the company tested it. What sits in a vial sold under its name is a separate question, and the next section takes it up.
Is AOD-9604 legal?
- United States
- Not approved by the FDA. The obesity program ended around 2007, after the Phase IIb trial failed.
- European Union
- No EMA marketing authorisation.
- Sport
- Banned in sport. The record says anti-doping authorities class it as prohibited because it comes from the growth hormone molecule. It names no class and no year.
Not medical advice. Approval and sport status as of . Medical disclaimer
What is in a vial sold as AOD-9604?
The two trials above belonged to the developer's own obesity program. This record holds no sign of how AOD-9604 is sold today. If a vial sold under that name reached you, neither trial tested it, and the checklist lists what to ask the seller.
What don't we know?
- Whether it does anything useful in people. The main obesity trial failed.
- Whether it helps with anything besides obesity. No adequately sized human trial showing an effect in any use has been published since.
- What longer use does to people. Human safety data stop at short-term testing.
- What is in any given vial.
The other side
The early trial did find a modest difference. Over 12 weeks, people given AOD-9604 lost more weight than people given placebo. The longer trial failed to confirm a strong enough effect, and no adequately sized human trial showing an effect has been published since.
What would change this record?
- A new human trial of its effect, large enough to give a clear answer, for one clearly defined use.
Three questions to ask next
- What does 'research use only' actually mean?
- How can you tell if a peptide vendor is legitimate?
- How do you read a certificate of analysis?
Ask better questions.
More questions about AOD-9604
Is AOD-9604 approved by the FDA?
- No. The FDA has not approved it, and it has no EMA marketing authorisation.
Has AOD-9604 been tested in people?
- Yes, in two randomized, placebo-controlled obesity trials. The early 12-week trial found a modest weight-loss difference. The longer 24-week trial failed to confirm a strong enough effect.
Why was AOD-9604 discontinued?
- The main trial failed. The record says the company ended the obesity program around 2007, after the 24-week Phase IIb trial did not show enough effect.
Is AOD-9604 banned in sport?
- Yes. The record says anti-doping authorities class it as prohibited because it comes from the growth hormone molecule. It links no WADA document. If you compete, check the current List.
Is AOD-9604 the same as hGH fragment 176-191?
- Yes, on this record. It lists hGH fragment 176-191 as another name for AOD-9604.
Record checked on . Each source shows the date it was checked.
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