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GH Axis · Reference monograph

Synthetic GHRH (1-29) analogue — GH secretagogue

Reference compound — not available from Purity Peptides. Shown for research context.

Overview

Sermorelin is a synthetic peptide corresponding to the first 29 amino acids of human growth hormone-releasing hormone, amidated at the C-terminus. This fragment is the shortest sequence that retains the full biological activity of the 44-residue native hormone, and it served as the template for many later GHRH analogues.

Marketed by Serono as Geref, sermorelin was approved by the FDA for evaluating pituitary GH secretory capacity and for growth failure in children with GH deficiency. The product was discontinued in 2008 for commercial rather than safety reasons. Clinical studies documented that it preserves the natural pulsatile pattern of growth hormone release because somatostatin feedback remains intact. Today sermorelin is mainly of historical and pharmacological interest, used in research on GHRH-receptor signalling. It is prohibited in sport, and our product is a research reference compound only.

Mechanism studied

  1. Sermorelin
  2. GHRH receptor
  3. Pulsatile GH
  4. IGF-1

Sermorelin binds the GHRH receptor on anterior pituitary somatotrophs. This Gs-coupled receptor raises intracellular cAMP and activates protein kinase A, increasing transcription of the GH gene and promoting release of stored hormone. Because sermorelin acts upstream of the pituitary, normal negative feedback from IGF-1 and inhibition by somatostatin are preserved, producing pulsatile rather than continuous GH output. Its short half-life, due to rapid cleavage by DPP-4, motivated the design of stabilised analogues such as CJC-1295 and tesamorelin.

Research highlights

  • 01Corresponds to GHRH(1-29)-NH2, the minimal fully active fragment
  • 02Previously FDA-approved as Geref for diagnostic and paediatric indications
  • 03Original product discontinued in 2008 for commercial reasons
  • 04Preserves pulsatile GH secretion and somatostatin feedback
  • 05Template for later stabilised GHRH analogues

Latest published research

304 papers on PubMed →

  1. Peptides in urology and sexual medicine: clinical effectiveness, dosing, indications, and safety: a narrative review

    Vasylieva V et al. · Sexual medicine reviews · 2026 Sep 30 · PMID 42862021

  2. Safety and Efficacy of Approved and Unapproved Peptide Therapies for Musculoskeletal Injuries and Athletic Performance

    Mendias CL et al. · Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2026 Aug · PMID 41966639

  3. Anterior cervical osteophyte-related dysphagia in a long-term growth hormone user: a case report

    Perez SL et al. · Frontiers in surgery · 2026 · PMID 42465868

  4. A new era of doping? Use of peptide and peptide-analog drugs in recreational and professional sport and bodybuilding: a critical review

    Coutinho LFD et al. · The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness · 2026 Jul · PMID 41880199

  5. The emerging landscape of performance-enhancing peptides modulating GH-IGF1 axis: bridging the gap between clinical evidence and patient self-administration

    Dominikowski A et al. · Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026 · PMID 42395176

  6. Analysis of growth hormone releasing hormone and its analogs in urine using nano liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole/orbitrap mass spectrometry

    Uçaktürk E et al. · Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis · 2026 Jan 15 · PMID 41138283

  7. Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions

    Rahman OF et al. · Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2026 Jan 1 · PMID 41490200

  8. Universal peptide synthesis via solid-phase methods fused with chemputation

    Zero J et al. · Nature communications · 2025 Aug 8 · PMID 40781087

Live feed from PubMed (NCBI) for “Sermorelin”, updated 2026-10-30. Listing a paper is not an endorsement of its findings.

Registered studies

27 on ClinicalTrials.gov →

From the public ClinicalTrials.gov registry for “Sermorelin”, updated 2026-10-30. Shown for research context only; Purity Peptides products are not for human use.

Key references

  1. [1]Prakash & Goa, 1999 — BioDrugs
  2. [2]PubMed — reviews on sermorelin and GHRH
  3. [3]WADA — Prohibited List of Substances and Methods

FAQ

  • The original branded product, Geref, was withdrawn by its manufacturer in 2008 for commercial reasons rather than safety concerns. Sermorelin remains a well-characterised GHRH-receptor ligand and is used today as a reference compound in research on growth hormone regulation.

  • Lyophilized Sermorelin is normally kept sealed at −20 °C, protected from light and moisture. Once reconstituted for laboratory work, aliquots are held at 2–8 °C for short-term use or frozen, avoiding repeated freeze–thaw. Follow the lot-specific guidance on the certificate of analysis.

  • Every lot of Sermorelin ships with a certificate of analysis reporting HPLC purity, mass-spectrometry identity against the expected molecular weight, appearance and lot number. Match the COA lot to the vial label and keep it with your experimental records.

FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY.Not for human or veterinary use. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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