Tesamorelin Description
Tesamorelin is a synthetic peptide analogue of GHRH with a trans-3-hexenoic acid moiety anchored at the N-terminus of its 44-amino acid sequence, providing enhanced stability compared to endogenous GHRH. The compound stimulates pituitary secretion of growth hormone and subsequently increases insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels in biological systems.
Tesamorelin Peptide Structure
Sequence: YADAIFTNSYRKVLGQLSARKLLQDIMSRQQGESNQERGARARL
Molecular Formula: C223H370N72O69S
Molecular Weight: 5196 g/mol
PubChem CID: 44147413
CAS Number: 901758-09-6
Synonyms:
- Tesamorelin acetate
- 901758-09-6
- TH9507
- UNII-LGW5H38VE3
- Tesamorelin acetate [USAN]
Research Areas:
- Visceral Adipose Tissue Reduction
- Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
- Fat Quality
- Cardiovascular and Metabolic Health
- Neurocognitive Impairment
Source: PubChem
Lyophilized Peptides:
These peptides are freeze-dried, a process that not only extends shelf life but also preserves the purity and integrity of the peptides during storage. We do not use any fillers in this process.
Tesamorelin Research
Tesamorelin is a stabilized GHRH analogue that exhibits regulatory effects on metabolism and body composition through its influence on the growth hormone/IGF-1 axis. In clinical and experimental models, the compound demonstrates the capacity to affect visceral adipose tissue metabolism, triglyceride levels, and lipid profiles through combined anabolic and lipolytic mechanisms without significant impact on glucose homeostasis in controlled settings.
Efficacy in Reducing Visceral Adipose Tissue
Tesamorelin has been shown to effectively reduce visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in people with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. In two well-designed clinical trials, tesamorelin significantly decreased VAT without affecting subcutaneous adipose tissue to a clinically significant extent. This reduction was maintained over a longer term in patients who continued therapy, although VAT reaccumulated upon discontinuation1.
Additionally, tesamorelin improved body composition measures such as trunk fat and waist circumference, and enhanced body image parameters1.
Impact on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD)
Tesamorelin has demonstrated promising results in reducing liver fat and preventing fibrosis progression in HIV-associated NAFLD. A randomized placebo-controlled trial showed that tesamorelin reduced hepatic fat fraction and improved fibrosis-related gene scores, indicating a potential therapeutic role in managing NAFLD in this population2.
The peptide modulated hepatic gene pathways, increasing oxidative phosphorylation and decreasing inflammation-related gene expressions2.
Effects on Fat Quality
Beyond reducing fat quantity, tesamorelin has been found to improve fat quality. In trials assessing fat density, tesamorelin increased both VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue density, suggesting an enhancement in fat quality independent of quantity changes3.
Cardiovascular and Metabolic Outcomes
Tesamorelin’s impact on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk has been explored, with findings indicating a modest reduction in 10-year atherosclerotic CVD risk scores. This reduction was primarily driven by decreases in total cholesterol, even among participants on lipid-lowering therapies4.
Furthermore, tesamorelin was well-tolerated, with no significant differences in glucose parameters observed between treatment and placebo groups1.
Neurocognitive and Other Health Implications
While tesamorelin reduced waist circumference, its effects on neurocognitive impairment in abdominally obese persons with HIV were not significantly different from standard care, suggesting limited cognitive benefits from short-term use5.
However, the peptide’s ability to increase insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels may have other health implications worth exploring further5.
References
- Falutz, J., Mamputu, J., Potvin, D., Moyle, G., Soulban, G., Loughrey, H., Marsolais, C., Turner, R., & Grinspoon, S. (2010). Effects of tesamorelin (TH9507), a growth hormone-releasing factor analog, in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with excess abdominal fat: a pooled analysis of two multicenter, double-blind placebo-controlled phase 3 trials with safety extension data.. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 95 9, 4291-304 . https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2010-0490.
- Fourman, L., Billingsley, J., Agyapong, G., Sui, S., Feldpausch, M., Purdy, J., Zheng, I., Pan, C., Corey, K., Torriani, M., Kleiner, D., Hadigan, C., Stanley, T., Chung, R., & Grinspoon, S. (2020). Effects of tesamorelin on hepatic transcriptomic signatures in HIV-associated NAFLD. JCI Insight, 5. https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.140134.
- Lake, J., La, K., Erlandson, K., Adrian, S., Yenokyan, G., Scherzinger, A., Dubé, M., Stanley, T., Grinspoon, S., Falutz, J., Mamputu, J., Marsolais, C., McComsey, G., & Brown, T. (2021). Tesamorelin improves fat quality independent of changes in fat quantity. AIDS, 35, 1395 – 1402. https://doi.org/10.1097/QAD.0000000000002897.
- Grinspoon, S., Fourman, L., Stanley, T., McGary, C., Benkeser, D., & Cash, R. (2025). P-433. Impact of Tesamorelin on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Prediction Scores in Phase 3 Studies Treatment Arms: Subanalysis. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 12. https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofae631.633.
- Ellis, R., Vaida, F., Hu, K., Dube, M., Henry, B., Chow, F., Heaton, R., Lee, D., & Sattler, F. (2025). Effects of Tesamorelin on Neurocognitive Impairment in Abdominally Obese Persons with HIV.. The Journal of infectious diseases. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiaf012.
