# Sermorelin vs CJC-1295: what is the difference? Updated November 3, 2026. Canonical: https://try-astra.com/sermorelin/guides/vs-cjc-1295/ **Sermorelin at Astra:** $91/mo on the 6-month plan ($546 every 6 months) or $120/mo on the monthly plan. Includes medication, provider visit, supplies and shipping. Full refund if a provider does not prescribe. Pay by card or Apple Pay, or over time with Klarna, Afterpay or Affirm at checkout. Prescription required. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved. [Start a visit](https://start.try-astra.com/start-online-visit/sermorelin). ## The short answer **Sermorelin is the short-acting option with a regulatory history, and CJC-1295 is a long-acting analog.** Sermorelin's half-life is minutes, while CJC-1295 lasted days in healthy adults. Sermorelin's former brand, Geref, was FDA-approved, and we are not aware of an FDA-approved CJC-1295 product. Astra offers sermorelin, compounded and not FDA-approved, after a provider's review. A PubMed search on November 3, 2026 returned 15 papers mentioning both, and by their titles none is a comparison trial, so neither can be called "better" on the evidence. ## Why people choose sermorelin here - **Short pulses.** GH release [stays episodic](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18046908/), following each dose. - **A known history.** Geref was [not withdrawn for safety or effectiveness](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2013-03-04/html/2013-04827.htm). - **A prescription route.** A licensed US provider and a state-licensed US pharmacy. [See why that matters](/sermorelin/guides/online-prescription/). **Considering sermorelin?** A licensed provider reviews your answers and decides whether it is appropriate. See how it compares on price in the [sermorelin price index](/sermorelin-price-index/), or read about the [sermorelin program](/sermorelin/). [Start your sermorelin visit](https://start.try-astra.com/start-online-visit/sermorelin). $120 charged monthly, or $546 every 6 months ($91/mo). Renews automatically; cancel any time. Full refund if a provider does not prescribe. [Subscription terms](/subscription-terms/). ## Side-by-side comparison | | Sermorelin | CJC-1295 | |---|---|---| | What it is | The first 29 amino acids of GHRH ([review](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7108996/)) | A long-acting GHRH analog ([Teichman, 2006](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16352683/)) | | How long it lasts | Half-life of 6 to 7 minutes after IV dosing ([Geref label](https://assets.hpra.ie/products/Human/16600/LicenseSPC_PA0285-006-001_13072006155719.pdf)) | Half-life of 5.8 to 8.1 days ([Teichman, 2006](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16352683/)) | | Effect on GH | A short pulse after each injection | GH raised for 6 days or more after one injection in healthy adults ([Teichman, 2006](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16352683/)) | | GH pattern | GH release [stays episodic](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18046908/) | Pulses persisted, but baseline GH rose 7.5-fold ([Ionescu, 2006](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17018654/)) | | FDA history | Former brand Geref was FDA-approved, later discontinued ([Federal Register](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2013-03-04/html/2013-04827.htm)) | We are not aware of an FDA-approved CJC-1295 product | | At Astra | Offered after a provider's review | Not listed | ## What the evidence shows The two main CJC-1295 papers measured hormone levels in healthy adults. In [one study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16352683/), GH rose 2- to 10-fold for 6 days or more, and IGF-1 rose 1.5- to 3-fold for 9 to 11 days, with no serious adverse reactions reported. Those were short safety and hormone studies, not trials of fat loss, muscle or aging. Sermorelin has its own [small studies in older adults](/sermorelin/guides/does-it-work/). Its former brand also had a [study in children with GH deficiency](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8772599/). Longer action is not automatically better: raised baseline GH is a different pattern from the short pulses produced by sermorelin, and its long-term effects are not established. ## Common questions ### What is better, sermorelin or CJC-1295 with ipamorelin? We found no trial that shows either is better. Combinations are largely untested, as our [peptide stacking guide](/learn/peptide-stacking/) explains. FDA advisers also reviewed ipamorelin in [a 2024 briefing](https://www.fda.gov/media/182088/download). ### Can I take sermorelin and CJC-1295 together? Both act on the same receptor, and we found no trial supporting taking them together. Do not combine them unless a prescriber who knows you are taking both advises it. ### What peptide is stronger than sermorelin? CJC-1295 raises GH for longer, but stronger or longer does not mean safer or more beneficial. Outcomes for most goals have not been established. ### Is sermorelin similar to CJC? Yes, both are built from GHRH and act on its receptor. CJC-1295 was modified to last far longer. ## Safety at a glance Reported side effects include flushing, injection site pain or irritation and mild headache. Sermorelin is not recommended in pregnancy or breastfeeding, active cancer or certain pituitary conditions, and long-term safety in adults has not been established. It is [prohibited in tested sports](https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/2024-09/2025list_en_final_clean_12_september_2024.pdf). Read [is sermorelin safe?](/sermorelin/guides/is-it-safe/) for sources and details. ## Keep reading - [All sermorelin guides](/sermorelin/guides/) - [Sermorelin vs tesamorelin](/sermorelin/guides/vs-tesamorelin/): FDA status, evidence and safety compared, with no head-to-head trial to rely on. - [Sermorelin vs HGH](/sermorelin/guides/vs-hgh/): Signal versus replacement, approved uses, legal limits and safety. - [Does sermorelin work?](/sermorelin/guides/does-it-work/): What it does, what studies measured, and who it may suit. - [Is sermorelin safe?](/sermorelin/guides/is-it-safe/): Known side effects, who should avoid it, and what remains unknown. **More guides:** [FDA status and legality](/sermorelin/guides/fda-approved-legal/) · [Sermorelin online](/sermorelin/guides/online-prescription/) · [Providers compared](/sermorelin/guides/providers-compared/) · [Results timeline](/sermorelin/guides/results-timeline/) · [Sermorelin for women](/sermorelin/guides/for-women/) · [Sermorelin and weight loss](/sermorelin/guides/weight-loss/) · [Sermorelin and sleep](/sermorelin/guides/sleep/) · [Sermorelin with GLP-1s](/sermorelin/guides/with-tirzepatide-or-semaglutide/) · [Stopping sermorelin](/sermorelin/guides/stopping/) ## Sources - [Teichman et al., CJC-1295 in healthy adults](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16352683/), J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006 - [Ionescu and Frohman, pulsatile GH secretion during CJC-1295](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17018654/), J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 2006 - [Geref 50 summary of product characteristics](https://assets.hpra.ie/products/Human/16600/LicenseSPC_PA0285-006-001_13072006155719.pdf), Health Products Regulatory Authority, Ireland - [Walker, Sermorelin: a better approach to management of adult-onset growth hormone insufficiency?](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18046908/), Clin Interv Aging, 2006 - [Sinha et al., Beyond the androgen receptor: growth hormone secretagogues](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7108996/), Transl Androl Urol, 2020 - [Determination that Geref was not withdrawn for safety or effectiveness](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2013-03-04/html/2013-04827.htm), Federal Register, March 4, 2013 - [Thorner et al., once daily GHRH therapy in growth hormone-deficient children](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8772599/), J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 1996 Published by Astra, which offers sermorelin. This guide is educational and is not medical advice. Compounded medications are not FDA-approved and are not reviewed by the FDA for safety, effectiveness or quality.