What It Is
CJC-1295 No DAC, also called CJC-1295 without DAC, CJC-1295 free base, or Modified GRF (1-29), is a synthetic GHRH analog chemically distinct from CJC-1295 DAC because it lacks the Drug Affinity Complex modification.[2] FDA briefing documents list the free-base and DAC forms as separate active moieties within a family of related substances and warn that naming across this group has been inconsistent in submitted records.[2]
That is not cosmetic: reviewers found clinical references sometimes attributed to the wrong CJC-1295 form, meaning a study or online claim described simply as "CJC-1295" may not specify which version was actually used.[2]
How It Works
Like other GHRH analogs, CJC-1295 No DAC is proposed to act on pituitary GHRH receptors, prompting release of growth hormone and, downstream, increased IGF-1.[4] This is the same biological lane as the DAC version, but the pharmacokinetics differ substantially.
The Drug Affinity Complex in CJC-1295 DAC binds albumin and was shown in human trials to sustain elevated growth hormone and IGF-1 for many days after a single dose, with a reported half-life of roughly 5.8 to 8.1 days.[5] CJC-1295 No DAC lacks that tail and is expected to clear much faster; no dedicated human pharmacokinetic study of the no-DAC form specifically was identified, so its duration of action should not be assumed from DAC-form data.
What the Research Shows
The human research most cited in CJC-1295 discussions used the DAC form: placebo-controlled trials in healthy adults showed sustained, dose-dependent increases in growth hormone and IGF-1, with pulsatile secretion persisting during weeks of continuous exposure.[5] An FDA review found only three human studies of any CJC-1295 form, all in healthy volunteers, and none in people with a diagnosed disease.[2]
Preclinical rat pituitary-cell work supports the general mechanism.[3] A terminated ClinicalTrials.gov study of CJC-1295 in HIV-associated visceral obesity did not specify which form was used.[10] No human outcome data specific to CJC-1295 No DAC were identified, so claims about weight, muscle, sleep, or aging effects remain unsupported extrapolations from the DAC evidence or mechanism alone.
Safety & Side Effects
CJC-1295 No DAC has no FDA-approved label and no dedicated adverse-event database. FDA's broader review of CJC-1295-related compounded substances identified concerns including immunogenicity, peptide-related impurities, increased heart rate, and systemic vasodilatory reactions.[6]
Related tesamorelin labeling flags glucose intolerance, fluid retention, and hypersensitivity reactions as concerns for this drug class generally, though it does not apply directly to CJC-1295 No DAC.[11] Long-term safety and use in pregnancy or pediatric populations are not established.
Regulatory Status
CJC-1295 No DAC is not FDA-approved. FDA's 2024 review found no products containing any form of CJC-1295 authorized in the United States or by the European Medicines Agency, and the agency lists compounded CJC-1295 among substances that may present significant safety risks.[2][6]
Growth hormone-releasing factors, a category that includes CJC-1295 in any form, appear on the World Anti-Doping Agency's prohibited list, a sports-eligibility restriction that applies in addition to its lack of medical approval.[15]
No-DAC vs. DAC: A Shorter, Less-Studied Profile
Far more published data exists on the DAC form than the no-DAC form, and the two should not be treated as interchangeable. The albumin-binding tail is what gives DAC its multi-day duration; without it, CJC-1295 No DAC likely behaves more like a conventional short-acting GHRH fragment, requiring more frequent dosing to sustain any pulse effect, though this has not been directly measured in published human pharmacokinetic studies.
This gap matters most for safety and efficacy claims. A statement like "CJC-1295 raises IGF-1 for days" is accurate only for the DAC form actually tested; applying that finding, or its safety profile, to the no-DAC version is not supported by the evidence FDA reviewed.[2]