A to Z / Metabolic / weight loss

AOD-9604

Also known as hGH fragment 176-191, anti-obesity drug 9604.

Best known for The fat-loss peptide tested in a large phase 2b trial

Evidence★★☆☆☆

Safety dataModerately characterised

Route Injectable · oral (claimed)

United StatesNot approved; removed from Cat 2 Sep 2024

AustraliaAppendix D cl.5: possession without authority illegal (named with CAS No. 221231-10-3)

as at 16 September 2026

What it is

AOD-9604 is a synthetic fragment of human growth hormone (amino acids 176 to 191), developed in Australia specifically as an anti-obesity drug. It was designed to capture growth hormone's fat-burning effect without its growth-promoting or glucose effects.

It is one of the few compounds in this book that completed a large, well-designed human trial, and that trial gave a clear answer: it did not produce weight loss.

What the full entry covers

The book carries the rest of this entry:

Where the research stands, with every claim cited
What people commonly ask, and what the research shows so far
Dosing in four labelled bands, described and not recommended
Side effects, serious risks, cautions and interactions
Questions to discuss with your doctor
How it compares with hGH Fragment 176-191, Somatropin, Semaglutide, 5-Amino-1MQ

Related entries

hGH Fragment 176-191The growth hormone fragment closely related to AOD-9604 · Evidence ★☆☆☆☆
SomatropinHuman growth hormone itself, the benchmark for every secretagogue · Evidence ★★★★★
SemaglutideThe drug that changed obesity treatment · Evidence ★★★★★
5-Amino-1MQAn oral compound studied for fat loss, often grouped with peptides · Evidence ★☆☆☆☆

A certificate of analysis tells you what is in a vial. The evidence rating above tells you whether the compound has been shown to work in humans. Neither answers the other's question. How to read a certificate of analysis.

This page describes what is known and not known about AOD-9604. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation to use it.