This compound is supplied for in-vitro and preclinical research only. It is not a medicinal product. It is not approved for human or veterinary use in any jurisdiction. No therapeutic, medicinal, cosmetic, or performance-enhancement claims are made or implied. By proceeding to inquire, you confirm you are an adult researcher acquiring this compound within your own research framework. Full terms on the Research Use Only page.
Ipamorelin
5 mg freeze-dried vial, selective GHSR1a agonist pentapeptide
Compound specifications, chemistry, and storage.
Technical specifications
Specimen format| Compound name | Ipamorelin |
| Also known as | GHRP, growth hormone secretagogue, GHSR1a agonist, ipamorelin acetate |
| CAS number | 170851-70-4 |
| PubChem CID | 11378115 → |
| InChI Key | NLTDWIGSDKEPMC-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| SMILES | Reference SMILES on COA |
| Empirical formula (Hill notation) | C38H49N9O5 |
| Molecular weight | 711.86 g/mol (monoisotopic mass: 711.39) |
| Salt form | Acetate (default) |
| Counter-ion content | Quantified per batch on COA. Custom salt forms (chloride, ammonium, TFA) available on quote. |
| Sequence (1-letter) | Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2 |
| Sequence (3-letter) | 2-Methylalanyl-L-histidyl-D-2-naphthylalanyl-D-phenylalanyl-L-lysinamide |
| Length | 5 amino acid residues (modified pentapeptide) |
| Weight basis | Gross weight per industry standard. Net peptide content quantified on batch COA. |
| Quantity per vial | 5 mg |
| Format | Freeze-dried white powder or thin film, sealed under inert atmosphere. Why does the vial look empty? |
| Appearance | White freeze-dried cake or powder. May also appear as a thin film on the vial wall. |
| Solubility | Water soluble, reconstituted with bacteriostatic water (1 to 2 ml typical) |
| Solution colour | Clear and colourless when correctly reconstituted |
| Purity (HPLC) | Specification ≥98.5%, tested before listing |
| Identity confirmation | LC-MS, batch-specific spectrum on COA |
| Endotoxin (LAL) | Within Ph. Eur. specification, batch report on COA |
| Storage (freeze-dried) | 2 to 8 degrees Celsius, sealed, protected from light. Avoid thermal cycling. |
| Storage (reconstituted) | 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. Use within 4 to 6 weeks. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw. |
| Shelf life | 24 months from synthesis date when storage conditions are maintained |
| Country of synthesis | EU partner facility, Ph. Eur. methodology references |
| Application | In-vitro and preclinical research only. Not for human or veterinary use. |
Growth hormone secretagogue pathways
Primary research area. Studied for selective GHSR1a agonism and pulsatile growth-hormone secretion in animal models.
Open research area → 02Mitochondrial & longevity research
Secondary research area. Studied for downstream IGF-1 signalling in cellular ageing models.
Open research area →A modified pentapeptide GHSR1a agonist, and what the published research says about it.
Ipamorelin is a synthetic modified pentapeptide that acts as a selective agonist at the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR1a). Published preclinical research has investigated the peptide for selective growth hormone secretion in animal models, with literature focused on its selectivity profile relative to other GHSR1a agonists, particularly its reported separation from cortisol and prolactin pathway activation. The sections below summarise what the published research investigates, what Cresten supplies, and what the certificate of analysis confirms.
Where Ipamorelin comes from.
Ipamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide developed by Novo Nordisk in the 1990s as part of a research program into selective growth-hormone secretagogues. The peptide is composed of five amino acids in a defined sequence with non-natural modifications at two positions, which were introduced to produce receptor selectivity rather than the broader endocrine activity seen with earlier ghrelin-mimetic peptides. The original development code in the literature was NNC 26-0161.
The peptide is built by Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis with the non-natural residues incorporated as Fmoc-protected building blocks. After synthesis the peptide is purified by reversed-phase HPLC, freeze-dried, and sealed in vials. The molecular weight is small relative to most research peptides, and the freeze-dried form is stable at room temperature. Reconstitution with bacteriostatic water is standard at the bench.
PubMed lists roughly 90 papers mentioning Ipamorelin as of 2026, with the literature concentrated in growth-hormone secretion studies, GHSR1a-receptor pharmacology, and head-to-head comparisons against earlier secretagogues such as GHRP-2 and GHRP-6. A small number of human pilot studies have been published in postoperative gastrointestinal contexts. The bulk of the published research is preclinical.
What the research looks at.
Ipamorelin research centres on a single receptor: the growth-hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR1a), a G-protein-coupled receptor expressed on anterior pituitary somatotrophs and several other tissue types. The peptide is described in the literature as a GHSR1a agonist with reduced cross-activation of related receptor pathways. Cell-culture studies have measured receptor binding affinity and signalling through the inositol triphosphate pathway downstream of GHSR1a activation.
The defining feature in the published research is the selectivity profile. Animal studies have reported that the peptide produces growth-hormone release without proportional increases in cortisol, prolactin, or adrenocorticotropic hormone secretion, which are commonly observed with earlier secretagogues. This separation has been the most cited element in the literature and is the reason the peptide is studied in research designs that aim to isolate growth-hormone effects from broader endocrine effects.
"The reported selectivity for GH release without proportional cortisol or prolactin elevation is the most cited feature of Ipamorelin in the published research."
A separate line of research has paired Ipamorelin with GHRH-receptor agonists such as CJC-1295 No DAC in animal models. The two receptor classes (GHSR1a and GHRH-R) are expressed on the same somatotrophs and produce additive or synergistic effects on growth-hormone release in the published studies. This pairing is the basis for many of the experimental designs cited in the literature.
Where the published research does not go: there are no FDA or EMA approvals for Ipamorelin in any indication, and the human pilot studies that have been published are small and have not advanced to large randomised trials. The compound is supplied as a research compound for laboratory research only.
What the certificate confirms.
Every Cresten batch of Ipamorelin ships with a certificate from an analytical lab, against the test panel described on the Methodology page. The certificate that ships with your batch confirms:
The certificate format is shown on the batch verification page.
Where the published research on Ipamorelin lives.
PubMed indexes 80+ publications mentioning Ipamorelin as of 2026. Cresten does not curate a hand-selected reading list. Compound-specific selections influence which papers researchers find first; the unfiltered query, sortable by date, citation count, study type, and species, is queryable directly on PubMed.
Each result on PubMed links to the original journal record and, where available, full-text or open-access copies. Cresten supplies the compound; the literature is for the researcher to evaluate.
Open the full PubMed query →Opens at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov in a new tab. The query string is preserved so you can refine, filter, or export from there.
What this monograph is not
This monograph summarises what the published research looks at regarding Ipamorelin mechanism. It is not a therapeutic recommendation. It is not dosing guidance. It is not a clinical protocol. It is not medical advice.
Cresten Labs supplies Ipamorelin as a research compound for lab-based research only. The decision to investigate any compound in any research framework is the researcher’s decision, within their own ethical, legal, and methodological boundaries.
Cresten makes no claim about human therapeutic use, no claim about clinical effectiveness, no claim about safety in human use, and no claim that this compound has been reviewed by any regulator for any medical use.
Frequently asked questions about Ipamorelin
Common research-protocol and supply questions about Ipamorelin, with answers grounded in published peer-reviewed research and Cresten Labs supply practice. All information is for in vitro and preclinical research only.
What is Ipamorelin?
Ipamorelin is a selective ghrelin-receptor agonist, a 5-amino-acid peptide (CAS 170851-70-4, molecular weight 711.85 g/mol). Cresten Labs supplies Ipamorelin as a freeze-dried vial for in vitro and preclinical research only, with each batch verified at Janoshik Analytical.
What does research suggest Ipamorelin does?
Published research investigates Ipamorelin for selective ghrelin receptor agonism stimulating pulsatile growth-hormone release without significant cortisol or prolactin elevation in research models. The compound is studied primarily in growth-hormone-releasing peptide research. Ipamorelin is supplied for research use only and is not approved by any regulator for medical use.
What is the typical Ipamorelin dosage in published research?
Published Ipamorelin dosage in research protocols ranges from 100 to 300 mcg per administration, administered subcutaneously, with twice or three times daily in growth-hormone secretagogue research. Cresten Labs publishes the typical Ipamorelin protocol ranges as research-protocol references only; this is not dosing guidance for human use.
How do I reconstitute Ipamorelin for research?
Standard Ipamorelin reconstitution adds 2 mL bacteriostatic water for the 5 mg vial; 0.9% NaCl bacteriostatic water preferred if injection-site wheals occur. NaCl bacteriostatic water reduces injection-site wheals reported in some research subjects.
What is the Ipamorelin half-life and how is Ipamorelin storage handled?
Published research reports Ipamorelin systemic half-life at approximately 2 hours. Ipamorelin storage: lyophilized vial stable at room temperature for shipping; reconstituted solution stored at 2 to 8 °C and used within 28 days. The Cresten certificate of analysis lists the synthesis date, batch identifier, and the storage conditions verified for this specific batch.
Ipamorelin vs CJC-1295 No DAC: how do they compare in research?
In published research comparing Ipamorelin vs CJC-1295 No DAC, Ipamorelin acts on the ghrelin receptor while CJC-1295 No DAC acts on the GHRH receptor; the two converge on growth-hormone release through complementary pathways in published research. The two compounds are studied separately and in combination depending on the research question. Cresten Labs supplies both as verified research compounds.
What does research literature report about Ipamorelin side effects?
Published Ipamorelin research reports the following: mild injection-site reactions reported in some research; the selectivity profile shows minimal cortisol or prolactin disturbance compared with earlier secretagogues. Cresten Labs supplies the compound for research use only; clinical-use side-effect data should be drawn from peer-reviewed clinical trial publications, not from research-vendor pages.
Where to buy Ipamorelin in Europe?
Cresten Labs supplies Ipamorelin across the EU single market to 16 European countries. Each Ipamorelin batch is tested at Janoshik Analytical with the certificate of analysis published on the website before it lists. Ipamorelin is sold for in vitro and preclinical research only, not for human or veterinary use.
How is Ipamorelin verified at Cresten Labs?
Every Ipamorelin batch is tested at Janoshik Analytical in Czech Republic, an third-party peptide-analysis laboratory. Each batch certificate documents HPLC purity, mass-spectrometry identity confirmation, and contamination panels. The certificate publishes with the batch, before it lists.
What is the typical Ipamorelin stack in published research?
In published research, the typical Ipamorelin stack pairs the compound with CJC-1295 No DAC. Ipamorelin acts on the ghrelin receptor while CJC-1295 No DAC acts on the GHRH receptor; the two converge on growth-hormone release through complementary pathways in published research.