CJC-1295 with DAC (Drug Affinity Complex)

Research-Grade

CJC-1295 with DAC is a synthetic analog of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) 1-29 that incorporates a Drug Affinity Complex — a reactive maleimidopropionic acid (MPA) moiety that forms a covalent bond with serum albumin in vivo. This albumin-binding technology was developed by ConjuChem Biotechnologies and dramatically extends the peptide's circulating half-life from the ~30 minutes of the non-DAC version to approximately 6–8 days. The result is sustained, tonic elevation of growth hormone secretion and downstream IGF-1 levels from a single subcutaneous injection, rather than the discrete GH pulses produced by the no-DAC variant. The pivotal Phase II clinical trial by Teichman et al. (2006) demonstrated that a single subcutaneous injection of CJC-1295 with DAC produced dose-dependent increases in mean GH concentration (2- to 10-fold above baseline) and IGF-1 levels (1.5- to 3-fold) that persisted for 6–14 days. The study enrolled healthy adults aged 21–61 and used doses ranging from 30 to 60 mcg/kg. IGF-1 remained elevated above baseline for up to two weeks after a single injection, confirming the sustained pharmacokinetic profile. The key pharmacological distinction from CJC-1295 no-DAC is the pattern of GH release. The DAC version produces continuous, non-pulsatile GH elevation, which diverges from the natural ultradian rhythm of GH secretion (approximately 6–12 discrete pulses per day). This tonic pattern raises theoretical concerns about accelerated GH receptor desensitization, sustained insulin antagonism, and a side-effect profile more similar to exogenous GH administration than to physiological GH optimization. Common side effects in clinical trials included injection site reactions, transient flushing, and headache. Despite reaching Phase II trials, CJC-1295 with DAC development was discontinued following the death of a trial participant in 2006, though the cause was not conclusively linked to the compound. It remains available through research chemical suppliers and is used in some practitioner protocols, though the non-DAC version paired with Ipamorelin has become the more widely preferred approach due to its preservation of pulsatile GH physiology.