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Growth-Factor Research · Secretagogue Class

Sermorelin: Research Overview

What is sermorelin? Sermorelin is a synthetic 29-amino-acid peptide corresponding to GHRH(1-29) — the first 29 amino acids of growth-hormone-releasing hormone, the shortest fragment retaining full activity at the GHRH receptor. It is studied in GHRH-receptor and growth-hormone-axis pharmacology, and research-grade material is sold strictly for laboratory use.
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Technical profile

CompoundSermorelin (GHRH(1-29); GRF(1-29))
ClassSynthetic 29-amino-acid GHRH analog
Molecular weight~3357.9 g/mol
Receptor targetGHRH receptor
Form suppliedLyophilized powder, sealed vial
StorageLyophilized: 2–8 °C, protected from light.
VerificationHPLC purity ≥99%, sterility, endotoxins, heavy metals — documented on the batch COA

What does the research literature cover?

Sermorelin is one of the most established reference compounds in GHRH research: the GHRH(1-29) fragment has been characterized in the literature for decades. Published work has examined it in the context of:

Historical context: sermorelin was formerly marketed as an approved pharmaceutical product (Geref), which was later discontinued commercially. That history concerns a regulated drug product — research-grade sermorelin is not that product and is supplied for laboratory use only.

Why purity matters for sermorelin research

Reference compounds are only useful if they are what the label says. Truncated sequences, deletion impurities, or endotoxin contamination confound receptor-pharmacology assays. Every VP Peptides sermorelin batch ships with a Certificate of Analysis documenting ≥99% HPLC purity, sterility, endotoxin and heavy-metal testing from independent third-party testing.

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Frequently asked questions

Wasn't sermorelin once an approved drug?

Yes — a pharmaceutical form of sermorelin was formerly marketed as the approved product Geref, which was later discontinued commercially. Research-grade sermorelin is not that pharmaceutical product: it is laboratory material supplied for in-vitro and preclinical research only, and it may not be used in humans.

What does a sermorelin Certificate of Analysis include?

Each batch COA documents HPLC purity (≥99% specification), sterility, endotoxin and heavy-metal screening results, along with batch number and test date.

How should sermorelin be stored in the lab?

Lyophilized vials should be kept at 2–8 °C and protected from light.

What is sermorelin's status in competitive sport?

GHRH analogs and growth-hormone secretagogues, including sermorelin, are listed as prohibited substances under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. This is noted for informational purposes only; VP Peptides materials are supplied solely for laboratory research.

Mechanism and the Geref distinction in the literature

Sermorelin's pharmacology is well mapped in the literature. The molecule is GHRH(1-29)-NH2, the amino-terminal fragment that reviews identify as the shortest sequence retaining full activity at the GHRH receptor. That receptor is a Gs-coupled G-protein-coupled receptor on pituitary somatotrophs; when engaged it raises intracellular cAMP and drives synthesis and pulsatile release of growth hormone. Because sermorelin acts one step upstream — on the releasing-hormone receptor rather than on pituitary output directly — reviews describe its action as operating within the axis's own feedback loop rather than overriding it.

Prakash and Goa, reviewing the compound, catalogued its short plasma half-life (on the order of minutes) and its use as a provocative agent in GHRH-receptor testing. Walker's later review revisited GHRH(1-29) as a model peptide for studying the aging growth-hormone axis, again framing it as a research and diagnostic reference rather than a therapy with outcomes demonstrated here.

The regulatory history matters for accuracy. A pharmaceutical formulation of sermorelin was once an approved product (Geref) before being discontinued commercially, and the peer-reviewed record above largely accompanies or predates that product. Research-grade sermorelin supplied for laboratory work is a distinct material — not the former drug product — and carries no approved human use. Everything summarized here describes GHRH-receptor pharmacology and the published literature, not an effect of the research material in people.

Selected research references

Related research compounds

Research use only. All products described on this page are furnished for laboratory research purposes only and are not for human or veterinary use, not for use in food or cosmetics, and not for any diagnostic or therapeutic application. Nothing on this page is medical advice or a claim of safety or efficacy in humans. Research summaries reference publicly available preclinical literature; specific citations are listed in the references above.