Everything below concerns anti-doping. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Updated 2025-12-05. Numbers and descriptions here follow the published literature rather than marketing material.
Several names appear in scientific and commercial settings. AOD9604 and AOD-9604 are development codes used interchangeably, while hGH fragment 176-191 describes the same region. The peptide includes a disulfide bond between two cysteine residues, which helps shape its three-dimensional structure. Different suppliers may provide acetate or other salt forms, and purity can vary. These differences matter because analytical tests and biological assays can respond to the specific form being studied.
Early interest in AOD-9604 centered on whether a fragment of human growth hormone could influence fat metabolism without the broader effects of the full hormone. Cell and animal studies reported changes in fat storage and breakdown. Human trials followed, but the results were not strong enough to secure regulatory approval. The compound remains available for laboratory research, and its clinical potential is still described as uncertain. Studies continue to examine its activity and safety profile.
Regulatory interest in AOD-9604 increased after high-profile anti-doping cases involving peptide products. In some cases, the substance was supplied under alternative names or in compounded preparations, complicating traceability. Sports tribunals and anti-doping panels have discussed whether the peptide was explicitly banned at the time of use, leading to clarifications by the World Anti-Doping Agency. For consumers and researchers, the legal status can vary by jurisdiction, and products marketed as research chemicals may lack independent quality verification.
AOD-9604 is listed as a prohibited substance in sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency. It falls under the peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances, and mimetics class on the prohibited list. Anti-doping organizations treat its presence in an athlete's sample as an adverse finding unless a therapeutic use exemption applies. The prohibition reflects concerns about performance enhancement in competitive settings and the difficulty of distinguishing exogenous peptide use from endogenous hormone fragments.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Common name | AOD-9604 | Development code used in scientific literature. |
| Chemical class | Synthetic peptide | Fragment of human growth hormone. |
| Amino acid length | 16 residues | Matches hGH region 176-191. |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Typical lyophilized peptide solid. |
| Solubility | Soluble in water | Dissolves in aqueous media; exact behavior depends on salt form. |
Research on AOD-9604 also examines how the peptide is measured in biological samples. Analytical methods may include liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, immunoassays, or both. Detection can be challenging because the peptide is small and may be present at low concentrations. Published methods vary in sensitivity and specificity, so comparative interpretation requires attention to validation details. The presence of related hGH fragments can complicate identification in some matrices.
AOD-9604 has been investigated mainly in the context of body fat and metabolic endpoints. Some early animal and small human studies reported changes in fat mass or lipid markers, but findings were not uniform. Larger, well-controlled trials that would establish efficacy are lacking in the public literature. As a result, claims about weight loss or metabolic benefit remain investigational rather than established. The distinction between a research finding and a proven clinical outcome is central to discussing this peptide.
Interest in AOD-9604 arose from attempts to separate metabolic effects from growth effects attributed to hGH. Early work explored whether the fragment could influence lipolysis or fat oxidation without promoting growth. Those questions remain partly unresolved because human data are limited and results have varied across studies. The peptide is not a hormone replacement for hGH and is not equivalent to hGH in clinical use. Its research history includes both laboratory studies and commercial marketing claims that are not the same as regulatory approval.
AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide whose structure corresponds to a C-terminal segment of human growth hormone. It is often described as hGH fragment 176-191, a 16-amino-acid sequence. The peptide was designed to isolate a region of hGH associated with fat metabolism while avoiding the full hormone's growth-promoting actions. Laboratory and commercial materials typically present it as a lyophilized powder for research use. Its identity is defined by amino acid sequence, not by a single brand.
The fragment includes residues that can form an internal disulfide bond between two cysteine positions. This structural feature can influence how the peptide folds and how stable it is in solution. AOD-9604 differs from full-length hGH in size and receptor interactions; it does not contain the entire growth hormone sequence. Published descriptions sometimes use slightly different residue numbering, so sequence information should be checked against primary sources. The molecule is small compared with intact hGH, which affects analytical detection and purification approaches.
Detection and characterization of AOD-9604 in research and anti-doping settings typically rely on mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography. These methods can identify the peptide by its mass and fragmentation pattern. Immunoassays may also be used in some screening contexts, but they can cross-react with related peptides. Because the molecule is small and may be present at low concentrations, sample preparation and method validation are important. Confirmatory analysis usually requires comparison with a certified reference standard.
In laboratory settings, AOD-9604 is commonly supplied as a lyophilized powder and stored cold to limit degradation. Reconstituted solutions are typically kept refrigerated or frozen, depending on the buffer and concentration, and protected from repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Stability can be influenced by pH, temperature, and the presence of proteases. Purity is usually assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. These practices support reproducibility, but they do not imply safety or efficacy for any human use.
Regulatory status: AOD-9604 is not approved as a therapeutic drug in the United States, European Union, or other major markets. It is listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency as a prohibited substance in sport, specifically under growth hormone fragments. Many jurisdictions restrict its sale for human consumption. Products marketed online may not meet pharmaceutical quality standards. The legal status varies by country and often depends on whether the material is presented as a research chemical, supplement, or drug.
==== Viral ==== Mice pretreated for 4 weeks with diets that raised their intestinal SCFAs levels had reduced viral levels and pulmonary inflammation during the course of respiratory syncytial virus infection; these reductions did not occur in Ffar2 gene knockout mice or mice pretreated with antibiotics to reduce their intestines' SCFAs levels. Thus, SCFA activated FFAR2 appeared to reduce the severity of this viruses infection in mice. Different results were found in a study examining influenza A virus's ability to enter and thereby infect human A549 lung cancer cells and mouse 264RAW .7 macrophages. Reduction of FFAR2 using gene knockdown methods reduced the virus's ability to enter into both cell types. Treating A549 cells with FFAR2 agonists, either 4-CMTB or compound 58, also inhibited the virus's entry into these cells. Analysis of this inhibition revealed that Influenza A virus entered these cells by binding to their surface membrane sialic acid receptors; this binding triggered endocytosis, i.e., internalization, of these cells' sialic acid receptors along with their attached viruses. A portion of the sialic acid receptor-bound virus also binds to and activates FFAR 2; this activation increased the endocytosis triggered by the virus's binding to the sialic acid receptors. 4-CMTB and Compound 58 acted to block the ability of the sialic acid-bound virus to enhance endocytosis.
== Classification == The term nevus is applied to a number of conditions caused by neoplasias and hyperplasias of melanocytes, as well as a number of pigmentation disorders, both hypermelanotic (containing increased melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color) and hypomelanotic (containing decreased melanin). Suspicious skin moles which are multi-colored or pink may be a finding in skin cancer.
== Legal issues == Vital Pharmaceuticals was sued by competing energy drink manufacturer Monster Beverage, who alleged that Vital engaged in consumer deception and anti-competitive business practices. Vital countersued, alleging that Monster infringed their copyright by use of similar trade dress. In a separate lawsuit, Monster Beverage and Orange Bang sued Vital Pharmaceuticals for trademark infringement. Orange Bang previously sued Vital Pharmaceuticals in 2009, and the two companies settled the next year, with restrictions placed on Vital Pharmaceuticals' use of the Bang trademark, limited to "creatine-based" drinks and products sold exclusively at fitness venues such as gyms. The introduction of the "Bang Energy RTD" drink infringed on this settlement, as it contained "Super Creatine". The suit found that "Super Creatine" was not actually creatine, and did not raise the body's creatine levels. The trademark case was ruled in favor of Monster and Orange Bang by an arbitrator, with Vital Pharmaceuticals owing $175 million in damages. Monster later won a false-advertising case regarding Bang's 'Super Creatine' supplement, and was awarded $293 million. The company was sued by Sony Music in October 2021, claiming that Bang Energy's social media platforms were infringing their copyright by using their music without licensing it. In August 2022, the estate of musician Prince won a lawsuit against Bang Energy for their usage of the "Purple Rain" trademark. Vital Pharmaceuticals engaged in legal action with PepsiCo for alleged misconduct and foul play.
== External links == "Calcitonin receptors: CALCRL". IUPHAR Database of Receptors and Ion Channels. International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. calcitonin+receptor-like+receptor at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) CALCRL human gene location in the UCSC Genome Browser. CALCRL human gene details in the UCSC Genome Browser.
=== Silicon batteries === The company started promoting its silicon-graphite-electrode batteries in 2019 and ceased development of its germanium-based batteries in 2020. The company sent germanium sample batteries to manufacturers in place of silicon sample batteries. The company's CEO said the germanium batteries were only developed as proof-of-concept, were only meant to be sold in small quantities, and that they were never released because they weren't sufficiently differentiated from the rest of the market. Group14 Technologies has developed silicon nanoparticles called SCC55 which allow lithium-silicon batteries to charge from 10% to 80% state-of-charge in 10 minutes. StoreDot tested the material for use in their silicon batteries. The company was looking in 2023 for suppliers capable of manufacturing thousands of tonnes of this material, which is critical for their business. The battery cells have a sponge-like carbon electrode imbued with silicon nanoparticles that react with the lithium ions, keeping the silicon's expansion within the carbon "sponge".
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
MetaPred: A webserver for the prediction of cytochrome P450 isoforms responsible for metabolizing a drug molecule. The MetaPred server predicts metabolizing CYP isoforms of a drug molecule/substrate based on SVM models developed using CDK descriptors. This server is intended to help researchers working in the field of drug discovery. The effort also demonstrates that it is possible to develop free web servers in the field of cheminformatics. This may encourage other researchers to develop web servers for public use, leading to decreased cost of discovering new drug molecules. ToxiPred: A server for prediction of aqueous toxicity of small chemical molecules in T. pyriformis. KetoDrug: A user friendly web server for binding affinity prediction of ketoxazole derivatives and small chemical molecules against Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH). KiDoQ: A web server to serve researchers working in the field of designing inhibitors against dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS), a potential drug target enzyme of a unique bacterial DAP/Lysine pathway. GDoQ: GDoQ (Prediction of GLMU inhibitors using QSAR and AutoDock) is an open source platform for predicting inhibitors against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.Tb) drug target N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GLMU) protein. This is a potential drug target involved in bacterial cell wall synthesis. This server uses molecular docking and QSAR strategies to predict inhibitory activity value (IC50) of chemical compounds for GLMU protein. ROCR: The ROCR is an R package for evaluating and visualizing classifier performance.
=== Arabati Baba Teḱe controversy === In 2002, a group of armed members of the Islamic Religious Community of Macedonia (ICM), a Sunni group that is the legally recognized organisation which claims to represent all Muslims in North Macedonia, unlawfully entered the Bektashi Order's Arabati Baba Teḱe in an attempt to reclaim this tekke as a mosque although the facility has never functioned as such. Subsequently, the Bektashi Order of North Macedonia sued the government for failing to restore the tekke to the Bektashis, pursuant to a law passed in the early 1990s returning properties previously nationalized under the Yugoslav government. The law, however, deals with restitution to private citizens, rather than religious communities. The ICM claim to the tekke is based upon their contention to represent all Muslims in North Macedonia; and indeed, they are one of two Muslim organizations recognized by the government, both Sunni. The Bektashi community filed for recognition as a separate religious community with the Macedonian government in 1993, which has refused to recognize them.
Sherman leaves with Richmond and a tennis ball covered in the youth formula and heads to a presentation at Phleer Pharmaceuticals that Buddy is giving about the youth formula. Meanwhile, a worried Denise discovers what has happened and that Sherman's brain damage is progressing. With Cletus' help, Denise goes after him. Sherman takes advantage of the canine DNA crossed with Buddy's and throws the tennis ball to distract him. Buddy catches the ball in his mouth, and the youth formula transforms him back into a toddler, then further into a glowing mass of sentient genetic material. Sherman chases the genetic material, intent on drinking it to correct his condition. However, the material evaporates on the edge of a fountain before he can get to it. Cletus and Denise arrive too late to save him, and Denise breaks into tears, which hit the genetic material and fall into the fountain. As they go to leave, Sherman looks into the fountain, remarking that it is "pretty". Seeing the water is glowing, Denise realizes the genetic material has reconstituted thanks to her tears and that if Sherman drinks the fountain water before it dissipates, he will be restored to normal. Sherman drinks the water and is able to restore his genetic makeup to its proper order, restoring his intelligence. With Buddy Love defeated, Sherman and Denise finally get married. During the wedding reception, Sherman's older brother, Ernie Klump Sr., sings a song in honor of the couple, while Richmond continues to be hexed by the now normal-sized hamster.
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is an essential nutrient. The term "vitamin A" encompasses a group of chemically related organic compounds that includes retinol, retinyl esters, and several provitamin (precursor) carotenoids, most notably β-carotene (beta-carotene). Vitamin A has multiple functions: growth during embryo development, maintaining the immune system, and healthy vision. For aiding vision specifically, it combines with the protein opsin to form rhodopsin, the light-absorbing molecule necessary for both low-light (scotopic vision) and color vision. Vitamin A occurs as two principal forms in foods: 1) retinoids, found in animal-sourced foods, either as retinol or bound to a fatty acid to become a retinyl ester, and 2) the carotenoids α-carotene (alpha-carotene), β-carotene, γ-carotene (gamma-carotene), and the xanthophyll beta-cryptoxanthin (all of which contain β-ionone rings) that function as provitamin A in herbivore and omnivore animals which possess the enzymes that cleave and convert provitamin carotenoids to retinol. Some carnivore species lack this enzyme. The other carotenoids do not have retinoid activity. Dietary retinol is absorbed from the digestive tract via passive diffusion. Unlike retinol, β-carotene is taken up by enterocytes by the membrane transporter protein scavenger receptor B1 (SCARB1), which is upregulated in times of vitamin A deficiency (VAD). Retinol is stored in lipid droplets in the liver.
In early March 1803, the Addington ministry received word that Cape Colony had been reoccupied by the British army, in accordance with the orders which had subsequently been countermanded. On 8 March they ordered military preparations to guard against possible French retaliation and justified them by claiming that it was only in response to French preparations and that they were conducting serious negotiations with France. In a few days, it was known that Cape Colony had been handed over in accordance with the counter-orders, but it was too late. Bonaparte berated the British ambassador Lord Whitworth in front of 200 spectators over the military preparations. The Addington ministry realised they would face an inquiry over their reasons for the military preparations, and during April unsuccessfully attempted to secure the support of William Pitt to shield them from damage. In the same month, the ministry issued an ultimatum to France, demanding a retention of Malta for at least ten years, the permanent acquisition of the island of Lampedusa from the Kingdom of Sicily, and the evacuation of Holland. They also offered to recognise French gains in Italy if they evacuated Switzerland and compensated the Kingdom of Sardinia for his territorial losses. France offered to place Malta in the hands of Russia to satisfy British concerns, pull out of Holland when Malta was evacuated, and form a convention to give satisfaction to Britain on other issues. The Addington ministry denied that Russia had made an offer, and Whitworth left Paris.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide fragment of human growth hormone. It corresponds to the C-terminal region known as hGH 176-191 and is studied for metabolic effects. It is not an approved therapeutic drug.
No. It contains only a small portion of the human growth hormone sequence. The full hormone has 191 amino acids and many additional actions that the fragment does not share.
The name refers to the amino acid positions in the human growth hormone chain. The fragment spans residues 176 through 191 at the C-terminal end. This naming convention helps distinguish it from full-length hGH.
Yes, the World Anti-Doping Agency classifies AOD-9604 as a prohibited peptide hormone and related substance. Its use by athletes is banned under the relevant anti-doping code.