Quick answer: One of these three is an FDA-approved product today: tesamorelin, with a narrow labelled use. Sermorelin had approved brand products that FDA withdrew effective 2009-06-18. Ipamorelin has never been approved. Sermorelin and tesamorelin are growth-hormone-releasing-hormone analogs; FDA says ipamorelin acts as a ghrelin mimetic. Whoosh offers compounded sermorelin, which is not FDA-approved, and does not offer tesamorelin or ipamorelin.
This page puts the three side by side in a single sourced table, then adds a short note on when each row matters. Prose is kept thin on purpose: the pair pages carry the detail, and each cell links to its source.
The three peptides in one table
| Question | Sermorelin | Tesamorelin | Ipamorelin | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class | GHRH analogue | GHRH analogue; the label calls it a growth hormone-releasing factor (GHRF) analog | Synthetic pentapeptide; FDA says it acts as a ghrelin mimetic | Review; EGRIFTA SV label; FDA briefing |
| Size | 29 amino acids | 44 amino acids of human GRF plus a hexenoyl group | 5 amino acids | Same three |
| FDA-approved product today? | No; Geref approval withdrawn effective 2009-06-18 | Yes; initial U.S. approval 2010 as EGRIFTA | Never approved | Federal Register 2013; label; FDA briefing |
| Labelled or approved use | Geref: a diagnostic ampule and vials for children with growth failure from idiopathic GH deficiency | indicated for the reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adult patients with lipodystrophy | None | Federal Register; label |
| Stated limit | Label text could not be opened | not indicated for weight loss management as it has a weight neutral effect | Not applicable | EGRIFTA SV label |
| Half-life in sources | No figure confirmed | Mean elimination half-life of 8 minutes in healthy subjects after a single subcutaneous dose | About 2 hours after a 15-minute intravenous infusion in healthy men, as FDA describes the Gobburu study | Label; FDA briefing |
| FDA 503A list (updated 2026-05-14) | Not on any category | Not on any category | Not on any category | 503A list |
| FDA 503B list (updated 2025-03-21) | Category 1, marked as a component of an approved drug | Not named in that file | Category 2; added 2023-09-29 | 503B list; FDA safety-risks page |
| Advisory committee vote on 503A list | None found | None found | 2024-10-29: 0 yes, 12 no, 1 abstain, for free base and for acetate | PCAC minutes |
| Human evidence | GHRH 1-29 studies in older adults, small and mostly in men; a pediatric study of 110 children | Two randomized trials in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat: 412 and 404 enrolled, 26-week main phase | One intravenous study in healthy men; an intravenous trial of 117 surgical patients | PubMed; label; FDA briefing |
| Route studied | Subcutaneous in the studies read | Subcutaneous, injected into the abdomen | Intravenous only; FDA found nothing on subcutaneous use | Same sources |
| Statements about safety | Brand label text not available; a pediatric review reports flushing and injection-site pain | Label warnings: neoplasms, raised IGF-1, fluid retention, glucose intolerance, hypersensitivity | FDA: immunogenicity concern; two deaths in a surgical trial, unclear whether related | Review; label; FDA |
| Named on the WADA 2026 Prohibited List? | Yes, S2.2.4 | Yes, S2.2.4 | Yes, S2.2.4 | WADA list |
| Offered by Whoosh? | Yes, compounded, not FDA-approved | No | No | Whoosh sitemap pages |
Table as of 2026-10-06. Every cell was read from the linked source on that date; "none found" means none in the documents we opened.
When does each row matter?
Sermorelin. The row that matters most is approval status. The brand once existed with FDA approvals, and the maker notified FDA of its discontinuation in 2008. Compounded versions are not FDA-approved, and the Federal Register determination about Geref is not an endorsement of them. Read sermorelin vs tesamorelin for the nearest receptor neighbor, and the sermorelin profile for the full background.
Tesamorelin. The labelled-use row matters most. Its approval is specific to one population and says plainly it is not for weight management, so it cannot be borrowed to describe the other two. FDA's own warning letters in 2026 name tesamorelin sold as a research product as an unapproved new drug, which is separate from the approved EGRIFTA products. See ipamorelin vs tesamorelin and the tesamorelin profile.
Ipamorelin. The route and evidence rows matter most. The human data are intravenous, and FDA says it could not identify evidence it could use for the subcutaneous route that compounders proposed. For the pairing with CJC-1295, see the blend against sermorelin and the ipamorelin profile.
CJC-1295 is left out of the columns because it has no approval and no 503A or 503B category entry; see sermorelin vs CJC-1295 and the CJC-1295 and ipamorelin profile.
What the human evidence is
| Claim as marketed | Who says it | What supports it | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesamorelin reduces abdominal fat in people with HIV lipodystrophy | The product label | Two label-described trials, 26 weeks, in that population | APPROVED LABEL |
| Sermorelin supports growth hormone output in older adults | Clinic pages | Small GHRH 1-29 studies; nocturnal GH rose; weight unchanged | STUDIED IN HUMANS |
| Ipamorelin supports body composition goals | Clinic and vendor pages, per FDA | No human efficacy data FDA could use | NO PUBLISHED DATA |
| Ipamorelin leaves cortisol alone | Vendor pages | Swine and in vitro work (Raun 1998) | ANIMAL OR LAB ONLY |
Which question are you asking?
| Situation | What the sources say | Page to read |
|---|---|---|
| I only want to know which one is approved | Tesamorelin, for a narrow use | Tesamorelin profile |
| I was offered sermorelin and want its FDA history | Brand approved, then withdrawn in 2009 | Is sermorelin FDA-approved? |
| I saw ipamorelin on a menu | Never approved; intravenous data only | Ipamorelin profile |
| I want questions for a prescriber | A one-page list | Checklist |
Who offers what
Whoosh offers compounded sermorelin, which is not FDA-approved; see the Whoosh Wellness sermorelin review. Whoosh does not offer tesamorelin or ipamorelin. As stated by Whoosh, read 2026-10-06, a licensed physician decides whether any prescription is appropriate, and we print no price because its pages disagree.
FAQ
Which of the three is FDA-approved?
Tesamorelin is, under the brand EGRIFTA, for reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy. Sermorelin's brand approvals were withdrawn effective 2009-06-18, and ipamorelin was never approved.
Do all three work the same way?
No. Sermorelin and tesamorelin are GHRH analogs. FDA says ipamorelin acts as a ghrelin mimetic through a different route.
Are any of them on FDA's 503A lists?
No. None of the three appears on any category of the 503A list updated 2026-05-14.
Is one of them banned in sport?
All three are named in section S2.2.4 of the WADA 2026 Prohibited List.
Where is the full detail?
On the pair pages linked above, and on the hub page.
Sources
- Prakash and Goa, BioDrugs 1999 read 2026-10-06
- EGRIFTA SV label, DailyMed read 2026-10-06
- FDA PCAC briefing on ipamorelin, 2024-10-29 read 2026-10-06
- FDA PCAC final summary minutes, 2024-10-29 read 2026-10-06
- FDA 503A category list, updated 2026-05-14 read 2026-10-06
- FDA 503B category list, updated 2025-03-21 read 2026-10-06
- FDA: bulk substances that may present significant safety risks read 2026-10-06
- Federal Register 78 FR 14095, 2013-03-04 read 2026-10-06
- WADA 2026 Prohibited List read 2026-10-06
- Whoosh Wellness sitemap read 2026-10-06
- Khorram et al. 1997 (PubMed 9141536) read 2026-10-06
Not medical advice. See the medical disclaimer.
