Everything below concerns lyophilized powder. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Last reviewed on 2026-07-15. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
AOD-9604 has been investigated primarily as a potential treatment for obesity and related metabolic conditions. Early laboratory work examined its effects on fat cells, and later studies moved into animal models and human clinical trials. Some trials reportedly reached Phase II, but the program did not lead to an approved medicine. Published summaries often note that weight-loss results were modest or inconsistent. The full trial data are not all publicly available in detail.
Regulatory treatment of AOD-9604 has varied. In sports anti-doping, the peptide became widely discussed during a 2013 investigation into an Australian professional sports club. Authorities at the time debated whether it fell under prohibitions on growth hormone and related substances. Later clarifications and updated lists have addressed the compound in different ways. Anyone seeking current status should consult the latest applicable rules, and commercial supply for human use is not authorized in major markets.
AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide that corresponds to a short section of human growth hormone. It is commonly identified as hGH fragment 176-191 because its sequence matches residues at the C-terminal end of the hormone. The molecule contains sixteen amino acids and is made by solid-phase peptide synthesis. Researchers study it for metabolic effects rather than for the growth-promoting actions associated with full human growth hormone. Its small size distinguishes it from the complete 191-amino-acid hormone.
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.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Primary research area | Obesity and metabolic regulation | Studied in cell, animal, and human models |
| Highest reported trial phase | Phase II | Public summaries describe mixed results |
| Common route in trials | Subcutaneous injection | Typical for peptide therapeutics |
| Regulatory example | 2013 Australian anti-doping review | Classification was debated at the time |
| Approval status | Not approved as a human medicine | Status can change by jurisdiction |
Analytical characterization of AOD-9604 typically employs reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to assess purity and identity. Mass spectrometry provides confirmation of molecular mass, while amino acid analysis can verify composition. These methods are standard for peptide research chemicals. Because the peptide lacks a distinct chromophore, detection often relies on ultraviolet absorbance at 214 nm or mass spectrometric response. Laboratories may also use capillary electrophoresis for separation. For example, size-exclusion chromatography can detect aggregates.
Stability of AOD-9604 depends on storage conditions. Lyophilized powder is generally more stable than reconstituted solution. Recommended storage is typically at -20°C or lower, protected from light and moisture. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles can cause aggregation or degradation. In solution, the peptide may be susceptible to hydrolysis or oxidation, so aliquoting and cold storage are common practices. Researchers often add stabilizers such as mannitol or trehalose during lyophilization to improve shelf life.
AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide modeled on the C-terminal region of human growth hormone. It is often described as hGH fragment 176-191. Research interest arose because it was designed to isolate possible effects on fat metabolism from other actions of growth hormone. It is not a full growth hormone molecule. Its development history includes early laboratory and animal studies followed by human trials. The peptide has been examined in laboratory, animal, and limited human studies.
The compound has been studied as a potential treatment for obesity and related metabolic conditions. Published trials have examined changes in body weight, fat mass, and safety markers over limited durations. Results have been mixed or modest, and no large-scale outcome trials are established. Regulatory agencies in several countries have not approved it as a therapeutic drug. Some commercial products have been marketed outside regulated pharmaceutical channels, which raises questions about quality and claims.
The first generation uses linking technologies that conjugate drugs non-selectively to cysteine or lysine residues in the antibody, resulting in a heterogeneous mixture. This approach leads to suboptimal safety and efficacy and complicates optimization of the biological, physical and pharmacological properties. Site-specific incorporation of unnatural amino acids generates a site for controlled and stable attachment. This enables the production of homogeneous ADCs with the antibody precisely linked to the drug and controlled ratios of antibody to drug, allowing the selection of a best-in-class ADC. An Escherichia coli-based open cell-free synthesis (OCFS) allows the synthesis of proteins containing site-specifically incorporated non-natural amino acids and has been optimized for predictable high-yield protein synthesis and folding. The absence of a cell wall allows the addition of non-natural factors to the system to manipulate transcription, translation and folding to provide precise protein expression modulation.
The first definition of the term bioinformatics was coined by Paulien Hogeweg and Ben Hesper in 1970, to refer to the study of information processes in biotic systems. This definition placed bioinformatics as a field parallel to biochemistry (the study of chemical processes in biological systems). Bioinformatics and computational biology involved the analysis of biological data, particularly DNA, RNA, and protein sequences. The field of bioinformatics experienced explosive growth starting in the mid-1990s, driven largely by the Human Genome Project and by rapid advances in DNA sequencing technology. Analyzing biological data to produce meaningful information involves writing and running software programs that use algorithms from graph theory, artificial intelligence, soft computing, data mining, image processing, and computer simulation. The algorithms in turn depend on theoretical foundations such as discrete mathematics, control theory, system theory, information theory, and statistics.
Some MAAs protect cells from reactive oxygen species (i.e. singlet oxygen, superoxide anions, hydroperoxyl radicals, and hydroxyl radicals). Reactive oxygen species can be created during photosynthesis; further supporting the idea that MAAs provide protection from UV light. Mycosporine-glycine is a MAA that provides antioxidant protection even before Oxidative stress response genes and antioxidant enzymes are induced. MAA-glycine (mycosporine-glycine) is able to quench singlet oxygen and hydroxyl radicals very quickly and efficiently. Some oceanic microbial ecosystems are exposed to high concentrations of oxygen and intense light; these conditions are likely to generate high levels of reactive oxygen species. In these ecosystems, MAA-rich cyanobacteria may be providing antioxidant activity.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Korvezee was the youngest of two daughters of the pastor Willem Korvezee (1858–1913) and his wife Baukje Andringa (1874–1952). Her older sister, Elisabeth “Bets” Korvezee, later became the first female national archivist in the Netherlands. After their father's death in 1913, the family lived in The Hague, where both sisters attended the third municipal HBS, known as the “HBS-voor-jongens” (boys’ HBS), and Antonia showed particular talent for mathematics. She went on to study chemical technology at the Delft Institute of Technology, graduating cum laude in 1922. She then worked as an assistant, first in the department of analytical chemistry and from 1924 to 1938 in the laboratory of Scheffer. Under Frans Everhardus Cornelis Scheffer, she completed her doctorate cum laude in 1930 with a thesis titled “Copper chlorides as a catalyst for the Deacon process.” Between 1930 and 1932, she spent two six-month periods in Paris conducting research on radioactivity in Marie Curie’s laboratory. In 1935, her temporary appointment at Delft was made permanent, and she was appointed lecturer in radioactive decay. Korvezee was passed over for a professorship three times, first nominated in 1936 for the chair of analytical chemistry, and again in 1940 for the chair of physical chemistry despite ranking third in the nomination process.
As of 2020 machine learning – and especially deep machine learning – has recently become more commonly used in phenotyping. Computer vision using machine learning has made great strides and is now being applied to leaf phenotyping and other phenotyping jobs typically performed by human eyes. Pound et al. 2017 and Singh et al. 2016 are prominent examples of early successful application and demonstration of the general usability of the process across multiple target plant species. These methods work better when provided with large, publicly available open data sets. Speed breeding is introduced by Watson et al. 2018. Classical (human performed) phenotyping during speed breeding is also possible, using a procedure developed by Richard et al. 2015. As of 2020 it is highly anticipated that SB and automated phenotyping will, combined, produce greatly improved outcomes – see Phenotyping and artificial intelligence above.
S-adenosyl-L-methionine = 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate + S-methyl-5′-thioadenosine Like other PLP dependent enzymes, it catalyzes the reaction through a quinonoid zwitterion intermediate and uses cofactor pyridoxal phosphate (PLP, the active form of vitamin B6) for stabilization. This enzyme belongs to the family of lyases, specifically carbon-sulfur lyases. The systematic name of this enzyme class is S-adenosyl-L-methionine S-methyl-5′-thioadenosine-lyase (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate-forming). Other names in common use include 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylate synthase, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthetase, aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid synthase, aminocyclopropanecarboxylate synthase, ACC synthase, and S-adenosyl-L-methionine methylthioadenosine-lyase. This enzyme participates in propanoate metabolism. It employs one cofactor, pyridoxal phosphate.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
No major medicines regulator appears to have approved AOD-9604 for human therapeutic use. It has been studied in clinical trials, but those programs did not result in a marketed drug.
It became prominent during a 2013 Australian sports investigation that examined whether it was a prohibited growth-hormone-related substance. Subsequent interpretations and list updates have varied, so current rules should be checked directly.
Published summaries generally report limited or inconsistent weight-loss effects, and complete trial data are not widely available. The studies were not sufficient to establish it as an effective obesity treatment.
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.