Sermorelin

Sermorelin is a synthetic 29-amino-acid peptide corresponding to the biologically active N-terminal fragment of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH 1-29 amide). It is studied for its interaction with pituitary GHRH receptors and its ability to stimulate endogenous growth hormone release in experimental models. With an unusually well-documented research history for this class, it remains a standard reference compound in growth hormone axis and secretagogue research.

Available Options

Research Context

Sermorelin is the synthetic acetate salt of GHRH(1-29)NH2, the N-terminal 29-residue fragment of the 44-amino-acid endogenous growth hormone-releasing hormone. Structure-activity work in the 1980s established that this fragment retains the full receptor-activating potency of the native hormone, and it became one of the most extensively characterized GHRH analogues in the literature (Grossman and colleagues, 1986). It acts as an agonist at the pituitary GHRH receptor on somatotroph cells, stimulating synthesis and pulsatile release of endogenous growth hormone rather than supplying exogenous hormone directly.

Unusually for this catalog, sermorelin has a substantial human research record. It was developed clinically as a diagnostic and investigational agent for pediatric growth hormone deficiency, and a 1999 review (Prakash and Goa) summarizes the clinical pharmacology from that program, including growth hormone response profiles and tolerability data in children. It is no longer marketed, and the material sold here is a research reagent, not a pharmaceutical product.

Current published research around sermorelin and GHRH analogues is concentrated in two areas. Pharmaceutical chemistry work has examined formulation strategies such as PEGylation to modify the short plasma half-life characteristic of GHRH peptides (Esposito and colleagues, 2003). Separately, analytical laboratories have developed detection methods for GHRH-class synthetic analogues, including sermorelin, in the context of anti-doping and forensic testing (Memdouh and colleagues, 2021). The compound also remains in routine use as a positive-control GHRH receptor agonist in pituitary cell and endocrine axis experiments.

Open questions in the research landscape include receptor desensitization and feedback behavior under repeated exposure in model systems, how GHRH-fragment pharmacology compares across species and assay formats, and the extent to which findings from the pediatric clinical literature generalize to other experimental contexts. This material is supplied as a lyophilized powder with purity verified by HPLC and a published certificate of analysis. It is intended strictly for laboratory research use and is not for human or veterinary use.

Specifications

Storage & Handling

Store the lyophilized powder at -20C, protected from light and moisture. After reconstitution, refrigerate at 2-8C and use the solution promptly.

For handling guidance, see our peptide reconstitution and storage guide, and use the reconstitution calculator to plan solution volumes for laboratory work.

Certificate of Analysis

Related Compounds

• CJC/Ipamorelin Blend
• Ipamorelin
• MOTS-C

References

1. Grossman A, Savage MO, Besser GM. Growth hormone releasing hormone. Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1986. PMID 2429796
2. Prakash A, Goa KL. Sermorelin: a review of its use in the diagnosis and treatment of children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency. BioDrugs. 1999. PMID 18031173
3. Esposito P et al. PEGylation of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GRF) analogues. Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2003. PMID 14499707
4. Memdouh S et al. Advances in the detection of growth hormone releasing hormone synthetic analogs. Drug Test Anal. 2021. PMID 34665524