FDA
No application listedNo application naming ipamorelin as an active ingredient is listed in Drugs@FDA. Checked 2026-10-05; the control lookup (semaglutide) returned 6 applications.
Drugs@FDA via openFDAIpamorelin: chemistry, literature and regulatory status
Research-use information. This page summarises published literature and regulator records. It is not guidance for use, not medical advice, and not a statement that any material is suitable for use in people or animals.
What is Ipamorelin?
Ipamorelin is the synthetic pentapeptide Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2, a growth hormone secretagogue identified within a series of compounds derived from growth hormone-releasing peptides. Published work covers receptor pharmacology, rodent studies and one pharmacokinetic study in volunteers. It is supplied here as a research material for laboratory use only.
What are the chemical facts for Ipamorelin?
- Name
- Ipamorelin
- Also written
- NNC 26-0161
- Sequence
- Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2
- Length
- 5 residues
- Molecular formula
C38H49N9O5(matches the formula computed from the sequence)- Average molecular weight
- 711.9 g/mol
- CAS number
170851-70-4(confirmed in PubChem)- PubChem
- CID 9831659
Chemistry checked against PubChem on 2026-10-05. Where the formula can be computed from the listed sequence, it was, and the two routes agree.
How does the literature describe the mechanism of Ipamorelin?
- Growth hormone secretagogues act at a G-protein-coupled receptor of the pituitary and hypothalamus, cloned in 1996; ghrelin was later identified as its endogenous ligand.[7],[2]
- The pharmacology paper describes ipamorelin's growth hormone releasing activity in vitro and in animals and its selectivity against other pituitary hormones.[5]
- A medicinal-chemistry series derived from ipamorelin measured growth hormone release in vitro and in animals.[6]
Receptor and pathway background: Growth hormone secretagogue receptor.
What has published research on Ipamorelin looked at?
7 studies are cited for Ipamorelin. Each is labelled by design below, and each entry says what the paper measured.
- 2 animal study
- 2 receptor biology
- 1 human study
- 1 in vitro and animal study
- 1 chemistry
PubMed returns 50 records for the search terms published on the method page (9 of them with a review publication type, 2 with a clinical-trial publication type), checked 5 October 2026. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 3 registered studies whose intervention matches the name (2 interventional), checked 5 October 2026.
- One randomised study modelled the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ipamorelin and growth hormone in healthy volunteers.[3]
- Two rat studies measured bone growth rate and bone mineral content.[4],[1]
Studies are listed by what they measured. Papers whose titles state an amount or schedule, or describe a clinical outcome of an approved medicine, are not listed. This is a wording rule, not a quality filter; see the method page.
What is the regulatory status of Ipamorelin?
EMA
No centrally authorised medicine listedNo centrally authorised procedure in the EMA medicines database (checked 5 October 2026) names ipamorelin as an active substance. National authorisations are not in this dataset.
EMA medicines dataMHRA
No product document foundNo SmPC, PIL or PAR document in MHRA Products matches the exact name "ipamorelin". Checked 2026-10-05; the control lookup (semaglutide) returned 271 documents.
MHRA ProductsWADA
Named, S2.2.4The WADA 2026 Prohibited List, in force 1 January 2026 names ipamorelin under S2.2.4 (growth hormone releasing factors,). A WADA entry is a sporting rule, not a statement about legality outside sport.
WADA Prohibited List 2026A regulator record is information about a database entry. It is not advice and not a statement that any use is lawful or unlawful in any country. How regulators approach research peptides.
Data dates: regulatory records 2026-10-05; WADA list 2026-10-05.
Which studies are cited for Ipamorelin?
[1] Svensson J, Lall S, Dickson SL, Bengtsson BA, Rømer J, Ahnfelt-Rønne I, et al.. The GH secretagogues ipamorelin and GH-releasing peptide-6 increase bone mineral content in adult female rats. J Endocrinol. 2000;165:569-77.
Measured bone mineral content in young adult female rats exposed to ipamorelin or GHRP-6.
[2] Kojima M, Hosoda H, Date Y, Nakazato M, Matsuo H, Kangawa K. Ghrelin is a growth-hormone-releasing acylated peptide from stomach. Nature. 1999;402:656-60.
Purification of ghrelin from stomach as the endogenous ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor.
[3] Gobburu JV, Agersø H, Jusko WJ, Ynddal L. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers. Pharm Res. 1999;16:1412-6.
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modelling of ipamorelin and growth hormone concentrations in healthy volunteers.
[4] Johansen PB, Nowak J, Skjaerbaek C, Flyvbjerg A, Andreassen TT, Wilken M, et al.. Ipamorelin, a new growth-hormone-releasing peptide, induces longitudinal bone growth in rats. Growth Horm IGF Res. 1999;9:106-13.
Measured longitudinal bone growth rate, body weight and growth hormone release in adult female rats.
[5] Raun K, Hansen BS, Johansen NL, Thøgersen H, Madsen K, Ankersen M, et al.. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol. 1998;139:552-61.
Describes the pharmacology of ipamorelin: growth hormone release in vitro and in animals, and selectivity against other pituitary hormones.
[6] Ankersen M, Johansen NL, Madsen K, Hansen BS, Raun K, Nielsen KK, et al.. A new series of highly potent growth hormone-releasing peptides derived from ipamorelin. J Med Chem. 1998;41:3699-704.
Medicinal-chemistry series derived from ipamorelin, with growth hormone release measured in vitro and in animals.
[7] Howard AD, Feighner SD, Cully DF, Arena JP, Liberator PA, Rosenblum CI, et al.. A receptor in pituitary and hypothalamus that functions in growth hormone release. Science. 1996;273:974-7.
Cloning of the pituitary and hypothalamic G-protein-coupled receptor targeted by growth hormone secretagogues.
Data dates: citations read from PubMed 2026-10-05.
Where else in the research library is Ipamorelin covered?
Who wrote this page and how is it checked?
Peptency editorial team, last reviewed 5 October 2026. Citations are read back from PubMed, chemistry is checked against PubChem, and regulator records are read from each regulator's own database on the dates shown. The method page lists every source, search term and rule. Corrections are welcome through the contact details on the About page.