Tesamorelin
Approved in the US as Egrifta for one specific condition. Not approved for general fat loss.
At a glance. A growth-hormone-releasing hormone analogue with real trial data, approved for a narrow use that is often misrepresented. Sold by AVERON as TSM-GH.
Written and maintained by the AVERON Research Desk · Last reviewed September 2026
What it is
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analogue of growth-hormone-releasing hormone, or GHRH, the hormone the hypothalamus uses to tell the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. It consists of the full 44-amino-acid sequence of human GHRH with a chemical modification that makes it more stable.
Rather than supplying growth hormone directly, tesamorelin stimulates the body's own pulsed release of it, which in turn raises levels of IGF-1.
It was developed by Theratechnologies and is sold in the United States as Egrifta.
What researchers study it for
Its approved use is the reduction of excess abdominal fat in people with HIV who have lipodystrophy, a condition in which some HIV treatments cause fat to redistribute to the abdomen. It has also been studied for fatty liver disease in people with HIV.
What the research shows
The first phase 3 trial, led by Julian Falutz and published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007, enrolled 412 people with HIV and excess abdominal fat. Over 26 weeks, visceral fat — the deep fat surrounding the organs — fell by 15.2% with tesamorelin, compared with an increase of 5.0% on placebo.
A study published in The Lancet HIV in 2019 found that tesamorelin reduced liver fat in people with HIV and fatty liver disease.
The US FDA approved tesamorelin in November 2010.
What it does not do, and what is not known
- It is approved for one specific condition: excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy. It is not approved for general weight loss or body composition.
- It targets visceral fat. The trials did not show meaningful reductions in the fat under the skin that most people mean by "belly fat".
- The effect reverses after stopping. In trials, visceral fat returned once treatment ended.
- Whether the results seen in people with HIV apply to healthy adults has not been established.
- It is not the same as growth hormone and does not produce growth-hormone-level effects.
Adverse effects reported in research
Reported adverse effects include injection-site reactions, joint pain, swelling of the hands and feet, muscle pain, and raised blood sugar. The prescribing information lists it as contraindicated in pregnancy, in active cancer, and in people with certain disorders of the pituitary gland or hypothalamus.
Regulatory and anti-doping status
Regulatory: Approved by the US FDA as Egrifta in 2010, for reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy.
Anti-doping: On WADA's Prohibited List under category S2, which covers growth-hormone-releasing hormone and its analogues. Prohibited at all times in tested sport.
At AVERON
Supplied as research-grade material under the name TSM-GH, 5 mg. A 10 mg vial is due in the next shipment.
Independent lab report: 136047_B55JAG5A8B24
Frequently asked questions
Doses mentioned on this page are the arms of published trials, given to describe their results. They are not guidance.
Sources
- Falutz J, Allas S, Blot K, et al.. Metabolic effects of a growth hormone–releasing factor in patients with HIV. New England Journal of Medicine, 2007;357:2359–2370. Link
- Stanley TL, Fourman LT, Feldpausch MN, et al.. Effects of tesamorelin on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in HIV: a randomised, double-blind, multicentre trial. The Lancet HIV, 2019;6:e821–e830. Link
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Egrifta (tesamorelin) prescribing information. FDA. Link
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List. WADA. Link