Quick answer: AOD-9604 results were promising in obese mice and rats, but not in people. In its largest human trial, 502 adults with obesity took 0.25 to 1 mg a day for 24 weeks and lost no significantly more weight than those on placebo, so the developer stopped obesity development in 2007.[1] FDA concluded in 2024 that evidence is lacking to support its use for obesity by any route.[1]
AOD-9604 is a modified fragment of human growth hormone, designed in Australia to keep growth hormone’s fat-burning effect without its effects on growth or blood sugar. This page walks through every result, from animals to the final trial. See also our AOD-9604 profile, AOD-9604 dosage, AOD-9604 side effects and the growth hormone peptides hub.
AOD-9604 results at a glance
| Study | Who | What was found |
|---|---|---|
| Obese Zucker rats, 19 days | Rats, by mouth | Weight gain cut by more than half (15.8 g vs 35.6 g) |
| Obese mice, 14 days | Mice, by pump | Less weight gain, more fat burning, no rise in blood sugar |
| IV study, 3 weeks | 23 men with obesity | 0.58 kg average loss, not different from placebo |
| Oral study, 4 weeks | Men with obesity | No significant weight loss vs placebo |
| 7-day study | 36 men with obesity | 1 kg on the lowest dose vs 0.6 kg on placebo |
| 12-week trial | 300 adults with obesity | Slightly faster weekly loss, best at 1 mg, significant only in women |
| OPTIONS, 24 weeks | 502 adults with obesity | No significant difference from placebo at 12 or 24 weeks |
Sources: animal studies,[4][5] human studies as summarized by FDA.[1]
Results in animals
The fat-loss reputation began in the lab at Monash University.
- Rats: obese Zucker rats given 500 mcg per kg by mouth daily for 19 days gained 15.8 g versus 35.6 g in untreated rats. Their fat tissue broke down fat more actively, and unlike full growth hormone, AOD-9604 did not reduce insulin sensitivity.[4]
- Mice: in obese mice treated for 14 days, AOD-9604 reduced weight gain, increased fat burning and raised a marker of fat breakdown. Unlike growth hormone, it did not raise blood sugar, did not bind the growth hormone receptor and did not make cells multiply.[5]
FDA cautioned that these animal studies did not test how effects changed with dose and did not correct for multiple statistical comparisons.[1]
Results in human trials
The developer ran six trials in about 900 people between 2001 and 2006.[2] Most were short safety studies; only some reported weight outcomes, and only in brief summaries.
Early short studies
- IV infusions: 23 men with obesity received weekly infusions. A marker of fat breakdown in the blood rose after 2 hours, and average weight loss was 0.58 kg over 3 weeks, not different from placebo.[1]
- Oral doses over 4 weeks: in men with obesity given 9, 27 and 54 mg, the fat-breakdown marker rose again, but there was no significant weight loss compared with placebo.[1]
- One week of daily doses: in 36 men, a review reported 1 kg of weight loss on the lowest dose (described as 10 mg) versus 0.6 kg on placebo, with higher doses appearing less effective.[1] The company’s safety paper lists this study’s doses as 9, 27 and 54 mg.[2]
FDA called these summaries limited, with small samples and too little detail on methods and results.[1]
12-week trial
300 adults with obesity took 1, 5, 10, 20 or 30 mg by mouth daily, or placebo.[2] A conference abstract reported the following average weekly weight loss:[1]
| Group | Average weight change per week |
|---|---|
| 1 mg | −0.22 kg |
| 20 mg | −0.13 kg |
| 30 mg | −0.15 kg |
| Placebo | −0.07 kg |
Results for 5 mg and 10 mg were not given. The abstract said the effect was “significant” only in women, and also claimed smaller waistlines and small cholesterol improvements, but gave no detailed data.[1] By our arithmetic, the 1 mg group’s advantage works out to roughly 1.8 kg (about 4 lb) more than placebo over 12 weeks. FDA said the differences were small, of unclear clinical meaning, and never published in full.[1]
OPTIONS: the 24-week trial
This was the largest and best-designed study. 536 adults with obesity enrolled and 502 were randomized to 0.25, 0.5 or 1 mg once daily, or placebo, for 24 weeks, along with a dietitian-supervised diet and exercise program.[1] The trial was designed to detect a 1.8 kg difference from placebo at 12 weeks.[1]
The company reported that weight loss compared with placebo at 12 and 24 weeks “was too low to reach statistical significance” and that the overall population did not respond consistently. It ended obesity development in February 2007.[1] The researcher who led five of the six human trials later said this study “showed quite clearly there was no effect on weight.”[3]
Why AOD-9604 failed in people
The lead investigator offered one explanation: in mice, AOD-9604’s longer-term effect depended on a specific receptor, and mice lacking it no longer lost weight. That receptor works differently in humans, so the drug’s failure was not surprising.[3] FDA added that AOD-9604’s molecular target and mechanism are still unknown.[1]
AOD-9604 before and after
No published trial reported before-and-after photos or body-composition scans. Before-and-after images online come from sellers, clinics and individual users. They cannot show whether AOD-9604 caused a change, especially since many people use it alongside diet changes, exercise or other drugs. In the trials, the placebo groups also lost some weight.[1]
Results for joints, bone and other uses
Clinics market AOD-9604 for osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, cartilage repair, anti-aging and more.[1] FDA found no clinical studies in osteoarthritis or osteoporosis and did not evaluate those uses.[1]
What the regulators concluded
FDA’s 2024 review concluded there is a lack of evidence that AOD-9604 is effective for obesity by any route, and noted that several FDA-approved drugs already treat obesity.[1] Its compounding advisory committee voted 0 to 12 against allowing pharmacies to compound it.[6]
How this compares with approved options
Approved medicines such as semaglutide have large, published trials showing substantial weight loss. Our AOD-9604 vs semaglutide comparison sets the results side by side, and best peptides for weight loss ranks options by evidence. For a related fragment with no human trials at all, see Fragment 176-191 vs AOD-9604.
Questions to ask a clinician
- What results can I realistically expect from approved weight-loss medicines?
- Which option suits my health conditions and budget?
- How will we measure progress, beyond the scale?
This is general information, not medical advice.
