AOD-9604

AOD-9604 is a modified HGH 177-191 fragment. It carries an added N-terminal tyrosine and a disulfide bridge.

The name means "Anti-Obesity Drug 9604". Metabolic Pharmaceuticals of Melbourne, Australia developed it.

The proposed mechanism is lipolysis, plus an inhibition of lipogenesis. Reports describe the action as receptor-independent, through a beta-3 adrenergic pathway.

Models show no increase in IGF-1. Models show no disruption of glucose.

Evidence tier: clinical.

The positive result. The METAOD005 trial ran 12 weeks and enrolled 300 participants with obesity. The 1 mg/day group lost 2.8 kg. The placebo group lost 0.8 kg. The 1.8 kg difference reached statistical significance.

The negative result. The Phase 2B OPTIONS study recruited 536 participants. It ran 24 weeks of double-blind treatment. The primary endpoint was weight loss at 12 weeks. AOD-9604 did not separate from placebo. Development stopped in 2007.

The whole program ran six trials and enrolled about 900 participants.

The trial dose was 1 mg each day.

Development stopped. No approved label exists.

The public record does not characterize the pharmacokinetics well.

The trials reported no disruption of glucose. No other interaction data exist.

Compare with HGH Fragment 176-191, which is a related but different molecule.

Short-term tolerability in the trials was good. The trials recorded no large change in glucose.

No long-term safety data exist.

• Glucose.
• Body weight.

No regulator approves AOD-9604. On 22 April 2026 the FDA 503A bulk substances list recorded it as "Nominated but Withdrawn from Category 2". It stays an unapproved investigational compound.

WADA prohibits it under S2.2. See the WADA prohibited list status.