Ipamorelin 10 mg

What is Ipamorelin?

Ipamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide from the class of growth-hormone-releasing peptides (GHRP). It is described as a ghrelin mimetic and classed as an agonist at the ghrelin receptor, which the literature also calls the GH secretagogue receptor (GHS-R1a). It was identified in a series of compounds that lack the central Ala-Trp dipeptide of GHRP-1. Databases also list the research code NNC 26-0161 and the salt name ipamorelin acetate.

Structure and key data

With five residues, Ipamorelin is the shortest peptide in the GH category. Three of its five building blocks do not occur in this form in natural proteins:

• Sequence: Aib-His-D-2Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2
• Aib: 2-aminoisobutyric acid (2-methylalanine) at the N-terminus
• D-2Nal: 3-(2-naphthyl)-D-alanine with an aromatic naphthyl side chain
• D-Phe: D-phenylalanine
• C-terminus: lysinamide
• Molecular formula and mass: C38H49N9O5, 711.9 g/mol (free base)
• CAS number: 170851-70-4, PubChem CID 9831659

Classification: Ipamorelin and related peptides

Research on the GH axis distinguishes between two receptor pathways. GHRH analogues such as CJC-1295 (No DAC) and Tesamorelin are derived from the sequence of growth-hormone-releasing hormone and are assigned to the GHRH receptor. Ipamorelin shares nothing with this sequence and is assigned to the ghrelin receptor, whose endogenous ligand is the peptide ghrelin. The GHRP group also includes GHRP-1, GHRP-2 and GHRP-6, which are not part of the range. The CJC-1295 + Ipamorelin blend brings both peptide families together in a single vial.

Research context

Ipamorelin is studied as a GHS-R1a agonist in research on the secretion of growth hormone from the pituitary. Its initial preclinical characterisation was carried out on primary rat pituitary cells and in animal models. A central question was selectivity: the studies examined to what extent other pituitary hormones such as ACTH are involved in addition to growth hormone. This characterisation places the molecule within the GHRP class and is not a statement about effects.

Analytics at GPeptides

In regular external testing by HPLC and mass spectrometry, such a small molecule gives a readily assignable mass spectrum: the singly protonated ion [M+H]+ is expected at a calculated m/z 712.4 (monoisotopic), and the doubly charged ion may also appear at about m/z 356.7. Deletion sequences lacking one building block are lighter by the mass of that residue and therefore stand out. Stereoisomers are a different matter: a variant with L- instead of D-phenylalanine would have the same mass, so chromatographic separation is more informative here. The available certificates of analysis (COA) are arranged by product in the lab area; without a published certificate, the product is considered “pending”. What to look out for when reading a certificate is explained in the guide to reading a certificate of analysis.