What Is Tesamorelin? GHRH Analogue and Egrifta, Explained

By DoseGauge Editorial · Updated 2026-06-13 · 5 min read

Tesamorelin is a synthetic analogue of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It acts on the pituitary gland to prompt the release of growth hormone, which in turn raises circulating IGF-1. It is sold under the brand name Egrifta, and it is FDA-approved only for the reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy. Any other use, including anti-aging, general fat loss, or body-composition goals, falls outside that approved indication and is off-label. This page explains what tesamorelin is and how it works. It is informational and educational only, not medical advice, and it does not recommend tesamorelin or any dose.

How tesamorelin works

Tesamorelin is a synthetic analogue of growth-hormone-releasing hormone, the natural signal the hypothalamus sends to the pituitary gland. When tesamorelin binds the GHRH receptor on the pituitary, it stimulates the release of growth hormone. That growth hormone then acts on the liver and other tissues, which raises levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). In other words, tesamorelin works one step upstream of growth hormone itself: rather than supplying growth hormone directly, it prompts the body to release its own.

That mechanism is what separates a GHRH analogue from a couple of related categories. Injected recombinant human growth hormone (HGH) supplies the hormone directly. Growth-hormone secretagogues and growth-hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs) act through a different receptor (the ghrelin or GH-secretagogue receptor) to nudge GH release. Tesamorelin sits in the GHRH-analogue group, acting on the GHRH receptor. For a closer look at how two GHRH-class peptides compare, see tesamorelin vs sermorelin.

What it is approved for

Tesamorelin is sold as Egrifta, and the FDA has approved two formulations: Egrifta SV and Egrifta WR. Both carry the same single indication. The prescribing information for each states that it is indicated for the reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy.

Both formulations are given by subcutaneous injection once daily. The Egrifta SV label specifies 1.4 mg once daily; the Egrifta WR label specifies 1.28 mg once daily. Tesamorelin also clears the bloodstream quickly: the labels report a short plasma elimination half-life of roughly 8 minutes (Egrifta SV) to 11 minutes (Egrifta WR) after a single subcutaneous dose. These figures come from the Egrifta prescribing information and describe the approved products, not any other use.

Approved use versus off-label use

The approved indication is narrow and specific: reducing excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy. That is the only use the FDA has reviewed and approved for tesamorelin, and it is the only use the label characterizes for safety and efficacy.

Everything outside that indication is off-label. Anti-aging, bodybuilding, general weight loss, and broad body-composition goals are not approved uses, and the label does not describe how tesamorelin performs or what its risks are in those settings. "Off-label" does not by itself mean unsafe or ineffective; it means a use the regulatory review did not cover, so the supporting evidence and the safety profile are not established the way they are for the approved indication. This page does not recommend any off-label use. Decisions about whether any drug is appropriate belong with a licensed clinician.

How it is given

Tesamorelin ships as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder in a vial. Before use it is reconstituted with a diluent, drawn into a syringe, and injected subcutaneously. Research-grade vials are commonly reconstituted with bacteriostatic water, and the dose is typically drawn on a U-100 insulin syringe, where the unit markings make small volumes easier to measure. That research-grade use is off-label, outside the approved Egrifta product. The volume of water you add sets the concentration, which is what determines how many syringe units correspond to a given milligram dose. The tesamorelin dosage calculator on this site does that conversion from the vial strength and water volume you enter.

Reconstitution and injection both carry their own considerations, and like any growth-hormone pathway drug, tesamorelin has a side-effect profile worth understanding before use. For more on that, see tesamorelin side effects.

Frequently asked questions

What is tesamorelin used for?

Tesamorelin (Egrifta) is FDA-approved for one use: the reduction of excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy, according to the Egrifta prescribing information. It is a GHRH analogue that stimulates the pituitary to release growth hormone. Any use beyond that single indication is off-label and not characterized by the label.

Is tesamorelin the same as Egrifta?

Tesamorelin is the active ingredient, and Egrifta is the brand name it is sold under. There are two FDA-approved formulations, Egrifta SV and Egrifta WR, both of which contain tesamorelin. So "tesamorelin" and "Egrifta" refer to the same drug, with Egrifta being the marketed product.

Is tesamorelin FDA-approved for weight loss or anti-aging?

No. The only FDA-approved use is reducing excess abdominal fat in HIV-infected adults with lipodystrophy, per the Egrifta labels. General weight loss, anti-aging, and body-composition use are off-label, meaning the FDA has not reviewed tesamorelin for those purposes and the label does not characterize them. This page does not recommend any such use.

How is tesamorelin different from HGH?

Recombinant human growth hormone (HGH) supplies growth hormone directly. Tesamorelin works one step upstream: as a GHRH analogue, it signals the pituitary to release the body's own growth hormone, which then raises IGF-1. So they are different kinds of drugs that act at different points in the same pathway, and they are not interchangeable. A licensed clinician is the right person to discuss either one.

Informational and educational only. Not medical advice. DoseGauge computes from the values you enter and does not recommend a dose. Talk to a licensed clinician before using any peptide or GLP-1 medication.