Overview
Choose your reading level:
In plain language
Sermorelin is a lab-made copy of the first 29 amino acids of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), the brain hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone.
It was once an FDA-approved medicine for testing and treating growth hormone deficiency in children, but the product was discontinued. Products sold today should not be assumed to be FDA-approved.
For students
Sermorelin is GHRH(1–29)-NH2 (about 3,358 Da). GHRH was isolated in 1982 from pancreatic tumors that caused acromegaly, by the groups of Roger Guillemin and Wylie Vale. The first 29 residues retain the full biological activity of the 44-residue hormone.
It acts on the GHRH receptor in the pituitary to stimulate growth hormone release, preserving the body's normal feedback through somatostatin and IGF-1. Its half-life is only minutes because DPP-4 rapidly cleaves it.
For researchers and instructors
Clinical history. The original product (Geref) was approved for diagnosing and treating growth hormone deficiency in children, then discontinued in 2008; the manufacturer cited manufacturing issues, not safety.
Evidence. Controlled trials in children established growth effects that were smaller than with recombinant growth hormone. Data in adults for "anti-aging" use are limited.
Regulatory. No current FDA-approved product. Compounded versions are not FDA-approved.
Molecular identity
- Amino acids
- 29
- Molecular weight
- ~3,357.9 Da
- Formula
- Form-dependent; verify
- Sequence
- YADAIFTNSYRKVLGQLSARKLLQDIMSR
Sequence map
Hydropathy
Kyte–Doolittle score per residue. Positive values are water-repelling.
Origin and history
Scientists suspected for decades that the brain makes a hormone telling the pituitary to release growth hormone, but it was too scarce to find. The break came from rare pancreatic tumors that caused acromegaly by making it. In 1982 Roger Guillemin’s group at the Salk Institute and Wylie Vale and Jean Rivier, also at Salk, independently isolated growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) from such tumors.
Researchers found that the first 29 amino acids carry the full activity. That fragment became sermorelin, sold by Serono as Geref to test and treat growth hormone deficiency in children. Serono withdrew it from the U.S. market in 2008 for business reasons.
Key people
- Roger GuilleminNobel laureate (1977), Salk Institute
- Wylie Vale & Jean RivierSalk Institute
Timeline
- 1982
GHRH isolated from pancreatic tumors
- 1990s
Sermorelin (Geref) approved in the U.S.
- 2008
Withdrawn from the U.S. market by the maker
See every peptide on one history timeline.
Human evidence
Historical clinical use and diagnostic studies; claims about longevity or anti-aging are not established.
Study design, enrollment, endpoints, outcomes and limitations must be assessed individually; registration is not proof of efficacy.
Explore the literature for Sermorelin and distinguish in-vitro, animal, and human findings.
Safety and regulatory status
See every compound on the regulatory tracker.
Historical FDA-approved products were discontinued; present formulations should not be assumed FDA-approved.
Long-term risks, formulation differences, and human safety evidence require careful review. Educational content only; not medical advice.
Sources
- Primary scientific source
- PubMed: Guillemin 1982 growth hormone releasing factor
- ClinicalTrials.gov search: Sermorelin
Hernandez Gener, E. (2026, November 7). Sermorelin: molecular data, research history and evidence. VALREXA Biosciences. https://valrexa.com/peptides/sermorelin.html
APA style · Last reviewed November 7, 2026 · Our editorial standardsLast reviewed November 7, 2026. Trial and regulatory status can change; confirm in the linked registries. This profile is educational and is not medical advice, a treatment recommendation, or dosing or sourcing guidance. Report an error · Corrections policy