What is Ipamorelin?
5 min read · Updated May 2026
Ipamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide growth-hormone secretagogue refined from the earlier peptide GHRP-1. It is recognised as one of the first highly selective growth-hormone-releasing peptide (GHRP) receptor agonists, with a specificity for growth-hormone stimulation comparable to endogenous GHRH.
Research use only. Ipamorelin is supplied strictly for in-vitro laboratory research. This page does not describe dosing, administration, or use in humans or animals, and makes no therapeutic claims.
What researchers study
In biochemical and cellular research, ipamorelin acts as an agonist at the ghrelin / growth-hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR-1a) expressed on pituitary somatotrophs. A notable feature in the literature is its selectivity: at concentrations effective for stimulating growth-hormone release in experimental models, it does not trigger adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or cortisol secretion — which makes it a useful tool for isolating growth-hormone-specific signalling from broader hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal activity.
Typical research applications include:
- Analysing GHSR-1a receptor binding, selectivity and downstream signalling
- Studying growth-hormone secretagogue activity independent of the HPA axis
- Comparative work alongside other GHRPs (GHRP-2, GHRP-6, Hexarelin)
Studied with GHRH analogues
Researchers frequently pair a secretagogue with a GHRH analogue. See CJC-1295 and Ipamorelin for how the combination is studied.
How it is supplied
Ipamorelin is supplied as a lyophilised vial with a Certificate of Analysis, stored refrigerated at 2–8°C.