It is a GHRH analog that prompts the pituitary to release the body's own growth hormone in a natural pulsatile pattern, which promotes breakdown of visceral fat.

How well does it reduce belly fat?

In the pivotal trial, tesamorelin reduced visceral adipose tissue by about 15% over roughly 6 months, compared with a small increase on placebo.

Does it help liver fat?

In a randomized trial, tesamorelin also modestly reduced hepatic (liver) fat in HIV patients, with about a 2.9% net reduction in liver-fat fraction versus placebo.

What are the key safety considerations?

It can cause injection-site reactions, joint pain, fluid retention, and higher blood sugar via increased IGF-1, and is contraindicated in active cancer, pituitary-axis disorders, and pregnancy. This is informational only, not medical advice.

FDA-approved medicineaka TH9507, Egrifta

Tesamorelin — Complete Research Guide (2026)

Last updated 2026-06-25

TL;DR

A stabilized growth-hormone-releasing hormone analog approved (as Egrifta) to reduce excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy.

What is Tesamorelin?

Tesamorelin is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and an approved prescription medicine.

It is FDA-approved (branded Egrifta / Egrifta SV) specifically to reduce excess visceral abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy; it is not approved as a general weight-loss, bodybuilding, or anti-aging drug.

Evidence level is solid for its narrow indication, based on two large phase 3 randomized placebo-controlled trials plus supportive mechanistic and hepatic-fat studies.

How does Tesamorelin work?

Tesamorelin stimulates the pituitary to release endogenous growth hormone in a physiologic, pulsatile manner, raising IGF-1 and promoting lipolysis that preferentially reduces visceral (intra-abdominal) adipose tissue. [INFOGRAPHIC: GHRH-analog stimulation of pulsatile GH release]

What does the research say about Tesamorelin?

In HIV-infected adults with abdominal fat accumulation, tesamorelin reduced visceral adipose tissue by about 15.2% versus a 5.0% increase with placebo over 26 weeks (Falutz 2007). ^[1]
A second phase 3 randomized trial confirmed a roughly 18% reduction in visceral adipose tissue with tesamorelin versus placebo, with improvement in patient-reported body image (Falutz 2010). ^[2]
In HIV patients with abdominal fat accumulation, tesamorelin also reduced liver fat, with a net treatment effect of about -2.9% in hepatic fat fraction versus placebo (Stanley 2014). ^[3]

Clinical research & studies

The references below are the primary sources cited throughout this guide. Each links directly to PubMed or the regulator. Where evidence is preclinical (animal or in-vitro), that is stated rather than implied.

[1] Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in patients with HIV — Falutz J et al., N Engl J Med 2007. (RCT n=412)
[2] Effects of tesamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing factor, in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized placebo-controlled trial with a safety extension — Falutz J et al., J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2010. (RCT n=404)
[3] Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial — Stanley TL et al., JAMA 2014. (RCT n=61)
[4] Tesamorelin: a review of its use in the management of HIV-associated lipodystrophy — Dhillon S, Drugs 2011. (drug review)
[5] Tesamorelin: a growth hormone-releasing factor analogue for HIV-associated lipodystrophy — Spooner LM et al., Ann Pharmacother 2012. (pharmacotherapy review)

Dosing context

This is not medical advice or a usage recommendation. Dosing figures are reported research context only, cited from the published literature.

The approved product is given as a 2 mg subcutaneous injection once daily (Egrifta SV), with periodic reassessment of continued benefit.

This reflects the labeled use of the approved product for context only and is not a personal dosing recommendation; treatment must be directed by a prescriber.

Side effects & safety profile

Common adverse effects include injection-site reactions, arthralgia, myalgia, peripheral edema, and effects related to growth-hormone excess such as fluid retention and carpal-tunnel-like symptoms.

Because it raises IGF-1, tesamorelin can worsen glucose tolerance and is contraindicated in active malignancy, in disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis (e.g., pituitary tumor/surgery, head irradiation), and in pregnancy.

Benefits reverse when treatment is stopped, so continued visceral-fat reduction depends on ongoing therapy under medical supervision.

Stacking & combinations

Tesamorelin is used as a single agent for its approved HIV-lipodystrophy indication and is not intended to be stacked with other growth-hormone secretagogues or unapproved peptides.

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Frequently asked questions

It is FDA-approved (as Egrifta / Egrifta SV) to reduce excess visceral abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy, and is not approved for general weight loss or anti-aging use.

References

[1] Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in patients with HIV — Falutz J et al., N Engl J Med 2007. PMID: 18057338. View sourceStudy: RCT n=412Tesamorelin reduced visceral adipose tissue by 15.2% vs a 5.0% increase with placebo.
[2] Effects of tesamorelin, a growth hormone-releasing factor, in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized placebo-controlled trial with a safety extension — Falutz J et al., J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2010. PMID: 20101189. View sourceStudy: RCT n=404Tesamorelin reduced visceral adipose tissue by roughly 18% and improved body-image distress.
[3] Effect of tesamorelin on visceral fat and liver fat in HIV-infected patients with abdominal fat accumulation: a randomized clinical trial — Stanley TL et al., JAMA 2014. PMID: 25038357. View sourceStudy: RCT n=61Tesamorelin reduced liver fat with a net treatment effect of about -2.9% in hepatic fat fraction (P=.003).
[4] Tesamorelin: a review of its use in the management of HIV-associated lipodystrophy — Dhillon S, Drugs 2011. PMID: 21668043. View sourceStudy: drug reviewReviews tesamorelin's efficacy and safety for reducing excess visceral abdominal fat in HIV lipodystrophy.
[5] Tesamorelin: a growth hormone-releasing factor analogue for HIV-associated lipodystrophy — Spooner LM et al., Ann Pharmacother 2012. PMID: 22298602. View sourceStudy: pharmacotherapy reviewSummarizes tesamorelin's mechanism, trial evidence, and clinical role in HIV-associated lipodystrophy.

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This article is for educational and research purposes only. Peptides discussed here are not approved for human consumption by the FDA, EMA, or equivalent regulators outside of specific clinical contexts. Always consult a licensed medical professional before any therapeutic use.