This is a working overview of AOD-9604, written for readers who want more than a one-paragraph summary but less than a textbook.
This page was last updated on 2026-08-01 and is reviewed periodically as new material appears.
AOD-9604 has been investigated primarily as a potential treatment for obesity and related metabolic conditions. Early laboratory work examined its effects on fat cells, and later studies moved into animal models and human clinical trials. Some trials reportedly reached Phase II, but the program did not lead to an approved medicine. Published summaries often note that weight-loss results were modest or inconsistent. The full trial data are not all publicly available in detail.
Regulatory treatment of AOD-9604 has varied. In sports anti-doping, the peptide became widely discussed during a 2013 investigation into an Australian professional sports club. Authorities at the time debated whether it fell under prohibitions on growth hormone and related substances. Later clarifications and updated lists have addressed the compound in different ways. Anyone seeking current status should consult the latest applicable rules, and commercial supply for human use is not authorized in major markets.
Research interest in AOD-9604 often focuses on whether it can influence lipid metabolism without the growth-promoting or glucose-related effects of full-length hGH. This question remains unresolved, and findings depend on model, dose, and measurement method. Some reviews treat the peptide as a historical obesity candidate rather than an active therapeutic. Others cite it in discussions of peptide fragments, metabolic signaling, and performance-enhancing substances. Clear conclusions are limited by the small number of rigorous, independent human studies.
AOD-9604 is a synthetic peptide whose structure corresponds to a C-terminal segment of human growth hormone. It is often described as hGH fragment 176-191, a 16-amino-acid sequence. The peptide was designed to isolate a region of hGH associated with fat metabolism while avoiding the full hormone's growth-promoting actions. Laboratory and commercial materials typically present it as a lyophilized powder for research use. Its identity is defined by amino acid sequence, not by a single brand.
The fragment includes residues that can form an internal disulfide bond between two cysteine positions. This structural feature can influence how the peptide folds and how stable it is in solution. AOD-9604 differs from full-length hGH in size and receptor interactions; it does not contain the entire growth hormone sequence. Published descriptions sometimes use slightly different residue numbering, so sequence information should be checked against primary sources. The molecule is small compared with intact hGH, which affects analytical detection and purification approaches.
Interest in AOD-9604 arose from attempts to separate metabolic effects from growth effects attributed to hGH. Early work explored whether the fragment could influence lipolysis or fat oxidation without promoting growth. Those questions remain partly unresolved because human data are limited and results have varied across studies. The peptide is not a hormone replacement for hGH and is not equivalent to hGH in clinical use. Its research history includes both laboratory studies and commercial marketing claims that are not the same as regulatory approval.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Primary research area | Obesity and metabolic regulation | Studied in cell, animal, and human models |
| Highest reported trial phase | Phase II | Public summaries describe mixed results |
| Common route in trials | Subcutaneous injection | Typical for peptide therapeutics |
| Regulatory example | 2013 Australian anti-doping review | Classification was debated at the time |
| Approval status | Not approved as a human medicine | Status can change by jurisdiction |
There is a dose-dependent increase in the QT interval and the corrected QT interval (QTc). Because of this, many practitioners will initiate dofetilide therapy only on individuals under telemetry monitoring or if serial EKG measurements of QT and QTc can be performed.
Weighted Companion Cubes are variants of Weighted Storage Cubes that are used in the testing chambers. They are differentiated from regular Storage Cubes with small pink hearts on its external surface, instead of an Aperture Science logo. In Portal, during test chamber 17, Chell is given a Weighted Companion Cube by GLaDOS, told by her that it will be her faithful companion for the duration of the test. Chell must use the Cube to complete the chamber, at which point GLaDOS requires her to incinerate the Cube before being able to progress further. The requirement to incinerate the companion cube originates from test-play of Portal, during which players brought their companion cube with them to later levels, with unexpected impact on game play. Another Companion Cube is seen at the end of the game, standing next to the cake. In Portal 2, redesigned Weighted Companion Cubes appear in test chamber 7 in chapter 2. GLaDOS fizzles two of them at the start of the test to annoy Chell. Chell is given the option to take a Weighted Companion Cube with her at the end of the test, but if Chell does this, GLaDOS fizzles the Companion Cube before Chell can enter the lift leading to the next test chamber. A Companion Cube with the old design, supposedly the one from Portal, appears at the very end of the game, as it is ejected, charred and singed, from the shed (possibly at ground level) shortly after Chell's departure. Companion Cubes are also mentioned a lot in the Ratman dens in Portal. In the Lab Rat comic, Ratman is also accompanied by a Companion Cube, which he imagines talks to him.
Insulin icodec is a medication used to enhance glycemic control in individuals with diabetes. It is an ultralong-acting basal insulin analogue developed by Novo Nordisk. The analog has a plasma half-life exceeding eight days, which is significantly longer than the 25-hour half-life of insulin degludec, the previously longest-acting insulin analogue. Insulin icodec functions as a once-weekly basal insulin.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Pharmacodynamics === Oliceridine is a μ-opioid receptor biased agonist developed by Trevena. In cell-based (in vitro) research, oliceridine elicits robust G protein signaling, with potency and efficacy similar to that of morphine, but with less β-arrestin 2 recruitment and receptor internalization. It has been suggested that this might be due to its low intrinsic efficacy, rather than functional selectivity or 'G protein bias', although the validity of that conclusion has also been questioned. In vivo, it may have fewer adverse effects (including respiratory depression and constipation) compared with morphine. In general, in vitro potency does not guarantee any clinical relevance in humans.
=== Simple fruits === Simple fruits are the result of the ripening-to-fruit of a simple or compound ovary in a single flower with a single pistil. In contrast, a single flower with numerous pistils typically produces an aggregate fruit; and the merging of several flowers, or a 'multiple' of flowers, results in a 'multiple' fruit. A simple fruit is further classified as either dry or fleshy. To distribute their seeds, dry fruits may split open and discharge their seeds to the winds, which is called dehiscence. Or the distribution process may rely upon the decay and degradation of the fruit to expose the seeds; or it may rely upon the eating of fruit and excreting of seeds by frugivores – both are called indehiscence. Fleshy fruits do not dehisce, and may rely on frugivores for distribution of their seeds. Typically, the entire outer layer of the ovary wall ripens into a potentially edible pericarp. Types of dry simple fruits, (with examples) include:
=== Tempe goreng === Perhaps the simplest and most popular way to prepare tempeh in Indonesia. The tempeh is sliced and seasoned in a mixture of ground garlic, coriander seeds and salt, and then deep fried in palm oil. The tempeh might be coated in batter prior to frying, or directly fried without any batter. Fried unbattered tempeh has a golden-brown color when done.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
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June: Jupiter IRBM deployment to Turkey begins, joining the Jupiters deployed to Italy as well as the Thor IRBMs deployed to the UK as nuclear missiles placed within striking distance of Moscow. July 11: North Korea and China sign a defensive treaty, the Sino-North Korean Mutual Aid and Cooperation Friendship Treaty. July 19: The Nicaraguan Revolution begins. August 13: The Berlin Wall is built by the Soviets following the breakdown in talks to decide the future of Germany. August 17: Alliance for Progress aid to Latin America from the United States begins. September 1: The Soviet Union resumed testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere. The Eritrean War of Independence begins. September 4: John F. Kennedy signs the Foreign Assistance Act. September 18: UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld dies in a plane crash on his way to negotiate a ceasefire in Katanga amidst the Congo Crisis September 28: Syria withdraws from the United Arab Republic. October 17: 22nd Soviet Party Congress held in USSR. October 27: Checkpoint Charlie standoff between US and Soviet tanks begins. October 31: The Soviet Union detonates the Tsar Bomba, the most powerful thermonuclear weapon ever tested, with an explosive yield of some 50 megatons. November 18: John F. Kennedy authorizes the deployment of 18,000 military advisors to support the struggle against communist insurgents in South Vietnam. December 2: Fidel Castro openly describes himself as a Marxist–Leninist. December 18: Republic of India invades the former Portuguese territory of Goa.
== Challenges and limitations == Preserved collections do not encompass all fungal diversity, and many fungal species may never be documented by preserved specimens, particularly when they remain embedded in substrates or do not produce identifiable structures for collection. As a comparatively "hidden" group, fungi are more difficult to collect than plants or animals; whereas herbarium specimens often preserve both vegetative and reproductive parts, fungaria are usually limited to reproductive sporocarps. A significant proportion of fungal biodiversity, estimated at 1.5 to 6 million species, remains unnamed and undocumented. The scientific usefulness of fungarium data can be limited by taxonomic and geographic sampling biases, including strong overrepresentation of some fungal groups and biases linked to human population density and collecting patterns. At global scale, preserved-specimen data remain concentrated in Europe, North America, and Australia and are strongly skewed toward Ascomycota, owing to persistent geographic and taxonomic biases in collecting effort. Interpretation of historical collection data can also be complicated by collecting bias, since specimens were not gathered randomly and many regions remain underrepresented. Large fractions of fungarium holdings may remain unidentified or bear outdated identifications, creating barriers to using collections effectively at scale. The main technical challenge for molecular work is the degradation of DNA over time through deamination and fragmentation.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
No major medicines regulator appears to have approved AOD-9604 for human therapeutic use. It has been studied in clinical trials, but those programs did not result in a marketed drug.
It became prominent during a 2013 Australian sports investigation that examined whether it was a prohibited growth-hormone-related substance. Subsequent interpretations and list updates have varied, so current rules should be checked directly.
Published summaries generally report limited or inconsistent weight-loss effects, and complete trial data are not widely available. The studies were not sufficient to establish it as an effective obesity treatment.
It is a synthetic peptide based on a C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone. It is commonly referred to as hGH fragment 176-191 and is studied for metabolic effects rather than growth effects.