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Comparison

AOD-9604 vs Semaglutide

AOD-9604 is fat loss; Semaglutide is GLP-1 & incretins. They are compared here because they are frequently considered against each other, not because they act alike.

On published evidence alone, Semaglutide is the better documented of the two (regulator approved). That is a statement about the state of the literature, not a recommendation.

AOD-9604 Semaglutide
Class Fat loss GLP-1 & incretins
Evidence Clinical trials Regulator approved
Human trials ~6 ~90
Half-life ~30 minutes ~7 days
Reported range 300-600 mcg 250 mcg - 2.4 mg
Frequency Once daily, fasted Once weekly, titrated over 16+ weeks
Routes Subcutaneous, Oral Subcutaneous, Oral
FDA approved No Yes
Research use only Yes No
Banned in sport Yes No
Studied for Fat loss research, Investigated for osteoarthritis Type 2 diabetes, Chronic weight management, Cardiovascular risk reduction
Reported side effects Injection-site reactions, Headache, Transient fatigue Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhoea, Constipation, Abdominal pain, Injection-site reactions

AOD-9604

AOD-9604 is the hGH 177-191 fragment with an added N-terminal tyrosine for stability. In preclinical models it increased lipolysis and inhibited lipogenesis without affecting IGF-1 or glucose metabolism, which made it an attractive obesity candidate. The phase IIb trial in obese adults did not separate from placebo on weight loss, and development for that indication was discontinued. It is worth stating plainly because the compound is still marketed on the strength of the preclinical data.

Semaglutide

Semaglutide is a GLP-1 analog with roughly 94% homology to native GLP-1, modified by substituting alpha-aminoisobutyric acid at position 8 to resist DPP-4 cleavage and by attaching a C18 fatty diacid chain that binds albumin. Together these give a half-life of about a week, allowing once-weekly dosing. It lowers blood glucose through glucose-dependent insulin secretion and glucagon suppression, slows gastric emptying, and acts on hypothalamic appetite centres to reduce energy intake. The STEP trial programme reported mean weight reductions near 15% of body weight at 68 weeks on 2.4 mg weekly.

AOD-9604 vs Semaglutide: common questions

What is the difference between AOD-9604 and Semaglutide?

AOD-9604 is fat loss and Semaglutide is GLP-1 & incretins, so they act on different pathways. AOD-9604: A modified growth hormone fragment developed specifically as an obesity drug, which failed to beat placebo in phase IIb. Semaglutide: A long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist and the compound that reset expectations for pharmacological weight loss.

Which has stronger evidence, AOD-9604 or Semaglutide?

Semaglutide has the stronger evidence base (regulator approved, about 90 human studies) compared with AOD-9604 (clinical trials).

Are AOD-9604 and Semaglutide FDA approved?

Only Semaglutide is FDA approved (Type 2 diabetes mellitus (Ozempic, Rybelsus); Chronic weight management (Wegovy); Cardiovascular risk reduction in established CVD with overweight or obesity; Reducing the risk of kidney disease progression and cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (Ozempic, January 2025); Noncirrhotic MASH with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis in adults (Wegovy, accelerated approval August 2025)). AOD-9604 is not approved for any indication.

References

Regulatory and primary sources

  1. PubChem compound record (CID 71300630) ↗ · structure, identifiers, synonyms
  2. WADA Prohibited List ↗ · current year
  3. FDA: Unapproved drugs and "research use only" products ↗ · regulatory status of non-approved products
  4. CAS Registry Number 221231-10-3 ↗ · chemical identity
  5. PubChem compound record (CID 56843331) ↗ · structure, identifiers, synonyms
  6. DailyMed: FDA-approved labeling for Semaglutide ↗ · indications, dosing, warnings as approved
  7. FDA Drugs@FDA database ↗ · approval history
  8. CAS Registry Number 910463-68-2 ↗ · chemical identity

Published literature

  1. Wilding J. AOD-9604 Metabolic.Curr Opin Investig Drugs 2004.PubMed 15134286
  2. Rahman OF, Lee SJ, Seeds WA. Therapeutic Peptides in Orthopaedics: Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions.J Am Acad Orthop Surg Glob Res Rev 2026.PubMed 41490200 · doi:10.5435/JAAOSGlobal-D-25-00236
  3. Mendias CL, Awan TM. Safety and Efficacy of Approved and Unapproved Peptide Therapies for Musculoskeletal Injuries and Athletic Performance.Sports Med 2026.PubMed 41966639 · doi:10.1007/s40279-026-02437-0
  4. Halford JC. Obesity drugs in clinical development.Curr Opin Investig Drugs 2006.PubMed 16625817
  5. Thevis M, Schänzer W. Analytical approaches for the detection of emerging therapeutics and non-approved drugs in human doping controls.J Pharm Biomed Anal 2014.PubMed 24906629 · doi:10.1016/j.jpba.2014.05.020
  6. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Davies M, et al.. Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension.Diabetes Obes Metab 2022.PubMed 35441470 · doi:10.1111/dom.14725
  7. Rubino DM, Greenway FL, Khalid U, et al.. Effect of Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Daily Liraglutide on Body Weight in Adults With Overweight or Obesity Without Diabetes: The STEP 8 Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA 2022.PubMed 35015037 · doi:10.1001/jama.2021.23619
  8. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, et al.. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity.N Engl J Med 2021.PubMed 33567185 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2032183
  9. Rubino D, Abrahamsson N, Davies M, et al.. Effect of Continued Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Placebo on Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: The STEP 4 Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA 2021.PubMed 33755728 · doi:10.1001/jama.2021.3224
  10. Aronne LJ, Horn DB, le Roux CW, et al.. Tirzepatide as Compared with Semaglutide for the Treatment of Obesity.N Engl J Med 2025.PubMed 40353578 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2416394
  11. Wharton S, Freitas P, Hjelmesæth J, et al.. Once-weekly semaglutide 7·2 mg in adults with obesity (STEP UP): a randomised, controlled, phase 3b trial.Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2025.PubMed 40961952 · doi:10.1016/S2213-8587(25)00226-8
  12. Lincoff AM, Brown-Frandsen K, Colhoun HM, et al.. Semaglutide and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Obesity without Diabetes.N Engl J Med 2023.PubMed 37952131 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2307563
  13. Frías JP, Davies MJ, Rosenstock J, et al.. Tirzepatide versus Semaglutide Once Weekly in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.N Engl J Med 2021.PubMed 34170647 · doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2107519

Literature retrieved from PubMed on October 16, 2026, favouring human studies and reviews. Numbered markers in the text show which paper supports which statement; uncited entries are background reading.

Read this first This page compares published reference data. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation to use either compound. Several compounds documented on this site are not approved for human use.