Library / Growth hormone

Tesamorelin

Also known as Egrifta, Egrifta SV, Egrifta WR

Approved medicine

Stabilised analogue of growth hormone releasing hormone. Approved only for reducing abdominal fat in people with HIV associated lipodystrophy.

Not approved in Australia. Tesamorelin is not on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods. Only a prescriber can decide whether a medicine suits you and at what dose. This page is information, not a recommendation.

Background

Stabilised analogue of growth hormone releasing hormone (code TH9507) developed by the Canadian company Theratechnologies. The FDA approved it as Egrifta in November 2010 for excess abdominal fat in people with HIV associated lipodystrophy.

How it is thought to work

Acts like the natural hormone GHRH on the pituitary, releasing the body's own growth hormone and raising IGF-1. This mainly reduces deep abdominal (visceral) fat.

What is claimed, and the evidence

Claim	Evidence	Notes
Reduces excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy	Approved use	Egrifta label. About 18% reduction in visceral fat, which returns after stopping.
Reduces liver fat in people with HIV	Human trials	Randomised trials and a 2026 meta-analysis show reduced liver fat; not an approved indication.
General weight loss	No published evidence	The label states it is not for weight loss and is weight neutral.
Anti ageing, muscle building or cognitive benefits in healthy adults	No published evidence	Marketed by clinics; no good quality trials in healthy adults.

Side effects

Effect	How often	Notes
Joint pain (arthralgia)	Common	Among most common on the label.
Injection site redness and itching	Common	Label.
Pain in arms or legs, swelling, muscle pain	Common	Label; linked with fluid retention.
Tingling and numbness, carpal tunnel syndrome	Uncommon	Label and meta-analysis.
Raised blood sugar or diabetes Serious	Uncommon	Label warning; check glucose before and during treatment.
Allergic reactions (rash, hives) Serious	Uncommon	Label warning.

Warnings

May increase the risk of cancer recurrence because it raises growth hormone; not for people with active cancer.
Long term cardiovascular safety has not been established; IGF-1 should be monitored.
Not on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods; Schedule 4 with Appendix D possession controls.
Unapproved products are not made to medicine standards and may be contaminated, underdosed, overdosed or contain a different substance from the label; the TGA warns that injected unapproved peptides carry risks including contamination, infection and local tissue damage.

Phase 3 trials

Tesamorelin in HIV abdominal fat

Phase 3, Completed, published. 412 participants, 26 weeks. NCT00123253

Population: People with HIV and excess abdominal fat.
Arms: Tesamorelin 2 mg daily; Placebo
Primary outcome: Percentage change in visceral fat.
Results: Visceral fat changed by minus 15.2% against plus 5.0% on placebo.
Safety: More participants withdrew because of adverse events on tesamorelin; numbers are not given in the abstract.
Source: Falutz J et al. N Engl J Med 2007;357:2359-70.

Doses in these trials were given under medical supervision.

Regulatory status

Australia: Not included on the ARTG (unapproved). Schedule 4 in the Poisons Standard under the class entry for growth hormone releasing hormones, with Appendix D clause 5 possession controls.
United States: FDA approved (Egrifta, 2010) to reduce excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV associated lipodystrophy.

Sources

Also in Growth hormone

From the VialOwl library, reviewed 26 September 2026. For education and general information. It is not medical advice and not a recommendation to use Tesamorelin.