Peptide reference
Ipamorelin
NN-703 (research code, related) ·Ipamorelin acetate
What cited sources report about Ipamorelin
Ipamorelin is a synthetic pentapeptide growth hormone secretagogue (ghrelin receptor agonist) discovered at Novo Nordisk in the late 1990s and subsequently licensed to Helsinn Healthcare for clinical development in postoperative ileus and related indications. It is not FDA-approved for any indication, and no marketing authorization exists in any major regulatory jurisdiction. The peptide is widely marketed by US compounding pharmacies and offshore vendors despite this absence of approval. The summaries below report what individual cited sources state; this page does not assert claims beyond what those sources report.
Raun et al. (1998) — European Journal of Endocrinology
The original characterization of ipamorelin by Raun and colleagues at Novo Nordisk surveyed the in vitro and in vivo growth-hormone-releasing potency of the pentapeptide H-Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2 in rat pituitary cells, swine, and dogs. The authors reported potent GH release without concomitant ACTH, cortisol, or prolactin elevation, distinguishing it from earlier GHRPs (GHRP-6, GHRP-2, hexarelin).
Ipamorelin is the first GHRP-receptor agonist with a selectivity for GH release similar to that displayed by GHRH.
Venkova et al. (2009) — Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
A preclinical study at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center surveyed ipamorelin in a rat model of postoperative ileus and reported accelerated gastric emptying and intestinal transit relative to vehicle control. The work was part of the program that supported subsequent clinical development of ipamorelin by Helsinn for postoperative ileus, which the sponsor later discontinued after phase 2 program review.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00672828 — Helsinn phase 2b postoperative ileus trial
The registry record describes a phase 2b randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study of intravenous ipamorelin acetate in patients undergoing elective partial bowel resection, sponsored by Helsinn Healthcare. The trial was completed; the sponsor subsequently discontinued ipamorelin’s postoperative-ileus development program. No FDA approval followed.
PubChem CID 9831659 — National Center for Biotechnology Information
The PubChem record for ipamorelin lists the synthetic pentapeptide H-Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2, molecular formula C38H49N9O5, molecular weight 711.9 g/mol, and aggregated synonyms (ipamorelin acetate). The record links to the original Novo Nordisk patent and supporting chemical literature.
Coverage notes
Ipamorelin’s published peer-reviewed corpus is dominated by preclinical pharmacology studies and a handful of small clinical trials in postoperative ileus and short-bowel syndrome that did not lead to approval. There is no FDA-approved indication, no approved product label, and no major-jurisdiction marketing authorization. As of the cited sources, the FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee has not nominated ipamorelin for inclusion on the 503A Bulks List. Vendors marketing ipamorelin online or through compounding pharmacies frequently make growth hormone-, body-composition-, or anti-aging-related claims that are not supported by FDA-reviewed evidence.