CJC-1295 (no DAC): A Research Primer

CJC-1295 without DAC is a synthetic 29-amino-acid peptide, a modified copy of the GRF(1-29) fragment of growth-hormone-releasing hormone. It is more plainly called mod GRF 1-29, and the "no DAC" in the name marks the absence of the Drug Affinity Complex group that the other CJC-1295 variant carries.

What CJC-1295 (no DAC) is

The compound is fully synthetic. Chemists assemble the 29-residue chain rather than extracting it from tissue, and those 29 residues correspond to the first 29 amino acids of growth-hormone-releasing hormone, the signalling peptide once labelled growth hormone releasing factor, or GRF. That older abbreviation is where the "GRF" in mod GRF 1-29 comes from.

Calling it "modified" is literal. Native GRF(1-29), the same 29-residue fragment sold on its own as sermorelin, has been altered at four positions to make this molecule. The substitutions swap in a D-alanine at position 2, a glutamine at position 8, an alanine at position 15, and a leucine at position 27. Those are structural edits to the sequence, which is why the name carries the word modified rather than describing the plain fragment.

The "no DAC" tag is the other half of the name. The alternative CJC-1295 is built with an added chemical handle, the Drug Affinity Complex, attached to the peptide. This version leaves that group off, so what you have is the bare modified GRF(1-29) chain with nothing bolted onto it. The two are different molecules with different formulas and registry numbers, so the DAC status is worth confirming rather than assuming.

The chemistry

These are the values that identify exactly which molecule is in the vial. When two suppliers describe the same peptide in different words, the CAS number is what settles it.

• CAS number: 863288-34-0
• Molecular formula: C152H252N44O42
• Molecular weight: approximately 3367.9 g/mol
• Sequence: the 29-residue GRF(1-29) chain with substitutions at positions 2 (D-Ala), 8 (Gln), 15 (Ala) and 27 (Leu), carrying a C-terminal amide
• Also known as: mod GRF 1-29, modified GRF(1-29), CJC-1295 without DAC

The DAC-modified variant carries extra atoms and therefore a different molecular formula and a different registry number. If a certificate lists the formula above and CAS 863288-34-0, it is describing the no-DAC form. Match those two first, then check the sequence.

Where it appears in the research literature

CJC-1295 (no DAC) is referenced in endocrinology, specifically in the literature on growth-hormone-releasing-hormone analogs, the family of GRF(1-29) derivatives it belongs to. That is the subject area, not a summary of anything the studies reported. To reach the primary sources, "mod GRF 1-29", "modified GRF(1-29)" and the CAS number are the terms that pull up the papers directly.

How it is supplied and handled

The compound is supplied lyophilized, meaning freeze-dried to a dry solid. Peptides ship this way because a dry cake survives transit far better than a liquid, and it holds its integrity as long as it stays cold and sealed.

Store it at -20C, keep it out of light, and leave the vial sealed until you are working with it. A lyophilized peptide usually includes a bulking agent in the vial, so there is a visible cake to handle, and an honest certificate accounts for that filler when it reports mass. Storage temperature, light protection and an intact seal are the whole of it, and none of that is preparation guidance.

How the lots are tested

Kits third-party tests each lot it stocks. Purity is measured by HPLC read at 220 nm, the standard wavelength for the peptide bond, and identity is confirmed by mass spectrometry, which checks that the molecule matches the label rather than only measuring how clean the sample is. Testing is run at an independent third-party laboratory rather than in-house.

If you have not read one of these reports before, there is a walkthrough on [how to read a peptide COA](/research/how-to-read-a-peptide-coa), and a broader [checklist for buying research peptides in Canada](/research/buying-research-peptides-canada) covers what else to verify before ordering. You can see current identity and testing details on the [CJC-1295 (no DAC) product page](/products/cjc-1295-no-dac). Kits Peptides ships tracked from Vancouver, BC across Canada.

*All products are supplied as laboratory reagents for research use only. Not for human or veterinary use.*