Buy Ipamorelin 10 mg Research Peptide for Laboratory Use

Product Details and Specifications for This Research Peptide

The vial contains only the peptide as a dry powder, with no water, solvent or other active ingredient added. Unlike blended peptides ipamorelin products, this is a single-compound vial. The label carries the batch number, which links to the certificate for that batch.

What Is Ipamorelin and What Type of Peptide Is It?

Is ipamorelin a peptide? Yes. It is a short synthetic peptide of five amino acids, joined in a chain and ending in an amide group. It belongs to a family of research compounds called growth hormone secretagogues (GHS), meaning substances that cause the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. Within that family it sits with the growth hormone-releasing peptides (GHRPs), such as GHRP-2 and GHRP-6, from which it was developed.

Ipamorelin was designed at Novo Nordisk in Denmark in the 1990s, starting from an older peptide, GHRP-1, and was described in 1998 as “the first selective growth hormone secretagogue” (Raun et al., Eur J Endocrinol). It acts on the ghrelin receptor, the same receptor used by ghrelin, a natural hormone made mainly in the stomach. It is not growth hormone itself, and it is not related in structure to growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH).

Amino Acid Sequence, Molecular Weight and Chemical Structure

Ipamorelin (5 amino acids, C-terminal amide):

Aib-His-D-2-Nal-D-Phe-Lys-NH2

• Aib (2-aminoisobutyric acid): a non-natural amino acid with two methyl groups on its alpha carbon. It makes the start of the chain harder for enzymes to cut.
• His (L-histidine)
• D-2-Nal (D-2-naphthylalanine): a non-natural, bulky aromatic amino acid in the D form. Most GHRPs carry a large aromatic group at this kind of position, which is important for receptor binding.
• D-Phe (D-phenylalanine): another D amino acid. D forms are not recognised by most protein-cutting enzymes.
• Lys-NH2 (L-lysine amide): the positive charge on lysine helps water solubility.

• Molecular formula: C38H49N9O5
• Molecular weight: about 711.9 g/mol (monoisotopic mass about 711.39)
• CAS number: 170851-70-4
• Structure: a linear peptide with no disulfide bridges, and no cysteine, methionine or tryptophan, so it has fewer of the oxidation-prone groups that make some peptides unstable in storage.

What Does Selective Mean in Ipamorelin Research?

“Selective” describes what happens besides growth hormone release. Earlier GHRPs, such as GHRP-6 and GHRP-2, also raise the stress hormones ACTH and cortisol, and in some studies prolactin. In the 1998 study that introduced ipamorelin, researchers compared it with these peptides in pigs. Ipamorelin released growth hormone with similar effectiveness, but did not raise ACTH or cortisol, even at doses far above those needed for growth hormone release, and did not change FSH, LH, prolactin or TSH (Raun et al., 1998). GHRH behaves the same way.

So in research terms, “selective” means a clean hormone-release profile in animal models: growth hormone goes up, other pituitary and adrenal hormones do not. It does not mean the compound has been shown to be safe or free of effects in people.

How Is Ipamorelin Studied in Laboratory Research?

Ipamorelin is a research tool for the ghrelin receptor and the growth hormone axis. It is used to study how the ghrelin receptor controls growth hormone release, how that differs from GHRH signalling, and, in some studies, how the same receptor affects gut movement. The findings below come from cell, animal and early human studies. They are not evidence of any benefit or safety in people.

Ghrelin Receptor and Growth Hormone Secretagogue Research

The ghrelin receptor, properly called the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHS-R1a), is a G protein-coupled receptor. It was first identified in 1996 by researchers looking for the target of synthetic GHRPs (Howard et al., Science) [VERIFY]. Its natural partner, ghrelin, was only discovered three years later (Kojima et al., Nature, 1999) [VERIFY]. That history is why the receptor still carries the “secretagogue” name.

When ipamorelin binds GHS-R1a, the receptor activates the Gq protein, which raises inositol trisphosphate (IP3) and calcium inside the cell and leads to growth hormone release. In cells engineered to carry the human receptor, ipamorelin bound with a Ki of about 63 nM and triggered IP3 build-up with an EC50 of about 47 nM (Hansen et al., 1999, as reported by Cayman Chemical) [VERIFY]. GHS-R1a is also found outside the pituitary, including in the gut and brain, which is why ipamorelin was later studied in a rat model of post-operative ileus, where it sped up stomach emptying (Greenwood-Van Meerveld et al., J Exp Pharmacol, 2012).

Pituitary Cell Response Research

The pituitary cells that make growth hormone are called somatotrophs. In primary cultures of rat pituitary cells, ipamorelin released growth hormone with an EC50 of about 1.3 nM, a potency similar to GHRP-6 (Raun et al., 1998). In anaesthetised rats and conscious pigs it raised plasma growth hormone in a dose-dependent way. Over longer periods, ipamorelin increased body weight and longitudinal bone growth in young rats (Johansen et al., Growth Horm IGF Res, 1999).

Because ghrelin-receptor and GHRH-receptor signals act through different pathways inside the somatotroph, ipamorelin is also used alongside GHRH analogues to study how the two inputs combine.

What Does Current Evidence Say About Human Studies?

Human data on ipamorelin are limited, and no country has approved it as a medicine:

• Healthy volunteers: a pharmacokinetic study in healthy men found that ipamorelin produced a single growth hormone peak about 40 minutes after a short intravenous infusion, and was cleared from blood with a terminal half-life of about 2 hours (Gobburu et al., Pharm Res, 1999).
• Post-operative ileus: Helsinn Therapeutics took ipamorelin into a phase 2 randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 117 people having bowel surgery. It did not meet its main goal: median time to a first tolerated solid meal was 25.3 hours with ipamorelin and 32.6 hours with placebo, a difference that was not statistically significant (Beck et al., Int J Colorectal Dis, 2014). Development was then stopped.

There are no published large or long-term human trials. Results from rats, pigs and cell studies cannot be assumed to apply to people, so nothing on this page should be read as evidence of safety or effect in humans.

Ipamorelin vs GHRP 2 and GHRP 6: What Is the Difference in Research?

All three are synthetic peptides that act on the ghrelin receptor and release growth hormone. The differences that matter in research are size, sequence and how selective the hormone response is.

GHRP-6 was one of the first GHRPs, developed in the 1980s, and GHRP-2 came later as a more potent version. Researchers who want a ghrelin-receptor signal with fewer effects on the adrenal stress axis tend to choose ipamorelin. Researchers studying the wider effects of ghrelin-receptor activation, such as on ACTH and cortisol, may use GHRP-2 or GHRP-6 as comparators.

Are Ipamorelin and CJC 1295 Separate Compounds?

Yes. They are different molecules acting on different receptors. Ipamorelin is a 5-amino-acid ghrelin-receptor agonist. CJC-1295 is a 29-amino-acid analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) that acts on the GHRH receptor; the version without DAC is also called Modified GRF (1-29). Because the two receptors work through separate signalling pathways, some research protocols study them side by side or in a combined vial. This product contains ipamorelin only. For the GHRH analogue, see our [LINK: CJC 1295 no DAC] page.

Lyophilised Powder or Ready Mixed Solution: Which Format Is This Product?

This product is a lyophilised powder [CONFIRM]. Lyophilisation (freeze-drying) removes the water from the peptide solution under cold and vacuum, leaving a dry cake or powder in a sealed vial. Peptides break down much more slowly when dry, so a lyophilised vial keeps far longer than a ready-mixed solution and is the standard research format.

A ready-mixed solution is already dissolved, so it starts to degrade from the day it is made, and its real strength depends on how it was stored in transit. When you buy ipamorelin peptide as a lyophilised vial, you control when it is reconstituted and with what, and the certificate’s purity figure reflects the powder you actually receive.

Certificate of Analysis and Purity Testing for Each Batch

Every batch of our ipamorelin comes with a certificate of analysis (COA) from [CONFIRM: lab name] [independent third-party lab: CONFIRM]. The COA shows two separate tests: HPLC, which measures purity, and mass spectrometry, which confirms the molecule. Both are needed. A high purity figure alone does not prove the main peak is ipamorelin, and a correct mass alone does not show how much of the sample is impurity. Any ipamorelin peptide for sale without both tests, matched to the batch, should be treated with caution.

How to Find and Download the Certificate for Your Batch

1. Find the batch number on your vial label [and on the packing slip: CONFIRM].
2. Go to [LINK: COA library page], or use the COA link in the product images on this page.
3. Choose the certificate whose batch number matches your vial and download the PDF.
4. If you cannot find your batch, contact us at [CONFIRM: email] and we will send it.

How to Read HPLC Purity and Mass Spectrometry Results

• HPLC purity: the trace shows one main peak for ipamorelin and smaller peaks for impurities, such as shortened sequences or sequences with a missing or wrong amino acid. Purity is the main peak’s area as a percentage of all peaks. This batch: [CONFIRM: __%].
• Mass spectrometry: the measured mass should match about 711.4 (monoisotopic). A small peptide like this usually shows as [M+H]+ at about 712.4, and often as [M+2H]2+ at about 356.7. A mass of about 873 would suggest GHRP-6, and about 818 would suggest GHRP-2, so a clear match confirms the vial holds ipamorelin.
• Net peptide content (if shown): the share of the powder that is peptide, as opposed to counter-ions (usually acetate) and residual water. It is usually below 100% even when purity is high.
• Check the details: the product name, batch number, test date and lab name should all be on the certificate.

How to Store and Handle a Lyophilised Peptide Vial

Lyophilised ipamorelin is much more stable as a dry powder than in solution. For long-term storage, keep the sealed vial at −20 °C, away from light and moisture. For short periods, 2–8 °C in a fridge is generally suitable for lyophilised peptides [CONFIRM in-house guidance]. Before opening a cold vial, let it reach room temperature so moisture from the air does not condense on the powder. Handle with gloves, using sterile technique, in a lab setting.

Storage Before and After Reconstitution

• Before reconstitution: sealed vial at −20 °C long term, or 2–8 °C short term. Unopened shelf life: [__ months: CONFIRM].
• Reconstitution: in research protocols, the powder is usually dissolved in sterile bacteriostatic water [LINK: bac water], added slowly down the side of the vial and swirled gently rather than shaken.
• After reconstitution: store the solution at 2–8 °C, protected from light, and use within [__ days/weeks: CONFIRM from your stability data]. Avoid repeated freezing and thawing; if longer storage is needed, split the solution into single-use aliquots and freeze them.
• Discard any solution that turns cloudy, changes colour or contains particles.

Is Research Use of This Peptide Legal in the UK, and Is It Banned in Sport?

[LEGAL REVIEW: this section]

Are peptides illegal? Not as a group. “Peptide” covers thousands of compounds, from licensed medicines such as insulin to research chemicals with no approval at all, so the answer depends on the compound and what it is sold for. Are peptides legal in the UK? Most research peptides are not controlled drugs, but no unlicensed peptide can legally be sold or supplied as a medicine for people. A few peptide hormones, such as somatropin (growth hormone) and chorionic gonadotrophin, are listed as Class C drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 [VERIFY], which is part of why people ask are peptides illegal in the UK. Are peptides a controlled substance? Only those specifically listed. Are peptides regulated? Yes: as medicines when they are sold for human use, and under general product and chemical rules when sold for research.

So what peptides are legal in the UK to buy for the lab? Unlisted research peptides, sold and labelled for research use, are generally lawful to buy as research chemicals [LEGAL REVIEW]. That is the sense in which peptides legal in UK searches and legal peptides UK lists usually mean it. Are peptides illegal UK when bought for personal use? Supplying them for that use is not lawful, and we do not sell for it.

For ipamorelin specifically:

• Is ipamorelin legal in the UK? It is not a licensed medicine. It has no marketing authorisation from the MHRA, so it cannot legally be sold or supplied in the UK as a medicine for human use. Genesis Peptides sells it only as a research chemical for laboratory use, which is the basis on which ipamorelin UK legal supply works [LEGAL REVIEW].
• Is ipamorelin illegal to possess? It is not listed under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 [VERIFY], so it is not a controlled drug. Ipamorelin legal status as a research chemical does not make it a medicine.
• Not approved anywhere. No medicines regulator has approved ipamorelin. Its only phase 2 trial, in post-operative ileus, did not meet its main goal.

Are peptides banned in sports? Many are. Are peptides banned by WADA? Peptide hormones and growth factors are in class S2 of the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List. Is ipamorelin banned by WADA? Yes. The 2026 list names ipamorelin among the growth hormone secretagogues, in the growth hormone releasing factors category, alongside GHRP-2, GHRP-6 and ibutamoren. Is ipamorelin banned out of competition too? Yes, it is prohibited at all times, and UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) applies the same list. Ipamorelin banned status applies to any athlete covered by the anti-doping rules, whatever the source of the product.

We will not sell to anyone who says they intend to use the product on a person or an animal.

What to Check Before Buying Research Peptides in the UK

Can you buy peptides in the UK? Yes, as research chemicals from UK suppliers, as long as they are sold and used for research. Can I buy peptides in the UK as a medicine? Only licensed peptide medicines, on prescription. Can you get peptides in the UK that are tested? Yes, but quality varies widely, and are peptides available in the UK with batch certificates is the more useful question. If you are asking where can I buy peptides in the UK, or how to spot legit peptides UK suppliers, check:

• A batch-matched COA with both HPLC purity and mass spectrometry identity, from a named lab.
• The exact compound and amount. The listing should name ipamorelin, the amount per vial (10 mg here) and whether it is a single peptide or a blend.
• Net peptide content and salt form, so you know how much actual peptide is in the vial.
• Clear research-use labelling and no dosing, injection or health claims. A supplier that gives human dosing advice is selling outside the rules.
• A UK address and contact details, and dispatch from the UK.
• Correct format: lyophilised powder in a sealed vial. Tablet or capsule “ipamorelin” products are not the same thing; peptides like this are broken down in the gut.

The cheapest listing is rarely the safest choice. Whoever you buy ipamorelin from, check the batch certificate before you open the vial. For an ipamorelin peptide buy from Genesis, add the 10 mg vial to your basket at the top of this page. Every vial of ipamorelin for sale here ships with its batch number for COA lookup.

UK Delivery, Dispatch and Packaging

• Dispatch: orders placed before [CONFIRM: time] on a working day are dispatched the same day from [CONFIRM: town/county].
• Delivery: [CONFIRM: carrier and service, e.g. Royal Mail Tracked 24], [CONFIRM: price / free over £__].
• Packaging: vials are sealed and packed in [CONFIRM: protective packaging details], in plain outer packaging. Lyophilised peptides are stable at room temperature for the length of normal UK transit; store them as described above on arrival [CONFIRM].
• Payment: [CONFIRM: payment methods].

For every ipamorelin buy UK order placed with us, the packing slip includes the batch number for COA lookup. Our ipamorelin UK peptides stock is held and shipped within the UK, so there are no customs delays. To buy ipamorelin UK stock in larger amounts for a lab, contact [CONFIRM: email].

Scientific References and Published Studies

Key published studies on ipamorelin and the ghrelin receptor cited on this page:

1. Howard AD, Feighner SD, Cully DF, et al. A receptor in pituitary and hypothalamus that functions in growth hormone release. Science. 1996;273(5277):974–977. [VERIFY]
2. Raun K, Hansen BS, Johansen NL, et al. Ipamorelin, the first selective growth hormone secretagogue. Eur J Endocrinol. 1998;139(5):552–561.
3. Kojima M, Hosoda H, Date Y, et al. Ghrelin is a growth-hormone-releasing acylated peptide from stomach. Nature. 1999;402(6762):656–660. [VERIFY]
4. Gobburu JVS, Agersø H, Jusko WJ, Ynddal L. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of ipamorelin, a growth hormone releasing peptide, in human volunteers. Pharm Res. 1999;16(9):1412–1416.
5. Johansen PB, Nowak J, Skjaerbaek C, et al. Ipamorelin, a new growth-hormone-releasing peptide, induces longitudinal bone growth in rats. Growth Horm IGF Res. 1999;9(2):106–113. [VERIFY]
6. Hansen BS, Raun K, Nielsen KK, et al. Pharmacological characterisation of a new oral GH secretagogue, NN703. Eur J Endocrinol. 1999;141(2):180–189. [VERIFY]
7. Greenwood-Van Meerveld B, Tyler K, Mohammadi E, Pietra C. Efficacy of ipamorelin, a ghrelin mimetic, on gastric dysmotility in a rodent model of postoperative ileus. J Exp Pharmacol. 2012;4:149–155.
8. Beck DE, Sweeney WB, McCarter MD. Prospective, randomized, controlled, proof-of-concept study of the ghrelin mimetic ipamorelin for the management of postoperative ileus in bowel resection patients. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2014;29(12):1527–1534.
9. World Anti-Doping Agency. Prohibited List 2026, S2 Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors, Related Substances and Mimetics: growth hormone releasing factors.

[CHECK: add DOI or PubMed links before publishing]

Related Research Peptides and Buying Guides

Planning an ipamorelin buy for growth hormone axis research? These related products may also be useful. Note that researchers searching HGH peptides UK often mean peptides like these that act on the pituitary; none of them is HGH (human growth hormone) itself. Our range of growth hormone peptides UK research products includes:

• CJC 1295 no DAC: a GHRH analogue acting on the GHRH receptor, the other main input to growth hormone release. [LINK: CJC 1295 no DAC]
• Tesamorelin Research Pen: a full-length GHRH analogue with a modified start, on the same GHRH receptor. [LINK: Tesamorelin pen]
• CJC-1295 no DAC + Ipamorelin blend: GHRH and ghrelin receptor peptides in one vial. [LINK: blend page, if stocked]
• Bacteriostatic water 10ml: for reconstituting lyophilised peptides in research protocols. [LINK: Bac water]
• Guides: [LINK: How to read a peptide COA] · [LINK: How to store research peptides] · [LINK: Are peptides legal in the UK? (possible guide page)]

Browse all GH peptides UK research products, or return to the top of this page to buy ipamorelin 10 mg.

All products are for laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use.