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Tesamorelin

Also known as Egrifta, Egrifta WR, TH9507

A real, approved drug for one specific problem: excess belly fat in people with HIV. Clinics now sell it off-label for leanness, which the trials do not cover.

Information only. Not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before you start, stop or change anything.

What people claim

  • Targets stubborn belly fat
  • Builds lean muscle
  • Anti-ageing growth hormone boost

What the evidence shows

  • In a 26-week trial of 412 people with HIV-related fat gain, visceral (deep belly) fat fell by 15.2% on tesamorelin and rose by 5.0% on placebo.[1]
  • Europe's regulator was not persuaded the benefits outweighed the risks, and the application was withdrawn in 2012.[2]
  • There are no comparable trials in healthy people who want a flatter stomach or more muscle.[1]

Known risks

  • It raises IGF-1 and can raise blood sugar. Trials reported joint pain, muscle pain, swelling and injection site reactions.[1]
  • Banned in sport as a growth hormone releasing factor.[3]

Reported side effects

Moderated user reports are not open yet, so nothing is shown here. They will be labelled as unverified personal accounts.

Legal status

A summary, not legal advice. Rules change, and sport bans are separate.

United States

Prescription

FDA approved only to reduce excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV and lipodystrophy.

United Kingdom

Unlicensed

No licensed medicine contains it.

Australia

Not approved

Not on the ARTG. TGA says supplying unapproved peptides is unlawful.[4]

European Union

Not authorised

Application withdrawn in 2012 after the CHMP could not conclude a positive benefit-risk balance.[2]

Sources

  1. 1.Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in patients with HIVNew England Journal of Medicine, 2007
  2. 2.Ferrer Internacional withdraws its marketing authorisation application for EgriftaEuropean Medicines Agency, 2012
  3. 3.The Prohibited List (section S2)World Anti-Doping Agency
  4. 4.Importing, compounding and supplying unapproved peptide productsTGA Australia
  5. 5.HIV lipo drug Egrifta now available; financial assistance offeredPOZ

Profile last checked 7 Nov 2026.