Tesamorelin peptide
Tesamorelin is a peptide-based medicine used in the treatment of HIV-associated lipodystrophy, a condition characterized by abnormal fat accumulation in people living with HIV. The drug helps reduce excess visceral fat by stimulating the body’s natural production of growth hormone.
Tesamorelin peptide is developed by Theratechnologies and is marketed under the brand name Egrifta.
How Tesamorelin peptide works
Tesamorelin peptide is a synthetic analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), a peptide naturally produced in the hypothalamus that regulates the release of growth hormone from the pituitary gland.
By activating GHRH receptors in the pituitary, tesamorelin stimulates the body’s own production of growth hormone (GH) and subsequently increases levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Its main physiological effects include:
stimulating natural growth hormone secretion
increasing circulating IGF-1 levels
reducing visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in certain patient populations
modulating metabolic processes linked to fat distribution
Tesamorelin does not replace growth hormone directly. Instead, it activates the body’s natural regulatory pathway, which leads to a controlled increase in growth hormone release.
Because of these effects, the medication is used specifically to reduce excess abdominal visceral fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.
Clinical trials and evidence
Tesamorelin has been evaluated in multiple clinical studies involving people living with HIV who developed lipodystrophy during long-term antiretroviral therapy.
In randomized clinical trials, treatment with tesamorelin demonstrated:
significant reductions in visceral abdominal fat measured by imaging techniques
improvements in body fat distribution in affected patients
increased IGF-1 levels consistent with stimulation of the GH axis
Importantly, the drug was shown to reduce visceral fat rather than subcutaneous fat, which is considered particularly relevant because visceral fat is associated with higher metabolic and cardiovascular risk.
Based on these results, tesamorelin received regulatory approval in the United States for the treatment of excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy.
Possible side effects of Tesamorelin peptide:
Like any medication affecting hormonal pathways, tesamorelin may cause side effects in some patients. Reported side effects include:
joint or muscle discomfort
swelling in the hands or feet
injection site reactions
nausea
headache
Because tesamorelin increases growth hormone signaling, monitoring of IGF-1 levels and metabolic parameters may be recommended during treatment.