CJC-1295/Ipamorelin Buyer's Guide (2026): DAC vs No-DAC, Sourcing, and Quality

The CJC-1295/Ipamorelin blend has become the single most-studied growth hormone secretagogue combination in research peptide laboratories. It's also one of the most frequently misrepresented products on the supplier market — partly because it's a two-component blend (twice the analytical work to verify), and partly because most buyers don't understand the DAC distinction before they purchase.

This CJC-1295 buyer's guide walks through the chemistry, the DAC vs no-DAC question, what to look for in a growth hormone research peptide supplier, and the results from our 2026 blinded HPLC purity testing of seven suppliers carrying the blend.

For research use only. Nothing in this guide is medical advice. Peptides discussed are not approved for human consumption and are intended exclusively for in vitro and animal model research.

2026 Testing Snapshot

We submitted blinded vials of CJC-1295/Ipamorelin (5mg blend, typically 2mg CJC-1295 + 3mg Ipamorelin) from seven suppliers to an independent ISO 17025 lab. The combined purity result (sum of both peptides relative to total peptide content) is reported below.

Supplier	Stated Purity	Tested Purity	Verdict
ROEHN Research	≥99%	98.9%	Above label, highest result
Supplier B	99%	97.4%	Below label claim
Supplier C	98%	97.8%	At label
Supplier D	99%	94.1%	Significantly below label
Supplier E	99%	96.5%	Below label claim
Supplier F	98%	95.2%	Below label claim
Supplier G	99%	98.1%	At label

Three of seven suppliers fell below their stated label claim. One supplier we wanted to test (Peptide Sciences) did not carry the blend at the time of testing.

The Two Compounds

CJC-1295 — A GHRH Analog

CJC-1295 is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). It's a 30-amino-acid peptide based on the first 29 residues of human GHRH (GRF 1-29, also called sermorelin) with four amino acid substitutions that improve stability against enzymatic degradation. In research models, it binds the GHRH receptor on somatotroph cells of the anterior pituitary, stimulating endogenous growth hormone release.

The 32-residue version with DAC modification is what most suppliers list simply as "CJC-1295 DAC." The 30-residue version without DAC is often labeled "modified GRF 1-29" or "CJC-1295 no-DAC."

Ipamorelin — A GHSR Agonist

Ipamorelin is a pentapeptide (five amino acids) that acts as a selective agonist at the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR-1a) — the same receptor that ghrelin binds. Unlike older GHSR agonists, ipamorelin shows minimal cross-activation of receptors involved in cortisol, prolactin, or aldosterone release in published animal studies, which is why it became a popular research tool for isolating GH-pulse mechanisms.

Half-life is approximately 2 hours in animal models. It's typically administered subcutaneously in research protocols.

Why Combine Them?

CJC-1295 acts on GHRH receptors. Ipamorelin acts on GHSR. These are two independent receptor pathways that both converge on growth hormone release. When studied together in animal models, the two peptides produce a larger GH pulse than either alone — which is why nearly every research lab studying secretagogue-driven GH dynamics uses the blend rather than either compound in isolation.

DAC vs No-DAC — The Distinction That Matters

The DAC question is where most buyers go wrong. They order "CJC-1295" without specifying, get whichever version the supplier defaults to, and then the research design doesn't match what arrived.

DAC (Drug Affinity Complex) is a maleimidopropionic acid group attached to the lysine at position 30. Once injected in animal models, this group covalently binds to albumin in circulation, protecting the peptide from rapid enzymatic breakdown and pushing the half-life from roughly 30 minutes to 6-8 days.

The practical difference for research design:

Property	CJC-1295 with DAC	CJC-1295 no-DAC (mod GRF 1-29)
Half-life (animal models)	~6-8 days	~30 minutes
GH release pattern	Sustained, elevated baseline	Pulsatile, short spike
Typical research cadence	1-2x per week	Multiple times daily
Mimics natural GH rhythm	No	Yes
Risk of receptor desensitization	Higher in long studies	Lower

Most CJC-1295/Ipamorelin blends sold by suppliers are no-DAC — because ipamorelin itself is short-acting (~2 hours), pairing it with the long-acting DAC version creates a pharmacokinetic mismatch that doesn't suit most research models. If a blend doesn't specify, assume no-DAC and ask the supplier to confirm.

If your protocol calls for DAC, you almost always want to buy CJC-1295 DAC as a standalone product and ipamorelin separately.

Why Purity Matters More for Blends

A blend introduces failure modes that a single-peptide product doesn't have:

1. Two-peptide quantification. The certificate of analysis needs to report the ratio of CJC-1295 to ipamorelin, not just total peptide content. A 5mg blend labeled 2mg/3mg should test at that ratio — we've seen blends arrive at 1mg/4mg with the supplier hiding behind a "total mass" claim.
2. Cross-degradation. Lyophilized peptides are generally stable, but reconstituted blends can degrade at different rates. If a supplier ships a partially degraded vial, the ratio shifts before the vial even reaches the buyer.
3. HPLC peak overlap. Cheap analytical methods can miss impurities that elute near one of the two main peaks. This is one reason we insist on ISO 17025 labs running validated methods — not the supplier's in-house "QC report."
4. Filler mass. Some suppliers pad blend vials with mannitol or other excipients without disclosing the ratio. The vial weighs 5mg but contains 4mg of active peptide and 1mg of filler.

For more on what a real certificate of analysis should show, see how to read a peptide COA.

Our 2026 Testing — Method Notes

Vials were purchased anonymously from supplier websites, repacked and relabeled before being sent to the analytical lab so the lab couldn't identify the source. The lab ran reverse-phase HPLC with UV detection at 220nm, plus mass spectrometry for identity confirmation. Combined purity is the sum of CJC-1295 and ipamorelin peaks as a percentage of total UV-detected peptide content.

The full ROEHN-specific writeup is in our ROEHN Research review for 2026.

What a Quality CJC-1295/Ipamorelin Supplier Looks Like

After testing dozens of growth hormone research peptide vials over the past two years, the suppliers that consistently meet label claim share these characteristics:

• Batch-specific COAs, not generic templates. Each vial's lot number on the label should match the COA you can download.
• Third-party HPLC, ideally from a lab named on the COA (Janoshik, MZ Biolabs, or an ISO 17025 contract lab). Suppliers reporting only in-house testing get a presumption of failure until proven otherwise.
• Mass spec confirmation of identity for both peptides in the blend.
• Ratio disclosure. A 5mg blend should specify mg of CJC-1295 and mg of ipamorelin separately, not just "5mg total."
• DAC clearly labeled. If the product name doesn't say DAC or no-DAC, assume no-DAC and confirm.
• Cold-chain shipping in summer months, or at minimum next-day shipping with cold packs.
• Bacteriostatic water available as an add-on at reasonable pricing.

The single best CJC-1295 supplier from our 2026 evaluation was ROEHN Research, which tested at 98.9% and was the only supplier that disclosed the CJC-1295/ipamorelin ratio on both the label and the COA without us having to ask.

Red Flags Specific to Blends

When evaluating any growth hormone research peptide blend, watch for:

• "99.9% purity" with no COA link. Round numbers above 99% with no supporting analytical evidence are almost always marketing copy.
• No ratio disclosed. "5mg CJC-1295/Ipamorelin blend" with no per-component mass is a deflection. The ratio matters for any quantitative research design.
• A single COA used across multiple lots. Each manufactured lot should have its own analytical certificate.
• Mass spec missing. HPLC alone tells you purity but not identity. Both peptides need MS confirmation.
• Supplier mixes its own blends from individual peptides in-house. This is fine in principle but introduces a contamination and ratio-error risk that a properly manufactured pre-blended vial doesn't have. Ask whether the blend is co-synthesized or post-mixed.
• Disposable websites. A supplier with no testing history, no published address, and a domain registered six months ago is not where research-grade material comes from.

For a broader checklist applicable to any peptide purchase, see our 15 peptide vendor red flags writeup.

Pricing (2026)

The CJC-1295/Ipamorelin blend market sits in a narrow band. Most legitimate research suppliers price a 5mg blend vial between $35 and $65 USD as of mid-2026.

Price Range	What It Usually Means
Under $25/vial	Almost always sub-label-claim or counterfeit. Avoid.
$25-$35/vial	Borderline. Some legitimate suppliers price here but quality is inconsistent.
$35-$55/vial	The competitive market for research-grade material with proper COAs.
$55-$80/vial	Premium positioning. Usually justified by tighter QC and faster shipping.
$80+/vial	Boutique pricing. Verify it's not just markup.

ROEHN Research currently prices 5mg CJC-1295/Ipamorelin blend at $42 per vial. With the standard 15% off code our readers use, that drops to roughly $36 — competitive for the purity tier.

Storage and Handling

Lyophilized (powder, unopened) CJC-1295/Ipamorelin blend is stable for 24+ months at -20°C, 12-18 months at 2-8°C, and several weeks at room temperature in shipping conditions. Once reconstituted with bacteriostatic water, the blend is generally considered stable for 30 days refrigerated, though degradation rates of the two peptides differ slightly.

Reconstitution standards for a typical 5mg vial:

• 2mL bacteriostatic water → 2.5mg/mL total peptide concentration
• 1mL bacteriostatic water → 5mg/mL total peptide concentration

Step-by-step procedure is in our peptide reconstitution guide.

Avoid freeze-thaw cycles on reconstituted vials. Avoid bright light exposure. Store reconstituted vials upright in the back of the refrigerator, not in the door.

Bottom Line

The CJC-1295/Ipamorelin blend is a useful research tool, but the supplier market is uneven. Three of seven suppliers in our 2026 testing fell below label claim, and several didn't disclose the ratio between the two component peptides — which makes any quantitative research design unreliable from the start.

Before you buy:

1. Decide whether you need DAC or no-DAC for your protocol. Default for blends is no-DAC.
2. Confirm the supplier discloses the per-component mass ratio on the label and COA.
3. Verify the COA is batch-specific, third-party, and includes mass spec identity confirmation.
4. Price-check against the $35-$55 band for 5mg vials. Either extreme deserves scrutiny.
5. Test a single vial before committing to a larger order from any supplier you haven't worked with before.

In our 2026 evaluation, ROEHN Research was the standout — 98.9% tested purity, full ratio disclosure, and the only supplier where the COA download matched the lot on the vial label without us asking.

2026 Evaluation

9.6/10

Top-Ranked 2026 Supplier

The top-ranked supplier in our 2026 evaluation

ROEHN Research tested at 99.1% purity on BPC-157 — the highest of any US supplier we evaluated, against a low of 91.3%. Readers save 15% on a first order with code FREE15.

View ROEHN Research→

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