Side-by-side · Research reference

AOD-9604vsDihexa

Side-by-side comparison across mechanism, dosage, evidence, side effects, administration, and stack synergies. Citations on every claim where available.

APhase 2HUMAN-REVIEWED10/47 cited

BAnimal-StrongHUMAN-REVIEWED7/28 cited

AOD-9604

HGH 176-191 · β3-AR Lipolytic

250–300 mcgDaily doseHeffernan 2001

Phase 2Evidence levelHeffernan 2001 Ng 2000

~30 minHalf-life

SQ · Abdomen · Daily fasted

Dihexa

Angiotensin IV Analogue · Pre-Clinical

Pre-clinicalDevelopment stage

Rodent onlyEvidence basisBenoist 2014

HGF/c-MetTarget systemWright 2015

Not established — animal studies only

01Mechanism of Action

Parameter

AOD-9604

Dihexa

Primary target

β3-adrenergic receptor (proposed)Ng 2000

c-Met receptor (HGF receptor tyrosine kinase)

Pathway

β3-AR activation → cAMP → hormone-sensitive lipase activation → triglyceride breakdown to FFA + glycerolNg 2000

HGF/c-Met receptor activation → downstream signaling cascade → synaptogenesis and dendritic arborization

Downstream effect

Lipolysis of adipose tissue triglycerides; FFA release for oxidation; minimal IGF-1 / insulin impactHeffernan 2001

Induction of dendritic arborization, synapse formation, neurogenesis, and neuroprotection in rodent models

Feedback intact?

No GH-axis or IGF-1 feedback

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Origin

Synthetic modified C-terminal hexadecapeptide fragment of human GH (176-191) with N-terminal Tyr substitutionNg 2000

Small-molecule angiotensin IV analogue designed to activate HGF/c-Met systemWright 2015

Antibody development

—

02Dosage Protocols

Parameter

AOD-9604

Dihexa

Standard dose

250–300 mcg / dayHeffernan 2001

Anecdotal SQ range. Phase 2 trial dose 1 mg/day oral.

—

Frequency

Once daily, fasted

—

Lower / starter dose

150 mcg / day

—

Evidence basis

Phase 2 trials + animal-strongHeffernan 2001 Ng 2000

Pre-clinical / Rodent models

Duration

8–12 weeks per cycle

—

Reconstitution

Bacteriostatic water, 1 mL per 2 mg vial → 2 mg/mL

—

Timing

Morning fasted preferred (pre-cardio)

Aligns with circadian lipolysis.

—

Half-life

~30 min plasma

—

Human dosing

—

Not established — no human trials

Animal studies

—

Mouse/rat models only — dosing not translatable to humans

Clinical status

—

No Phase 1, 2, or 3 trials published

04Side Effects & Safety

Parameter

AOD-9604

Dihexa

Injection site reaction

Mild erythema

—

GI symptoms

Rare mild nausea

—

Cardiovascular

Possible mild HR increase via β3-AR (theoretical β1 cross-reactivity)

—

IGF-1 elevation

None — designed to lack GH-axis activityHeffernan 2001

—

Insulin sensitivity

Neutral — no glucose impairmentHeffernan 2001

—

Cancer risk

No GH/IGF-1 axis activity → lower theoretical risk vs HGH

—

Pregnancy / OB

Avoid

—

Human safety data

—

None available — no human clinical trials

Theoretical c-Met risks

—

c-Met receptor activation has been implicated in tumorigenesis; unknown cancer risk profile

Pre-clinical tolerability

—

Not systematically reported in available studies

Absolute Contraindications

AOD-9604

·Pregnancy / breastfeeding
·Severe cardiovascular disease (caution with β-receptor agonists)

Dihexa

·Not approved for human use — research compound only

Relative Contraindications

AOD-9604

·Concurrent β-blocker therapy (theoretical antagonism)
·Pheochromocytoma

Dihexa

·Theoretical contraindication: active or history of malignancy (c-Met pathway involvement in cancer)

05Administration Protocol

Parameter

AOD-9604

Dihexa

1. Reconstitution

Add 1 mL bacteriostatic water to 2 mg vial → 2 mg/mL = 200 mcg per 0.1 mL.

No established protocol. Dihexa has not been tested in human subjects. Animal studies used various routes (typically subcutaneous or intraperitoneal in rodents) not translatable to clinical use.

2. Injection site

SQ — abdomen preferred. Rotate sites.

Pre-clinical research compound. Not approved by FDA or any regulatory authority for human use.

3. Timing

Morning, fasted, ideally pre-cardio for amplified fat oxidation.

—

4. Storage

Lyophilised: room temp, light-protected. Reconstituted: refrigerate, ≤30 days.

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5. Needle

29–31G, 4–8 mm insulin syringe.

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06Stack Synergy

AOD-9604

+ MOTS-c

Moderate

View MOTS-c →

AOD-9604 mobilises FFAs from adipose via β3-AR; MOTS-c upregulates AMPK / PGC-1α / FAO machinery so that mobilised FFAs are efficiently oxidised. The pathways are sequential — supply (AOD) plus demand (MOTS-c) — and produce more durable lipolytic effects than either alone in anecdotal protocols.

AOD-9604: 250–300 mcg SQ · morning fasted (daily)
MOTS-c: 5 mg SQ · 2–3× per week (pre-workout)
Primary benefit: Fat mobilisation + mitochondrial oxidation, no IGF-1 concern

Dihexa

— no documented stacks