Function
While AOD-9604 is studied as an anti-obesity peptide that can reduce weight gain and increase fat oxidation in obese animal models with generally neutral effects on IGF-1 and glucose metabolism in early human trials71111115, GHRP-2 is used in research to induce robust GH pulses and study anabolic and metabolic effects; clinically developed as pralmorelin for GH deficiency diagnostics6272.
Mechanism
While AOD-9604 works as a synthetic fragment of human growth hormone corresponding to residues 176–191 with an added N-terminal tyrosine, retaining lipolytic but not growth-promoting actions; proposed to stimulate lipolysis and inhibit lipogenesis in adipose tissue, partly via β3-adrenergic pathways without significantly activating the full GH receptor–IGF-1 axis6171111, GHRP-2 is a second-generation hexapeptide growth hormone–releasing peptide that mimics ghrelin by agonizing GHSR-1a, strongly stimulating pulsatile GH release and modestly raising prolactin, ACTH, and cortisol62723096.
Length and Sequence
AOD-9604 is 16 amino acids long, whereas GHRP-2 is shorter as it has a length of 6 amino acids. AOD-9604 is made up of a sequence of Tyrosine, Leucine, Arginine, Isoleucine, Valine, Glutamine, Cysteine, Arginine, Serine, Valine, Glutamic acid, Glycine, Serine, Cysteine, Glycine, Phenylalanine. GHRP-2 is made up of a sequence of Alanine, D-2-Nal, Alanine, Tryptophan, Phenylalanine, Lysine.