Comparison. Research use only.
AOD-9604 vs 5-Amino-1MQ
Both are studied in metabolic and adipose-tissue research, and neither is what it is often marketed as. AOD-9604 is a growth-hormone fragment whose clinical obesity program failed its Phase IIb endpoint. 5-Amino-1MQ is not a peptide at all but a small-molecule NNMT inhibitor, with a literature that remains entirely preclinical.
What is the difference between AOD-9604 and 5-Amino-1MQ?
AOD-9604 is a 16-amino-acid peptide based on the C-terminal lipolytic region of human growth hormone (residues 177-191); 5-Amino-1MQ is not a peptide but a small-molecule inhibitor of the enzyme NNMT. AOD-9604 reached human trials, but its obesity program was terminated in 2007 after a Phase IIb trial failed its endpoint. 5-Amino-1MQ has no published human data.
| Attribute | AOD-9604 | 5-Amino-1MQ |
|---|---|---|
| Molecule class | Synthetic hexadecapeptide (16 amino acids) | Small-molecule methylquinolinium cation (not a peptide) |
| Molecular weight | 1815.1 g/mol | 159.21 g/mol (free cation); 286.11 g/mol (iodide salt) |
| Design | GH residues 177-191 plus an N-terminal tyrosine, with one disulfide bond | Analog from a membrane-permeable NNMT inhibitor series (Neelakantan et al., 2018) |
| Molecular target | Not established; does not bind the GH receptor, and lipolysis persisted in beta-3 receptor knockout mice (Heffernan 2001) | Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT), IC50 about 1 µM |
| Human evidence | 24-week Phase IIb obesity trial failed its endpoint; program terminated 2007 (Valentino et al., 2010) | None; no human trial of any NNMT inhibitor registered |
| Typical research models | Obese and lean rodent models | Diet-induced obese mice, adipocytes, cell-free enzyme assays |
| Regulatory status | Not approved by FDA, EMA, TGA or any other authority | Not approved; not a dietary supplement ingredient |
What is AOD-9604?
AOD-9604 is a synthetic hexadecapeptide, a 16-amino-acid chain, corresponding to the C-terminal fat-mobilizing (lipolytic) domain of human growth hormone, residues 177-191, with an added N-terminal tyrosine and a disulfide bond between its two cysteines. It was developed on the hypothesis that the fat-mobilizing and anti-fat-storing activity of growth hormone can be separated from its growth-promoting (somatogenic) activity.
Read the full AOD-9604 research summary →What is 5-Amino-1MQ?
5-Amino-1MQ is a cell-permeable small-molecule inhibitor of nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT). NNMT is a cytosolic methyltransferase that moves a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine onto nicotinamide, producing 1-methylnicotinamide and S-adenosylhomocysteine.
Read the full 5-Amino-1MQ research summary →AOD-9604 and 5-Amino-1MQ specifications
Frequently asked questions
Is 5-Amino-1MQ a peptide like AOD-9604?
No. AOD-9604 is a 16-amino-acid peptide derived from the C-terminal region of human growth hormone. 5-Amino-1MQ is a small molecule, a permanently charged methylquinolinium cation with a molecular weight of about 159 g/mol, that inhibits the enzyme nicotinamide N-methyltransferase. 5-Amino-1MQ is often sold alongside peptides, but chemically it belongs to a different class entirely.
Have AOD-9604 and 5-Amino-1MQ been studied in humans?
AOD-9604 has: its obesity program reached a 24-week Phase IIb trial, which failed to induce significant weight loss, and development was terminated in 2007 (Valentino et al., 2010). The primary trial reports were never published in peer-reviewed journals. 5-Amino-1MQ has no published human pharmacokinetic, safety or efficacy data, and no trial of any NNMT inhibitor is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Does AOD-9604 work through beta-3 adrenergic receptors?
The primary literature says no. Heffernan et al. (Endocrinology 2001) found that the lipolytic effects of both growth hormone and AOD-9604 persisted in beta-3 adrenergic receptor knockout mice, contradicting the commonly repeated beta-3 explanation. AOD-9604's precise molecular target remains unestablished. 5-Amino-1MQ, by contrast, has a defined target: it inhibits NNMT, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of about 1 micromolar.
Why are AOD-9604 and 5-Amino-1MQ compared?
AOD-9604 and 5-Amino-1MQ both appear in metabolic and adipose-tissue research and are often marketed in similar terms. The comparison is useful mainly as a caution: AOD-9604 is a growth hormone fragment whose Phase IIb obesity program failed, and 5-Amino-1MQ is a small-molecule enzyme inhibitor whose evidence is entirely preclinical, drawn largely from a single research group.
Other research peptide comparisons
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