The protocol at a glance
The US labels set one daily injection into the belly skin: 1.4 mg for Egrifta SV or 1.28 mg for Egrifta WR. The two products are not interchangeable. The big trials used 2 mg a day of an older formulation for 26 weeks.
| Product or study | Daily amount (one injection a day) |
|---|---|
| Egrifta SV (2 mg vial) | 1.4 mg |
| Egrifta WR (11.6 mg vial; one vial lasts 7 days) | 1.28 mg |
| Pivotal trials (older 1 mg-per-vial product), 26 weeks | 2 mg |
From the US prescribing information for Egrifta SV and Egrifta WR (DailyMed). WR and SV are not substitutable because strength, dose and mixing differ, so follow the label for the product you have. The calculator uses the SV vial (2 mg mixed in 0.5 mL gives 1.4 mg in 0.35 mL).
Community reports commonly describe 1-2 mg a day, often citing the 2 mg used in the early trials.
What people say they do, collected from community discussions. Not tested in a trial; shown so you can compare it with the evidence above.
Mixing calculator
Enter the vial size, the water you add and the amount you want to draw; it gives the mark on a 100-unit (1 mL) insulin syringe.
What the trials found
Two placebo-controlled trials of about 400 adults each with HIV lipodystrophy, 26 weeks, 2 mg a day. Measured: change in deep belly fat (visceral fat):
US prescribing information, Egrifta SV and WR (DailyMed). In weeks 26-52, people switched to placebo regained belly fat (about +25 and +24 cm2), so the effect needs continued use.
Side effects
- Most common (26-week trials, tesamorelin vs placebo): injection site reactions 17% vs 6%, joint pain 13% vs 11%, muscle pain 6% vs 2%, swelling in arms or legs 6% vs 2%.
- Allergic reactions occurred in 4% of people.
- It raises IGF-1, so the label calls for IGF-1 monitoring.
- Long-term heart safety has not been established (label).
How it works
GHRH receptor
It copies the natural growth-hormone-releasing hormone, so the pituitary gland releases more of your own growth hormone and IGF-1 goes up.
Sources
- EGRIFTA WR (tesamorelin) US prescribing information, DailyMed setid 839334d3-8c1d-4c26-9036-2ab524a6ea75
- EGRIFTA SV (tesamorelin) US prescribing information, DailyMed setid 3d783378-b02d-4f19-99dd-0fc91a042224