guidesApril 16, 2026·9 min read

Where to Buy CJC-1295: Price & Vendor Guide

Why DAC runs ~2x no-DAC per mg, how to decode 2mg vs 5mg vial math, and what a real mod GRF 1-29 COA shows at 3,368 Da.

Where to Buy CJC-1295

CJC-1295 comes in two forms — DAC (Drug Affinity Complex, 6-8 day half-life) and no-DAC (also called Mod GRF 1-29, ~30 minute half-life). They're priced similarly but dosed very differently, and vendors sometimes mislabel one as the other. Research pricing runs from $7/mg to $50/mg for the same molecule, driven almost entirely by vial size and vendor markup. Community protocols have grown around mod GRF 1-29 + ipamorelin stacks, so dual-peptide buying is the norm.

This guide covers what you should actually pay per milligram, which vial size matches your protocol (no-DAC vs DAC dosing is radically different), and how to verify a COA for both forms. CJC-1295 is a 30-amino-acid GHRH analog with D-Ala, Gln, Ala, and Leu substitutions at positions 2, 8, 15, and 27 — a legitimate vendor will confirm all four on their COA.

This is not a ranked vendor list — for that, see our Best CJC-1295 Vendors comparison. This guide teaches you how to evaluate any vendor yourself.

Understanding CJC-1295 Pricing

CJC-1295 is sold as a lyophilized powder in sealed glass vials. The two forms (DAC and no-DAC) trade at similar per-mg prices because synthesis costs are comparable — the price spread comes mostly from vendor markup, vial size, and whether the vendor invests in third-party testing.

Current Market Pricing (2026)

Vial Size Typical Price Range Price Per mg Best For
2 mg $35-50 $17.50-25/mg Short no-DAC trial (~3 weeks at 100 mcg/day)
5 mg $35-85 $7-17/mg Standard — most popular size
10 mg $66-140 $6.60-14/mg Long protocols, best $/mg

The pattern is clear: 5mg is the sweet spot for virtually every CJC-1295 protocol — both DAC (2.5-5 week supply at 1-2 mg/week) and no-DAC (with reconstitution splitting). 10mg vials save an additional 5-15% per mg.

Cost Per Week at Common Doses

CJC-1295 no-DAC (Mod GRF 1-29) protocols:

Weekly Dose Monthly Cost (5mg vial) Monthly Cost (10mg vial) Savings
700 mcg/week (100 mcg/day) $20-48/month $18-39/month ~15%
1.4 mg/week (200 mcg 1-2× daily) $40-96/month $37-78/month ~15%

CJC-1295 DAC protocols:

Weekly Dose Monthly Cost (5mg vial) Monthly Cost (10mg vial) Savings
1 mg/week $28-68/month $26-56/month ~15%
2 mg/week $56-136/month $53-112/month ~15%

For current vendor-specific pricing with exact $/mg breakdowns, see our Best CJC-1295 Vendors comparison.

How to Verify CJC-1295 Quality

COA verification process

CJC-1295 is a 30-amino-acid synthetic GHRH analog with four modifications to resist degradation: D-Ala at position 2 (prevents DPP-IV cleavage), Gln at position 8 (prevents asparagine rearrangement), Ala at position 15 (enhances bioactivity), and Leu at position 27 (prevents methionine oxidation). The DAC form adds a maleimidopropionic acid (MPA) linker that covalently binds albumin, extending half-life from ~30 minutes to 6-8 days. A cheap synthesis that skips any of the four substitutions produces a less stable peptide that behaves more like native GHRH.

What a COA (Certificate of Analysis) Should Include

Identity Confirmation

  • Mass spectrometry confirming the correct molecular weight:
    • Mod GRF 1-29 (no-DAC): 3,368.7 Da
    • CJC-1295 DAC: ~3,647 Da (includes MPA linker)
  • Amino acid sequence verification with the four modifications at positions 2, 8, 15, and 27
  • For DAC form: confirmation of the MPA conjugation

Purity Testing

  • HPLC purity — look for 98%+ purity
  • The chromatogram should show a single dominant peak

Contamination Testing

  • Endotoxin levels (bacterial contamination)
  • Residual solvent analysis (acetonitrile, TFA)
  • Heavy metals screening

How to Verify a COA Is Legitimate

  1. Check the testing lab — Reputable labs include Janoshik Analytical, MZ Biolabs, and Colmaric Analyticals. Avoid vendors who only show "in-house" testing.

  2. Verify on the lab's website — Janoshik COAs have a task number you can look up directly at janoshik.com.

  3. Check the date — COAs should be recent (within 6 months).

  4. Match the batch — The batch/lot number on the COA should match what's printed on your vial.

  5. Look for the original PDF — Screenshots are easier to fake than full PDFs with lab letterhead and signatures.

Red Flags to Avoid

  • No COA available — any vendor unwilling to provide testing results is not worth the risk
  • DAC vs no-DAC labeling is unclear — they're different molecules with different dosing; vendors must label clearly
  • Only in-house testing — self-reported purity numbers are meaningless
  • Prices well below $6/mg — implausible for correctly-synthesized material with all four substitutions
  • No contact information — legitimate vendors have real customer service
  • No return or reship policy — reputable vendors stand behind their products

Choosing the Right Vial Size

Vial size comparison

Vial sizing depends entirely on which form of CJC-1295 you're running. DAC is dosed weekly at 1-2 mg; no-DAC is dosed daily at 100-200 mcg. These are 20-fold different protocols and need different planning.

The 28-Day Rule

Once reconstituted with bacteriostatic water, CJC-1295 is stable for up to 28 days refrigerated. Sterile water drops this to 24 hours. See our CJC-1295 reconstitution guide for step-by-step mixing.

CJC-1295 no-DAC (100 mcg/day):

Vial Size Duration Status
2 mg 20 days ✓ Inside 28-day window
5 mg 50 days ⚠️ Exceeds — split reconstitution
10 mg 100 days ⚠️ Exceeds — split reconstitution

CJC-1295 DAC (1-2 mg/week):

Vial Size At 1 mg/week At 2 mg/week
2 mg 2 weeks ✓ 1 week ✓
5 mg 5 weeks ⚠️ 2.5 weeks ✓
10 mg 10 weeks ⚠️ 5 weeks ⚠️

⚠️ = exceeds 28-day window per reconstitution

Solution: For the larger vials, split reconstitution. Mix only the amount you'll use in 28 days, leave the rest as powder.

CJC-1295 no-DAC short protocol (3-4 weeks):

  • 2mg vial — lasts 20 days at 100 mcg/day, inside the window
  • Low upfront cost if you're just trialing the GHRH pulse

Standard CJC-1295 no-DAC or DAC protocol:

  • 5mg vial — the all-around best size
  • No-DAC: reconstitute in halves for ~25-day batches
  • DAC: 2.5-5 weeks of supply at typical doses

Long-term users or stacked with ipamorelin:

Buying Multiple Smaller vs One Large Vial

Factor Multiple Small (e.g., 2× 5mg) One Large (1× 10mg)
Cost per mg Higher ($7-17/mg) Lower ($6.60-14/mg)
Freshness Better (reconstitute as needed) Requires splitting
Flexibility Can stop anytime Committed to full supply
Storage Easier (smaller volumes) Requires careful planning
Shipping More frequent orders Single shipment

Our recommendation: The 5mg vial is the right choice for most users. It covers both DAC and no-DAC protocols, and the modest premium over 10mg is worth the simpler reconstitution cycle.

Vendor Evaluation Methodology

When comparing CJC-1295 vendors, we evaluate three weighted factors:

Price Competitiveness (40%)

We normalize to cost per milligram for fair comparison across vial sizes. A vendor selling 10mg at $80 ($8/mg) scores higher than one selling 5mg at $60 ($12/mg), all else being equal.

COA & Testing (30%)

We verify that COAs are:

  • From recognized third-party labs
  • Recent (within the last 6 months)
  • Verifiable on the lab's website
  • Correctly distinguishing DAC form (3,647 Da) from no-DAC (3,368.7 Da)

Reputation (30%)

Community feedback from peptide forums, shipping reliability, customer service responsiveness, and business track record. We give extra weight to vendors who label DAC vs no-DAC clearly and sell both forms without confusion.

Shipping and Storage

What to Expect When Your Order Arrives

Lyophilized CJC-1295 should arrive as a white or off-white powder cake in a sealed glass vial. Check:

  • Vial integrity — no cracks, proper rubber seal, aluminum cap intact
  • Powder appearance — solid cake or loose powder, NOT liquid or discolored
  • Labeling — batch/lot number, milligram content, "DAC" or "no-DAC" clearly stated, "for research use only"
  • Cold pack — reputable vendors ship with cold packs in summer months

Storage Guidelines

State Temperature Duration
Lyophilized (powder) Room temp Weeks (for shipping)
Lyophilized (powder) Refrigerated (2-8°C) 12-24 months
Lyophilized (powder) Frozen (-20°C) 2+ years
Reconstituted (BAC water) Refrigerated (2-8°C) 28 days max
Reconstituted (sterile water) Refrigerated (2-8°C) 24 hours
Reconstituted Frozen Not recommended (peptide degradation)

Key point: Keep unreconstituted vials refrigerated and label clearly whether each vial is DAC or no-DAC — mixing them up costs you efficacy or causes unintended prolonged exposure.

Frequently Asked Questions

CJC-1295 (both forms) is sold as a research chemical and is legal to purchase in most jurisdictions for research purposes. It is not FDA-approved for human use and is part of the ongoing regulatory review of GH-releasing peptides. Research vendors label product "not for human consumption."

How much does CJC-1295 cost per month?

CJC-1295 no-DAC at 100 mcg/day runs $18-48/month from a reputable vendor. CJC-1295 DAC at 1-2 mg/week runs $26-112/month depending on dose. Most users stack with ipamorelin, roughly doubling the cost.

What vial size should I buy?

For CJC-1295 no-DAC (daily dosing), start with a 2mg or 5mg vial. For CJC-1295 DAC (weekly dosing), a 5mg vial covers 2.5-5 weeks cleanly. Step up to 10mg once you're confident in a long-term protocol — the ~10-15% per-mg savings is meaningful.

What purity should I look for?

Look for vendors providing third-party COA testing showing 98%+ purity via HPLC, plus mass spec confirming the correct molecular weight for the form you're buying: 3,368.7 Da for no-DAC, ~3,647 Da for DAC. The four D-Ala/Gln/Ala/Leu substitutions should be verified.

Can I buy CJC-1295 from a pharmacy?

Not from retail pharmacies. Some 503A compounding pharmacies have offered CJC-1295 in the past, but GH-releasing peptides have faced increasing regulatory scrutiny. Research-grade CJC-1295 is only available through specialty peptide vendors.

How do I know if a vendor is trustworthy?

Check for: third-party COA testing that distinguishes DAC from no-DAC, verifiable lab results, responsive customer service, community reputation on peptide forums, consistent pricing, and a clear return/reship policy. See our Best CJC-1295 Vendors for pre-vetted options.

References

Citation Topic PMID
Teichman SL, et al., J Clin Endocrinol Metab (2006) CJC-1295 prolonged GH/IGF-1 secretion, half-life 5.8-8.1 days 16352683
Ionescu M, Frohman LA, J Clin Endocrinol Metab (2006) Pulsatile GH secretion persists with CJC-1295 17018654

This article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice and should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any condition. Consult a licensed healthcare provider before using any peptide.