Tesamorelin Dosage: Labeled Dosing Per Day, Administration, and Monitoring

Tesamorelin dosage is more clearly defined than for most growth hormone peptides, because tesamorelin is an FDA-approved drug. Marketed as Egrifta by Theratechnologies, it is approved to reduce excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. The labeled regimen, the pivotal trial data, and the prescribing information's monitoring guidance give prescribers a real reference point — with the important caveat that the label applies to that indication and to the approved products. This guide covers the labeled tesamorelin dosage per day, administration, how response is judged, monitoring, and how off-label and compounded use differ.

For the peptide's structure and mechanism, see our tesamorelin overview.

Educational content for licensed healthcare professionals. Not medical advice; dosing and treatment decisions belong to the prescribing clinician.

Labeled Tesamorelin Dosage

For its approved indication, tesamorelin is labeled for once-daily subcutaneous injection — 2 mg daily for Egrifta SV or 1.28 mg daily for the newer Egrifta WR formulation. Dose to the specific product's label; the two strengths are not interchangeable. The 2 mg dose is the one used in the two pivotal Phase III trials, which ran 26 weeks and measured visceral adipose tissue (VAT) by CT imaging.

A few points follow from the label:

• Once per day. Tesamorelin is a daily medication, not a weekly one.
• Subcutaneous, into the abdomen. Injection sites are rotated.
• Formulation matters. Egrifta has been produced in more than one formulation over time, with different vial strengths and preparation steps. The dose, reconstitution, and administration instructions for the specific product being used should always be taken from that product's current prescribing information.

Tesamorelin Dosage Per Day in Practice

Because tesamorelin works through the pituitary, some prescribers choose evening dosing to align with the natural nocturnal GH pulse. That is a practice preference, not a labeling requirement.

What the Pivotal Trials Showed

The original 2 mg dose comes from two randomized, placebo-controlled Phase III trials in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Participants received 2 mg subcutaneously once daily or placebo for 26 weeks, with visceral adipose tissue measured by CT. Tesamorelin produced statistically significant reductions in VAT versus placebo, along with reductions in trunk fat and waist circumference. Those trials are the evidence base for the dose — and they are also the limits of it, since they were conducted in one population for one outcome.

Tesamorelin Compared With Other GHRH Analogues

This is why tesamorelin is the one growth hormone peptide in this group with a fixed labeled dose: it is the only one that went through a modern approval program. Dosing for the others is covered in sermorelin dosage and CJC-1295 and ipamorelin dosing.

Judging Response

The label directs attention to whether VAT actually falls. In the pivotal trials, response was assessed at 26 weeks, and the prescribing information advises considering discontinuation in patients who do not show a clear reduction in visceral fat. After stopping therapy, trial data showed VAT tended to return toward baseline — tesamorelin reduces visceral fat while it is taken, rather than permanently resetting it.

Practical measures of response:

• Imaging (CT or MRI) where available, which is what the trials used
• Waist circumference, a practical proxy in routine care
• IGF-1, which confirms the GH axis is responding but is not itself a measure of fat loss

Monitoring on Tesamorelin

The prescribing information highlights several areas:

Who Should Not Take Tesamorelin

The labeled contraindications include:

• Disruption of the hypothalamic–pituitary axis, such as hypophysectomy, hypopituitarism, pituitary tumor or surgery, or head irradiation or trauma
• Active malignancy
• Known hypersensitivity to tesamorelin or its excipients
• Pregnancy

Patients with diabetes need particular attention to glucose control during therapy.

Off-Label and Compounded Tesamorelin

Tesamorelin attracts interest beyond its approved indication, for visceral fat in people without HIV, body composition, and — in smaller studies — metabolic and cognitive outcomes in older adults. Those uses are off-label, and the supporting trials are considerably smaller than the pivotal program.

Two cautions for prescribers:

1. The labeled dose is tied to the labeled population. Its use elsewhere is a clinical judgment, not an established regimen.
2. Compounding a copy of an approved drug is constrained. Federal compounding rules limit 503A pharmacies from routinely compounding drugs that are essentially copies of a commercially available FDA-approved product. Prescribers should confirm with their compounding partner what can be prepared, and on what basis, before planning a protocol.

For comparison with other GHRH analogues, see sermorelin and our CJC-1295 + ipamorelin page. The broader context is in peptides for muscle growth, and growth hormone peptides for fat loss covers where tesamorelin fits in body-recomposition strategy.

Administration and Storage

• Follow the reconstitution and storage instructions of the specific product. Some formulations require mixing before each injection; others are prepared differently.
• Rotate abdominal injection sites and avoid scarred, bruised, or inflamed areas.
• General technique is covered in how to inject peptides.

Tesamorelin, like all GHRH analogues, is prohibited at all times under the WADA Prohibited List.

Newtropin does not prescribe, compound, or dispense. We connect licensed providers with a licensed 503A compounding partner; prescribers can start at For Providers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the tesamorelin dosage per day?

For its FDA-approved indication — excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy — tesamorelin is labeled for once-daily subcutaneous injection: 2 mg daily for Egrifta SV or 1.28 mg daily for the newer Egrifta WR formulation.

Is tesamorelin taken every day?

Yes. The labeled regimen is once daily. It is not a weekly medication.

When should tesamorelin be injected?

The approved labeling does not require a specific time of day. Consistency matters most; some prescribers prefer evening dosing to align with natural GH secretion.

How long does tesamorelin take to work?

The pivotal trials assessed visceral fat reduction at 26 weeks, and the label advises considering discontinuation if there is no clear response.

What happens when tesamorelin is stopped?

In trial follow-up, visceral fat tended to return toward baseline after treatment ended.

Can tesamorelin be compounded?

Tesamorelin is a commercially available FDA-approved drug, and federal rules restrict 503A pharmacies from compounding essential copies of approved products. Prescribers should confirm options with their compounding partner.