What Is Tesamorelin? Uses, Dosage, and What You Need to Know in 2026

Tesamorelin is a prescription medication used to reduce excess abdominal fat in adults living with HIV who have developed a condition called lipodystrophy. It is sold under the brand names Egrifta SV and (since 2025) Egrifta WR. Tesamorelin holds a unique place in medicine: it is the only FDA-approved drug specifically indicated for this condition in the United States. This guide covers everything you need to know — from what it is to how it's taken and what to expect from treatment.

What Is Tesamorelin?

Tesamorelin is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing factor (GHRF) — a hormone your brain normally makes to signal the pituitary gland to release growth hormone (GH). In simple terms, it's a lab-made version of a signal your body already uses. Tesamorelin was developed by Theratechnologies, a Canadian biopharmaceutical company, and received FDA approval in 2010 under the original brand name Egrifta.

What makes tesamorelin special is its molecular design. It is based on the full 44-amino acid sequence of human growth hormone-releasing hormone, but with a chemical modification at the N-terminus (a hexenoyl group attached to the tyrosine residue) that makes it resistant to rapid breakdown by enzymes in the body. This gives tesamorelin a longer effective half-life than natural GHRH, making once-daily dosing clinically effective.

What Is Tesamorelin Used For?

Tesamorelin has one FDA-approved indication:

Reduction of excess abdominal fat (visceral adipose tissue) in HIV-infected adult patients with lipodystrophy.

HIV-associated lipodystrophy is a condition where fat accumulates in abnormal places — particularly in the abdomen, around the organs — often as a side effect of antiretroviral therapy or the virus itself. This visceral fat buildup is linked to cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and significant quality-of-life impact for people living with HIV.

Tesamorelin is not a general weight loss drug. The FDA label explicitly states that it is not indicated for weight loss management and has a weight-neutral effect on total body weight. It specifically reduces visceral (internal) fat, not subcutaneous fat or overall body weight.

Off-label use: Tesamorelin is also used off-label by some physicians for visceral fat reduction in non-HIV adults, body composition optimization, and other metabolic goals. Insurance does not cover off-label use, and this is not an FDA-approved application.

What Are the Available Formulations?

There are currently two FDA-approved brand-name formulations of tesamorelin:

Egrifta SV: 2 mg/vial. FDA-approved in 2019. Requires daily reconstitution with sterile water before each injection. Daily dose: 1.4 mg (0.35 mL). Requires refrigeration.

Egrifta WR: 11.6 mg/vial (4 vials per box, each sufficient for 7 doses). FDA-approved March 25, 2025. Commercially available September 2025. Requires reconstitution only once per week with bacteriostatic water. Daily dose: 1.28 mg (0.16 mL). Stored at room temperature. This formulation is gradually replacing Egrifta SV.

How Is Tesamorelin Administered?

Tesamorelin is given as a subcutaneous (under the skin) injection into the abdomen, once daily. Key administration rules:

Inject into the abdomen only — not into other body areas

Rotate injection sites to different areas of the abdomen each day to reduce skin irritation

Do not inject into scar tissue, bruises, or your navel (belly button)

Reconstitute only with the specified diluent — sterile water for Egrifta SV (use immediately after mixing), bacteriostatic water for Egrifta WR (refrigerate and use within 28 days)

Never shake the vial — gently swirl or roll in your hands to mix

How Well Does Tesamorelin Work?

In two Phase 3 randomized controlled trials, tesamorelin at 2 mg daily for 26 weeks reduced visceral adipose tissue by approximately 15–18% (measured by CT scan) compared to placebo. Patients also showed improvements in triglyceride levels and metabolic markers. IGF-1 increased by an average of 84% — which is how the medication achieves its fat-reducing effects.

Important: These benefits are not permanent. When patients stop taking tesamorelin, the visceral fat returns toward baseline. Most patients need to continue treatment indefinitely to maintain the reduction in abdominal fat.

Who Should Not Take Tesamorelin?

Tesamorelin is contraindicated in patients who: have active cancer or a history of cancer (the drug is a GH stimulator and increases IGF-1); are pregnant (FDA Category X); have a known allergy to tesamorelin or mannitol (an inactive ingredient); or have disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis due to pituitary tumor, surgery, head irradiation, or head trauma.

For a full review of side effects, see our guide on tesamorelin side effects and when to call your doctor. If you've been prescribed tesamorelin and need help finding it in stock, medfinder can call specialty pharmacies near you to find which ones can fill your prescription.