Tesamorelin Dosage: What Egrifta's Label Says
Last updated September 30, 2026 · Reviewed by Grey Peptides Editorial Board · ✓ Based on FDA labeling
← Tesamorelin encyclopedia entry · See also: Sermorelin dosage · CJC-1295 dosage
Tesamorelin is an FDA-approved prescription medicine sold as Egrifta (and the newer Egrifta SV and Egrifta WR formulations). Its one approved use is the reduction of excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy — it is explicitly not a weight-loss drug.
The labeled dose is fixed, but it depends on the formulation: 1.4 mg once daily for EGRIFTA SV and 1.28 mg once daily for EGRIFTA WR, injected under the skin of the abdomen. There is no titration ramp the way GLP-1 drugs have. The product is supplied as a powder that must be reconstituted before each dose.
This page summarizes the label for education. Anything beyond the HIV-lipodystrophy indication — the "anti-aging" and visceral-fat uses discussed online — is off-label and investigational, and should be overseen by a clinician.
Educational information, not medical advice. The doses on this page come from approved labels, published studies and, where no study exists, amounts reported by users. None is a recommendation for you. An unapproved compound has no established safe or effective human dose, and products sold for “research use only” are not made or tested for people. Talk to a doctor before acting on anything on this site, including before you start, stop or change any medicine or dose. Full medical disclaimer.
The short version
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analog of growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) — it preserves the full 44–amino-acid GHRH sequence with a chemical modification that resists rapid enzymatic breakdown, so it stimulates the pituitary to release growth hormone in a roughly natural, pulsatile pattern. Unlike the GLP-1 drugs, its approved schedule is a single fixed dose with no step-up. The interesting tension in tesamorelin is that its approved indication is narrow while its off-label following is broad, so reading "a dose" correctly depends on knowing which context you are in.
The FDA-labeled schedule
Per the current prescribing information, the dose is 1.4 mg injected subcutaneously once daily for EGRIFTA SV (the 2 mg vial) and 1.28 mg once daily for EGRIFTA WR (the 11.6 mg vial). The phase 3 trials that led to approval used 2 mg a day of the original formulation. The recommended injection site is the abdomen, with sites rotated and scar tissue, bruises, and the navel avoided. The medicine is a lyophilized powder that is reconstituted before administration; the original EGRIFTA came in 1 mg vials and EGRIFTA SV comes in a 2 mg vial, while the concentrated EGRIFTA WR (approved in 2025) comes as an 11.6 mg vial; one reconstituted vial provides the daily doses for 7 days.
Approved label. Source: EGRIFTA SV (tesamorelin) for injection US prescribing information (DailyMed version 9, effective July 29, 2026); EGRIFTA WR (tesamorelin) for injection US prescribing information (DailyMed version 2, effective July 29, 2026)
| Parameter | Label specification |
|---|---|
| Dose | 1.4 mg once daily (EGRIFTA SV) or 1.28 mg once daily (EGRIFTA WR) |
| Route | Subcutaneous, abdomen (rotate sites) |
| Titration | None — fixed dose |
| Indication | Excess abdominal fat in HIV-associated lipodystrophy |
| Not indicated for | Weight-loss management |
In the pivotal Phase 3 program, this dose produced roughly a 15–20% reduction in visceral adipose tissue over about 26 weeks, and later research explored effects on liver fat in NAFLD. Benefit is generally re-evaluated after several months, since the label notes effects reverse when treatment stops.
Reconstitution and administration
Because tesamorelin is supplied as a powder, each dose involves reconstituting with the provided diluent and drawing up the correct volume — the exact steps differ between EGRIFTA SV's 2 mg vial and EGRIFTA WR's concentrated 11.6 mg vial, which is precisely why the label tells patients not to mix instructions between products. If you are working through the arithmetic conceptually, our Reconstitution Calculator converts vial strength and diluent volume into an exact syringe draw, and the Mixing & Administration Guide covers sterile technique. For the prescription product, always follow the specific leaflet that comes with your formulation.
Where off-label use departs from the label
Most online interest in tesamorelin is not about HIV lipodystrophy — it is about general visceral fat, body composition, and even cognition in aging, none of which are approved indications. Off-label protocols often cite 1–2 mg/day in 8–12 week cycles. It is important to be clear-eyed here: those uses are investigational, the long-term cardiovascular safety even in the approved population is described by the label as not established, and "research-grade" tesamorelin sold outside pharmacies is not the FDA-approved product. The verified-safe path is the approved medicine, prescribed and monitored.
Frequently asked questions
Does tesamorelin need to be cycled?
The label describes continuous daily use with periodic re-evaluation of benefit, not fixed cycles. The "cycling" idea comes from off-label practice, not the prescribing information.
Is it the same as HGH?
No. Tesamorelin prompts your own pituitary to release growth hormone in pulses, whereas recombinant HGH supplies the hormone directly at constant levels. That difference is part of why the GHRH-analog approach is often described as more physiologic.
Can it be used for weight loss?
The label specifically says it is not indicated for weight-loss management; it is weight-neutral and targets visceral fat in a specific population.
Sources
- EGRIFTA SV (tesamorelin) for injection US prescribing information (DailyMed version 9, effective July 29, 2026), section 2.
- EGRIFTA WR (tesamorelin) for injection US prescribing information (DailyMed version 2, effective July 29, 2026), section 2.
- Falutz J, et al. "Metabolic effects of a growth hormone–releasing factor in patients with HIV." N Engl J Med. 2007;357:2359–2370.
- FDA approval of Egrifta WR (concentrated F8 tesamorelin), March 2025.
Medical disclaimer: Education only, not medical advice. The labeled dose applies to the FDA-approved indication; other uses are off-label and investigational. Dosing is individualized by a prescriber. Consult a licensed clinician.