Tesamorelin (Egrifta) Pricing: April 2026

Tesamorelin is a lab-made version of GHRH, the hormone that tells the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. It is a chain of 44 amino acids. The FDA approved it as Egrifta, made by Theratechnologies, to reduce excess belly fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. That condition causes abnormal fat buildup in people on HIV treatment. Egrifta is the only FDA-approved drug for it.

The product line has changed twice. The original Egrifta gave way to Egrifta SV (the F4 formula, mixed daily, approved 2019, now being phased out). The current version is Egrifta WR (the F8 formula, mixed weekly, approved March 2025). Egrifta WR holds US patent protection through 2033.

Off-label use: Doctors widely prescribe tesamorelin for uses the FDA never approved: anti-aging, belly fat reduction, liver fat reduction (NASH/MASLD), and body composition. Clinical data show about a 15–20% drop in visceral fat (fat around the organs) over 26 weeks. The usual dose is 1.28–2 mg injected under the skin daily.

Regulatory note (April 2026): On March 23, 2020, the FDA reclassified tesamorelin as a biologic under the BPCIA, the federal law that governs biologic drugs. That makes it technically ineligible for the 503A and 503B compounding exemptions. (503A pharmacies fill patient-specific prescriptions; 503B facilities compound in bulk.) Even so, compounding pharmacies and telehealth platforms widely make and ship compounded tesamorelin in a legal gray zone. This is a separate issue from the Category 2 problems affecting BPC-157 and other peptides.

Price spread: Research vials cost about $36–$79. Branded Egrifta retails for $3,000–$10,000+ a month. That is a roughly 100x gap. In practice, the compounded telehealth channel ($150–$300 a month) is how most people get tesamorelin for off-label use.