How to Use AOD-9604: Administration, Reconstitution & Storage (2026)

How to Use / Administration Methods

AOD-9604 is most commonly administered via subcutaneous injection, though clinical trials also explored oral dosing.

Subcutaneous injection procedure:

1. Reconstitute the lyophilized powder with bacteriostatic water (see reconstitution section below)
2. Draw the calculated dose using an insulin syringe
3. Clean the injection site with an alcohol swab
4. Pinch a skin fold at the abdomen (avoiding the 2-inch area around the navel), thigh, or upper arm
5. Insert the needle at a 45 to 90 degree angle and inject slowly
6. Withdraw the needle and do not rub the injection site
7. Rotate injection sites to prevent localized tissue irritation

Timing: Administer first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Wait at least 20 to 30 minutes before eating to avoid blunting the lipolytic response with an insulin spike.

Oral formulations: Clinical trials used oral dosing, and AOD-9604 has demonstrated approximately 40% oral bioavailability in animal studies. However, most community use involves subcutaneous injection, which delivers the peptide more reliably to systemic circulation. The peptide has a very short serum half-life commonly cited as approximately 4 minutes, though no peer-reviewed primary source has been identified for this figure and it may derive from marketing materials. Its downstream metabolic effects are thought to persist longer due to sustained activation of intracellular lipolytic pathways.

Reconstitution, Storage & Prep

AOD-9604 is supplied as a lyophilized (freeze-dried) powder, typically in 2 mg or 5 mg vials. It must be reconstituted before use.

Reconstitution:

1. Remove the plastic cap from the vial and wipe the rubber stopper with an alcohol swab
2. Using a sterile syringe, draw the appropriate volume of bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol preserved)
3. For a 5 mg vial, add 2.5 mL bacteriostatic water to achieve a concentration of 2 mg/mL (each 0.1 mL contains 200 mcg)
4. For a 2 mg vial, add 1 mL bacteriostatic water to achieve a concentration of 2 mg/mL
5. Inject the water slowly down the inside wall of the vial, not directly onto the powder
6. Gently swirl or roll the vial until the powder is fully dissolved; do not shake

Storage:

• Unreconstituted powder: store at -20 degrees C (freezer) for long-term stability, or 2 to 8 degrees C (refrigerator) for shorter periods
• Reconstituted solution: refrigerate at 2 to 8 degrees C, protected from light, and use within 3 to 4 weeks
• Do not freeze reconstituted peptide solution
• Avoid repeated temperature fluctuations

Dosing calculation example: At a concentration of 2 mg/mL (2,000 mcg/mL), a 300 mcg dose requires 0.15 mL (15 units on a standard U-100 insulin syringe).