Tesamorelin Online: Egrifta vs Compounded, and What It Costs
Tesamorelin is the only growth-hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) analog with a current FDA approval, and that approval is narrow: reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Here is what it costs online, what the trials showed, and how it differs from sermorelin. Dosing math is on our tesamorelin profile, linked below.
Quick answer
- Compounded, online: Live Vital lists $499 for a 10-week compounded protocol (it advertises $166/mo; that is about $216 per calendar month if continued). Checked Oct 8, 2026.
- Brand-name Egrifta WR: about $10,709 per 28-day kit at a cash price (Drugs.com listing, Oct 8, 2026). Insurance usually covers it only for the approved HIV indication.
- Tesamorelin vs sermorelin: tesamorelin has an FDA approval and phase 3 visceral-fat trials; sermorelin has no approved product today but costs less online, from $99/mo.
Tesamorelin prices, cheapest first
| Seller | Product | Price | Status | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Live Vital | Tesamorelin, 10-week protocolAbout $50 a week, or roughly $216 per calendar month if continued | $499 per 10-week protocol (advertised as $166/mo)seller's list price | Compounded (not FDA-approved) | Doctor-prescribed after a medical intake (free 15-minute phone consult offered), licensed US pharmacy, unlimited messaging; dose set by the physician |
| Egrifta WR (Theratechnologies) | Brand tesamorelin, 1 kit = 4 vials, a 28-day supply | About $10,709 per kit, cash (Drugs.com listing)seller's list price | FDA-approved brand | Medication only. Approved only for HIV-associated lipodystrophy; insurance or the maker’s THERA co-pay program may lower the cost for that use |
Sorted by the lowest published monthly cost. "Starting at" prices can change after a clinician sets your dose. Linked brands are affiliate or applied-for programs (rel="sponsored"); other sellers are listed as plain text for price context only.
What the trials showed, and for whom
Two 26-week, placebo-controlled phase 3 trials enrolled 816 adults with HIV on stable antiretroviral therapy and excess abdominal fat. Daily 2 mg tesamorelin cut visceral fat (measured by CT) by 18% and 14% in the two studies, against +2% and −2% on placebo (Egrifta WR label). In the first trial, published in NEJM, triglycerides and the cholesterol-to-HDL ratio also improved.
In a pooled analysis, fat under the skin of the abdomen did not change significantly over the first 26 weeks, and in patients who kept taking tesamorelin the visceral-fat reduction held through 52 weeks. Body weight barely moved: the label calls the effect weight-neutral.
These trials studied one population: adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. They do not show what tesamorelin does for people without that condition, and we make no claims about other uses.
Tesamorelin vs sermorelin: the differences that matter
Both are GHRH analogs that prompt the pituitary to release growth hormone. Neither is better for everyone; the differences are approval, evidence, cost and monitoring.
| Tesamorelin | Sermorelin | |
|---|---|---|
| FDA status | Approved as Egrifta for excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy only | No approved product. Geref was discontinued in 2008; FDA found it was not withdrawn for safety or effectiveness |
| What telehealth sells | Compounded (no FDA compounding pathway for a biologic) or brand Egrifta by prescription | Compounded only |
| Molecule | 44-amino-acid GHRH analog | The first 29 amino acids of GHRH |
| Visceral-fat evidence | Two 26-week phase 3 trials in HIV lipodystrophy (816 patients) | Its former approval (Geref) was for children with growth hormone deficiency; never approved for visceral fat |
| Online cost | Live Vital $499 per 10 weeks; Egrifta WR about $10,709 per 28 days cash | From $99/mo (CoreAge Rx); see our sermorelin page |
| Monitoring | Label: check IGF-1 during treatment and glucose before and during; consider stopping if IGF-1 stays high | No current US label; monitoring varies by clinic |
| Contraindications | Label: disrupted hypothalamic-pituitary axis, active cancer, hypersensitivity, pregnancy | No current US label; ask the prescriber |
| Tested athletes | Prohibited (WADA S2.2.4) | Prohibited (WADA S2.2.4) |
Safety points from the FDA label
- Raises IGF-1, a growth factor; the effect of long-term high IGF-1 is unknown, so the label says to monitor it.
- Can cause glucose intolerance or diabetes: in the trials, 5% on tesamorelin vs 1% on placebo developed an HbA1c of 6.5% or higher.
- Fluid retention (swelling, joint pain, carpal tunnel), injection-site reactions and hypersensitivity reactions.
- Not for use with active cancer, a disrupted hypothalamic-pituitary axis (for example after pituitary surgery or radiation), or in pregnancy.
Who shouldn’t buy it online
Tested athletes (WADA prohibits it at all times), anyone with active cancer, a disrupted hypothalamic-pituitary axis or a pregnancy, anyone told to avoid growth-hormone-related treatment, and anyone offered “research use only” vials instead of a prescription.
FAQ
Is tesamorelin FDA-approved?
Yes, but only as Egrifta (Egrifta SV and Egrifta WR) for reducing excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. The label says it is not for weight-loss management. Other uses are off-label, and compounded tesamorelin is not FDA-approved.
How much does tesamorelin cost online?
On Oct 8, 2026: Live Vital charged $499 for a 10-week compounded protocol (advertised as $166/mo). Brand-name Egrifta WR listed at about $10,709 per 28-day kit at a cash price on Drugs.com; insurance may cover it for the approved HIV indication.
Is tesamorelin better than sermorelin?
Not across the board. Tesamorelin has an FDA approval and phase 3 trials showing visceral-fat reduction in adults with HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Sermorelin has no approved product today but costs less online. Which fits depends on your health, goals and budget; a clinician should decide.
Do I need labs for tesamorelin?
The Egrifta label says to monitor IGF-1 during treatment and to check glucose before and during therapy. Ask any online provider what labs they order and how often.
Can athletes use tesamorelin?
No for tested athletes: WADA lists tesamorelin by name under growth hormone releasing factors (S2.2.4), prohibited in and out of competition.
Related
Sources
Prices and product facts come from each seller's own pages, read Oct 8, 2026. We link only to sellers we have an affiliate relationship with and to government and research sources; other sellers' prices are quoted as plain text.
- FDA: Egrifta WR prescribing information (March 2025)
- FDA Purple Book: Egrifta, Egrifta SV, Egrifta WR (BLA 022505)
- FDA: Notice to compounders, changes as of March 23, 2020
- FDA: NDAs for biological products deemed BLAs on March 23, 2020 (includes Egrifta)
- FDA: Compounding questions and answers (can biologics be compounded?)
- Falutz et al., NEJM 2007: tesamorelin in HIV patients with abdominal fat
- Falutz et al., JCEM 2010: pooled phase 3 analysis with 52-week data
- Federal Register (2013): Geref (sermorelin) not withdrawn for safety or effectiveness
- WADA: Prohibited List (S2.2.4)
- CoreAge Rx: sermorelin from $99/mo