A truncated GHRH receptor expressed by many cancers, the antagonists built against it, and what it means for the agonist

Published 26 October 2026 · REVIVE LAB UAE Research Desk · 5 min read
Tumour cell lines and human cancers of prostate, breast, lung, pancreas and other tissues express a splice variant of the GHRH receptor, SV1, in which the first exons are replaced so that the protein lacks much of its extracellular domain yet still responds to GHRH, and many of the same tumours produce GHRH themselves, forming an autocrine loop. Andrew Schally and colleagues developed a long series of GHRH antagonists — MZ-5-156, JV-1-38, MIA-602 and others — that slow growth of such tumours in mice, and reviewed this work through the 2000s and 2010s. The findings are preclinical and no antagonist has been approved, but they are the biological basis of the malignancy exclusion on the tesamorelin label: an agonist of a receptor that tumours use is not given where a tumour is active.

The variant

SV1 arises from alternative splicing that uses an intronic sequence in place of the first exons, giving a receptor with a different, shorter amino terminus. It binds GHRH with lower affinity than the pituitary receptor but signals through cyclic AMP and has been reported to have some constitutive activity. It is detected by antibody and by transcript in a wide range of tumour types and rarely in normal tissue outside the pituitary.

The pituitary receptor is also expressed in some tumours alongside it.

The antagonist programme

Modified GHRH 1-29 sequences with substitutions that block activation while preserving binding, given to mice bearing human tumour xenografts, reduced tumour growth and the expression of growth factors in a long series of reports from the Schally laboratory. The work extended to benign prostate enlargement and to inflammatory models. It has not progressed to approval, and independent replication is limited, but the body of evidence is large.

It is the pharmacological mirror of the agonist in this catalogue: the same receptor, approached to switch it off.

Why it is here

Because the tumour biology of the receptor is part of what is established about it and explains a contraindication. It describes preclinical oncology and no use of the pack.

Tesamorelin is supplied by REVIVE LAB UAE for laboratory research use only, with identity by mass spectrometry and purity by HPLC for the batch. It is not for human or veterinary use, and no dosing, administration or protocol guidance is provided.

What it costs

FormatStrengthPriceAvailability
Tesamorelin Pack20 mgAED 1010In stock

Delivery is AED 40 flat and free on orders over AED 700. Payment is cash on delivery anywhere in the UAE, or USDT (TRC20) in advance, which takes 5% off the order total.

Frequently asked

The variant?

SV1 arises from alternative splicing that uses an intronic sequence in place of the first exons, giving a receptor with a different, shorter amino terminus. It binds GHRH with lower affinity than the pituitary receptor but signals through cyclic AMP and has been reported to have some constitutive activity. It is detected by antibody and by transcript in a wide range of tumour types and rarely in normal tissue outside the pituitary.

Does REVIVE LAB UAE provide dosing guidance?

No. REVIVE LAB UAE supplies research materials and provides no dosing, administration or protocol guidance of any kind. Every product is sold for laboratory research use only and is not for human or veterinary consumption.

How fast is delivery in the UAE?

Stock is held in Dubai. An order confirmed before 4 PM Dubai time is dispatched the same working day, reaching Dubai and Abu Dhabi the same day and the remaining emirates within 24 hours. Delivery is AED 40 flat and free over AED 700.

Tesamorelin Pack — in stock, dispatched from Dubai
HPLC-verified, lot certificate on every carton, 24-hour delivery nationwide. Browse the catalogue → All peptides UAE

Related reading

Supplied for laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary consumption. REVIVE LAB UAE provides no dosing, administration or protocol guidance.