Tesamorelin

What is tesamorelin?

Tesamorelin is used to reduce excess stomach-area (abdominal) fat in HIV-infected adult patients with lipodystrophy. It is injected subcutaneously (under the skin) once a day.

Tesamorelin is made with growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF).

Tesamorelin for injection is the only medication approved in the U.S. for the reduction of excess abdominal fat in adults with HIV who have lipodystrophy. It is available in 2 formulations, Egrifta SV and Egrifta WR.

Egrifta WR is a new formulation that was FDA approved on March 25, 2025. It is injected daily, but only needs weekly reconstitution.

Egrifta WR requires less than half the administration volume of Egrifta SV (approved October 19, 2019), which is reconstituted daily.

These 2 formulations are not substitutable because they have differences in the dosage, the number of vials required to prepare a dose, reconstitution instructions, and storage requirements.

Tesamorelin is not a weight-loss medication and should not be used to treat obesity.

Tesamorelin side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using tesamorelin and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

swelling in your hands, ankles, or feet;

pain or stiffness in your muscles or joints;

pain in your arms or legs;

wrist pain or numbness;

numbness or tingling in your hands or fingers;

pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest;

high blood sugar (increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, dry mouth, fruity breath odor, drowsiness, dry skin, blurred vision, weight loss);

Less serious side effects may include:

depressed mood, sleep problems (insomnia);

night sweats;

mild rash or itching;

muscle spasm;

nausea, vomiting, upset stomach;

pain, redness, itching, swelling, bruising, bleeding, or other irritation where the injection was given;

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects tothe  FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tesamorelin side effects (more detail)

Warnings

Tesamorelin can harm an unborn baby or cause birth defects. Do not use if you are pregnant.

You should not use tesamorelin if you are allergic to it, or if you have a history of tumor or surgery of your pituitary gland, a history of head injury, or radiation treatment,