Source comparison
Tesamorelin Cost 2026: Brand-Name vs Compounded Pricing
Brand-name Egrifta (tesamorelin acetate for injection) retails at $2,400 to $2,800 per month as of early 2026. This reflects the 2mg daily dosing protocol approved for HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Approximately 60mg monthly at standard reconstitution. Therate
This comparison does not assign a generated winner or score.
- Brand-name Egrifta (tesamorelin acetate for injection) retails at $2,400 to $2,800 per month as of early 2026. This reflects the 2mg daily dosing protocol approved for HIV-associated lipodystrophy. Approximately 60mg monthly at standard reconstitution. Theratechnologies, the manufacturer, sets list pricing independent of production costs because patent protection eliminates price competition until exclusivity expires. Insurance coverage requires documented lipodystrophy diagnosis with imaging confirmation of excess visceral adipose tissue, prior authorisation review, and often step therapy requiring diet and exercise documentation before approval.
- Compounded tesamorelin from FDA-registered 503B facilities costs $800 to $1,200 monthly for equivalent dosing. These facilities synthesise tesamorelin to the same USP monograph standards as brand manufacturers but distribute under pharmacy compounding regulations rather than FDA drug approval pathways. The peptide sequence is identical. Both are synthetic 44-amino-acid analogues of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). But compounded versions skip the $200–$500 million Phase III trial investment that justifies premium pricing for branded drugs. Insurance rarely covers compounded peptides, making them cash-pay transactions in nearly all cases.
- The price difference isn't purity or potency. Third-party assays from accredited labs show compounded tesamorelin at 98–99.5% purity when sourced from reputable 503B pharmacies. Within the same range as Egrifta's Certificate of Analysis specifications. What you're not paying for with compounded versions: branded packaging, national advertising, sales force infrastructure, and the margin premiums built into rebate agreements between manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers.