AOD 9604 is a synthetic peptide derived from the C-terminal fragment of human growth hormone (hGH). It was developed with the goal of harnessing the fat-burning properties of hGH without its full range of hormonal effects, particularly focusing on weight loss and fat metabolism. AOD 9604 operates by stimulating lipolysis (the breakdown of fat) and inhibiting lipogenesis (the conversion of non-fatty foods into body fat) in test subjects.