Peptide LibraryThyrotropin Alfa
Thyrotropin Alfa is a research peptide in the TSH Receptor Agonist class. Thyrotropin alfa is a heterodimeric glycoprotein produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells with the same amino acid sequence as pituitary TSH. It binds the TSH receptor on thyroid follicular cells, increasing iodine uptake and thyroglobulin release.
For research use only.
Key Facts
- CAS
- —
- Molecular Weight (MW)
- —
- Half-life
- —
- FDA status
- Approved
- Evidence level
- FDA Approved
- Human dose established
- Yes
- Administration Route
- Intramuscular
- Frequency
- Two injections 24 hours apart
- Last updated
- Nov 7, 2026
- Reviewed
- Nov 7, 2026
Research summary
Recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone approved as an adjunctive diagnostic for serum thyroglobulin testing with or without radioiodine imaging, and as an adjunct to radioiodine ablation of thyroid remnant tissue.
Research evidence
- Regulatory review (FDA label)2 reviewed sources
- Controlled human trialsNone in reviewed sources
- Early or uncontrolled human studiesNone in reviewed sources
- Lab & animal studiesNone in reviewed sources
How it works
Each step shows whether the sources Peptide Library has reviewed include that kind of research. Counts are reviewed sources, not every study ever published. Reviews and programme summaries that describe human use are shown as "reported", not as trials, and registered trials without published results are listed but not counted. A higher step means research has progressed further; it does not mean a compound works better or is safer. Compounds whose evidence has not been reviewed yet show "Not reviewed" instead of a guess.
Peptide Library's Thyrotropin Alfa profile summarises 5 cited studies listed in the Science section, the compound's regulatory status, and research-protocol parameters reported for it. It is a research reference, not medical advice.
Thyrotropin Alfa dosage evidence
Thyrotropin alfa has an FDA-approved human dosage as THYROGEN for people who have had thyroidectomy for well-differentiated thyroid cancer. The label regimen is two 0.9 mg intramuscular injections into the buttock 24 hours apart, used before serum thyroglobulin testing (with or without radioiodine imaging) or as an adjunct to radioiodine ablation of thyroid remnants.
| Human dosing established | Yes |
|---|---|
| Studied dose range | 0.9 mg intramuscularly, two injections 24 hours apart |
| Route | Intramuscular |
| Frequency | Two injections 24 hours apart |
| Duration studied | One two-injection course per test or ablation |
| Evidence level | FDA Approved |
| Last reviewed | 2026-11-07 |
Research-reported dosing
Doses as studied, one row per regimen. Different trials used different regimens; they are listed separately rather than averaged.
| Study / context | Population | Dose | Route | Frequency | Duration | Outcome studied | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDA label — THYROGEN, diagnostic thyroglobulin testingFDA-approved label · FDA prescribing information | Patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer who have had thyroidectomy | 0.9 mg, then a second 0.9 mg 24 hours later | Intramuscular (buttock); not intravenous | Two injections 24 hours apart | Serum thyroglobulin sampled 72 hours after the final injection; radioiodine for scanning given 24 hours after the second injection | Adjunctive diagnostic tool in thyroid cancer follow-up | THYROGEN (thyrotropin alfa) for injection — FDA prescribing information (Genzyme), DailyMed |
| FDA label — THYROGEN, adjunct to remnant ablationFDA-approved label · FDA prescribing information | Patients after near-total or total thyroidectomy for well-differentiated thyroid cancer, without evidence of distant metastases | 0.9 mg, then a second 0.9 mg 24 hours later | Intramuscular (buttock); not intravenous | Two injections 24 hours apart | Oral radioiodine given 24 hours after the second injection | Radioiodine ablation of thyroid tissue remnants | THYROGEN (thyrotropin alfa) for injection — FDA prescribing information (Genzyme), DailyMed |
Where sources disagree
- The label's trials compare THYROGEN with thyroid hormone withdrawal. Its limitations of use say THYROGEN-stimulated thyroglobulin levels are generally lower than, and do not correlate with, levels after withdrawal, and that a risk of missing thyroid cancer remains even with radioiodine imaging.
- The label warns of THYROGEN-induced hyperthyroidism, stroke in female patients, neurologic events in patients with central nervous system metastases, and sudden, painful enlargement of distant metastatic thyroid cancer.
Science
Mechanism of Action
Thyrotropin alfa is a heterodimeric glycoprotein produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells with the same amino acid sequence as pituitary TSH. It binds the TSH receptor on thyroid follicular cells, increasing iodine uptake and thyroglobulin release. This allows follow-up testing without withdrawing thyroid hormone replacement, avoiding the hypothyroid state that withdrawal otherwise requires.
Studies
- [Pharmacological profiles and clinical effects of recombinant human thyrotropin alfa (Thyrogen) Intramuscular Injection 0.9 mg)]
- The effectiveness of recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone versus thyroid hormone withdrawal prior to radioiodine remnant ablation in thyroid cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
- Non-surgical approach to the benign nodular goiter: new opportunities by recombinant human TSH-stimulated 131I-therapy
- Review on the occasion of a decade of recombinant human TSH: prospects and novel uses
- Recombinant human TSH testing for recurrent thyroid cancer: a re-appraisal
Research statistics
584 PubMed publications · 71.3% human clinical research · 26 registered trials
Counts of published research through 2026-11-01, not evidence that it works. Publications by year, study types and trials · How publications are counted
Regulatory & research status
Thyrotropin Alfa is an FDA-approved product for specific labelled indications. Approval does not extend to the research contexts described on this page, and approved products are prescription medicines.
| FDA status | Approved |
|---|---|
| Research status | Approved product (see FDA status) |
| Availability | Prescription-Only |
| WADA (sport) | Unknown / Not Listed |
| Library classification | FDA-Approved |
How FDA approval, compounding and research-only status differ
Benefits
—
Thyrotropin Alfa side effects
No side effects listed yet for this entry.
Storage & stability
This compound is not supplied as a powder to be mixed, so the freeze-dried powder and reconstitution handling described for research peptides does not apply. Storage conditions are product-specific: follow the label or packaging of the product itself.
Thyrotropin Alfa: frequently asked questions
What is Thyrotropin Alfa?
Recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone approved as an adjunctive diagnostic for serum thyroglobulin testing with or without radioiodine imaging, and as an adjunct to radioiodine ablation of thyroid remnant tissue.
How does Thyrotropin Alfa work?
Thyrotropin alfa is a heterodimeric glycoprotein produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells with the same amino acid sequence as pituitary TSH. It binds the TSH receptor on thyroid follicular cells, increasing iodine uptake and thyroglobulin release.
Is Thyrotropin Alfa FDA approved?
Yes. Thyrotropin Alfa is approved by the FDA, and approved products are prescription medicines. Approval is always for specific indications studied in clinical trials, so an approved status does not mean the compound is approved for every use it is discussed for. Research-chemical material sold under the same name is not the approved product.
What peptides are similar to Thyrotropin Alfa?
Compounds most often compared with Thyrotropin Alfa include Angiotensin II, Cetrorelix, Corticorelin and Cosyntropin. They are grouped by shared mechanism or research area rather than by equivalence, and their regulatory status and evidence base differ.
References
- [Pharmacological profiles and clinical effects of recombinant human thyrotropin alfa (Thyrogen) Intramuscular Injection 0.9 mg)] — Nihon Yakurigaku Zasshi, 2009External reference
- The effectiveness of recombinant human thyroid-stimulating hormone versus thyroid hormone withdrawal prior to radioiodine remnant ablation in thyroid cancer: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials — J Korean Med Sci, 2014External reference
- Non-surgical approach to the benign nodular goiter: new opportunities by recombinant human TSH-stimulated 131I-therapy — Endocrine, 2011External reference
- Review on the occasion of a decade of recombinant human TSH: prospects and novel uses — Thyroid, 2008External reference
- Recombinant human TSH testing for recurrent thyroid cancer: a re-appraisal — Thyroid, 2002External reference
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Compiled by Peptide Library Editorial · Reviewed Aug 30, 2026 · Updated Nov 7, 2026 · Version 2
This Thyrotropin Alfa profile is compiled from published literature (5 cited studies linked above), public regulatory records and chemical registries. It describes what research reports; it is not medical advice, and nothing here is a dosing recommendation for humans. Peptide Library does not sell peptides. Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled · Report an error
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