Growth hormone releasing factor analogs

A pharmaceutical composition for stimulating the release of growth hormone in warm or cold-blooded animals comprising a compound having a sequence of from about twenty-nine (29) to about forty-four (44) amino acids (SEQ ID NO:

• 6) wherein Xaa at position 1 is Tyr, desNH.sub.2 Tyr, His, desNH.sub.2 His, or 3-MeHis;
• Xaa at position 2 is Val, Leu, lle, Ala, D-Ala, N-Methyl-D-Ala, Gly, Nle or Nval;
• Xaa at position 8 is Gln, Ser, or Thr;
• Xaa at position 15 is Ala or Leu;
• Xaa at position 27 is Met, Nle, or Leu;
• Xaa at position 28 is Ser or Asn;
• Xaa at position 29 is an amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:
• 7) or fragments thereof where the fragment is reduced in number from one to fifteen amino acid residues from the carboxy-terminus, where the carboxyl-terminus can be the free carboxylic acid or the corresponding amide, and the pharmaceutically acceptable acid or base addition salts thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.

A method of treating growth hormone related disorders characterized by growth hormone deficiencies or for improvement of growth performance in warm or cold-blooded animals comprising administering to said animal in need of such treatment a compound having a sequence of from about twenty-nine (29) to about forty-four (44) amino acids (SEQ ID NO:

• 6) wherein Xaa at position 1 is Tyr, desNH.sub.2 Tyr, His, desNH.sub.2 His, or 3-MeHis;
• Xaa at position 2 is Val, Leu, lle, Ala, D-Ala, N-Methyl-D-Ala, Gly, Nle or Nval;
• Xaa at position 8 is Gln, Ser, or Thr;
• Xaa at position 15 is Ala or Leu;
• Xaa at position 27 is Met, Nle, or Leu;
• Xaa at position 28 is Ser or Asn;
• Xaa at position 29 is an amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO:
• 7) or fragments thereof where the fragment is reduced in number from one to fifteen amino acid residues from the carboxyl-terminus, where the carboxyl-terminus can be the free carboxylic acid or the corresponding amide, and the pharmaceutically acceptable acid or base addition salts thereof, which is effective in treating growth hormone related disorders characterized by growth hormone deficiencies or for improvement of growth performance in warm or cold-blooded animals.