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Certificate of analysis (CoA)

A document reporting the lab test results for a specific batch of a drug ingredient or product, such as identity, purity, and contaminants.

By the glp1.how editorial teamReviewed

A certificate of analysis (CoA) is a batch-specific document from a manufacturer or testing lab. It lists what was tested and the results against defined specifications, typically identity, purity or potency, and contaminants such as endotoxin or heavy metals. In legitimate pharmaceutical supply chains, a compounding pharmacy receives a CoA with each lot of active pharmaceutical ingredient it buys and keeps it on file.

A CoA is only as trustworthy as the lab that produced it and the chain of custody behind it. Grey-market "research peptide" sellers routinely post CoAs, but independent test purchases have found vial contents that don't match the paperwork. Treat a CoA on a website as marketing until an accredited third party has verified it. See research peptides and GLP-1 medications.

Federal compounding law requires the bulk drug substances a 503A pharmacy uses to come with a valid certificate of analysis (21 U.S.C. 353a (external link)).

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Revision history

Updated 2 times since Sep 2, 2026 · show changes
  1. v3

    Body revised

  2. v2

    Body revised

  3. v1

    Change tracking began

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Related terms

  • API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) · The raw drug substance in a medication that produces its effect — for example, semaglutide itself, before it is formulated into a pen or vial.
  • Compounding pharmacy · A pharmacy licensed to prepare customized medications, including compounded versions of GLP-1 drugs, outside of standard manufacturer production.
  • Endotoxin · A toxin from the outer wall of certain bacteria that can contaminate poorly made injectable products and trigger fever, chills, and serious reactions.
  • Peptide · A short chain of amino acids: the molecular structure of the natural hormones GLP-1 medications mimic, and of most of the medications themselves.

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