Melanotan 2

Both are synthetic analogues of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone that act on melanocortin receptors. Melanotan 1 (afamelanotide) is a linear 13-amino-acid peptide with Nle4 and D-Phe7 substitutions, and it is an approved active ingredient in a prescription implant. Melanotan 2 is a smaller cyclic heptapeptide that binds several melanocortin receptor subtypes; it has never been approved anywhere.

Nearly, but not quite. PT-141 (bremelanotide) is a metabolite of Melanotan 2 and has the same cyclic seven-residue ring; the only difference is at the C-terminus, a free acid (-OH) on PT-141 versus an amide (-NH2) on Melanotan 2. Both bind several melanocortin receptors. PT-141 is an FDA-approved active ingredient, while Melanotan 2 has never been approved.

Melanotan 2 (MT-II) is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide, Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2, and an analogue of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH). It was developed at the University of Arizona and binds several melanocortin receptors (MC1R, MC3R, MC4R and MC5R). "Melanotan 2 acetate" is the acetate salt form in which it is usually supplied, and the mg figure is the peptide content of the vial.

Yes. Melanotan 2 is a cyclic peptide of seven amino acids, closed into a ring by a lactam bridge between aspartic acid and lysine. It contains norleucine and D-phenylalanine in place of residues of the natural hormone α-MSH, and it is capped with an N-terminal acetyl group and a C-terminal amide.

No. Melanotan 2 has never been approved by the FDA or any other major drug regulator, and regulators in several countries have warned against products sold for personal use. As of October 2026 it is an unapproved research peptide, and the material sold here is a laboratory reagent only.

Research on Melanotan 2 has been mainly in cell and rodent models, examining melanocortin receptor pharmacology, melanin synthesis (melanogenesis) in pigment cells, and MC4R pathways involved in appetite and energy balance. Small early-phase clinical studies were carried out at the University of Arizona in the 1990s, and it was not developed further. Findings in cells or animals do not establish effects in people.

Yes, for storage. Keep the sealed lyophilized Melanotan 2 vial refrigerated at 2–8 °C, or frozen at −20 °C for long-term storage, away from light. Once reconstituted, keep it refrigerated and avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Like any peptide it does degrade over time; use it within the dating shown on the label and the lot's Certificate of Analysis.

Melanotan 2: molecular formula C50H69N15O9; molecular weight 1024.18 g/mol; CAS number 121062-08-6. Sequence: Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2. Match these identifiers against the Certificate of Analysis for the lot.

Yes. Each lot has its own Certificate of Analysis, linked on this page for the current lot of each size: 10mg (99.22% HPLC purity). Past certificates are archived in the COA library; contact us with the lot number on the vial label if a certificate is missing.

99.22% (HPLC, current lot). Purity is measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and reported on the lot's Certificate of Analysis.

Melanotan 2 is supplied as lyophilized powder in a sealed vial: 10mg. In stock and dispatched in 1–2 business days. Quantity pricing applies automatically at 5+ and 10+ vials of the same size.

Store sealed at −20 °C, dry and protected from light.