ML10 - Melanotan 2 - 10 MG - Research Use Only

Product definition

What is Melanotan 2?

Melanotan 2 is a cyclic heptapeptide α-MSH analog binding MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R — studied in preclinical models for melanin synthesis, sexual function, and appetite suppression via the melanocortin system.

Melanotan 2 is a cyclic analog of α-MSH, developed by Victor Hruby's group at the University of Arizona as part of a program to create stable, potent melanocortin receptor agonists for studying the physiological roles of the MC receptor family. The cyclization via a disulfide bridge between cysteines at positions 4 and 10 dramatically increases potency over the linear α-MSH sequence and confers resistance to enzymatic degradation. The compound's research profile spans three distinct biological systems: (1) pigmentation biology, where MC1R activation on melanocytes promotes eumelanin synthesis with documented rodent and early human volunteer tanning data; (2) sexual behavior pharmacology, where MC4R activation in hypothalamic and limbic structures produces erection and sexual motivation effects in rat models, leading to the derivative compound PT-141 (bremelanotide); (3) appetite and feeding behavior, where MC4R/MC3R activation in the arcuate nucleus and paraventricular nucleus produces food intake suppression in rodent feeding models.

Research context

What does the preclinical literature say about Melanotan 2?

Melanotan 2 was developed in the 1990s by Victor Hruby's group at the University of Arizona as part of a systematic program to create stable melanocortin receptor agonists for studying the MC receptor family's diverse physiological roles. The original motivation was photoprotection: developing a pharmacological tanning agent that could reduce UV-induced skin cancer risk. This research produced compelling rodent pigmentation data that was subsequently evaluated in early human volunteer studies. The sexual function research emerged unexpectedly: investigators studying MT-2's pigmentation effects in male rats observed spontaneous erections as a side effect, leading to the deliberate investigation of MC4R's role in sexual arousal mechanisms. This discovery produced the PT-141 development program, which ultimately achieved FDA approval as bremelanotide (Vyleesi) — making the Melanotan 2 research lineage one of the few cases where preclinical peptide research produced a regulatory-approved therapeutic. The appetite research dimension arose from the observation that MC4R knockout mice develop severe obesity, establishing MC4R as a critical node in energy balance regulation. MT-2's effects in feeding behavior models, combined with MC3R co-agonism (which regulates energy partitioning), have supported investigation of the melanocortin system as a potential anti-obesity target.