What Afamelanotide is
Afamelanotide is a melanocortin analog used in an approved photoprotection context and often discussed alongside melanotan peptides.
Afamelanotide is grouped under Approved / Clinical / Longevity + Skin on PeptideFactCheck because it matters because it separates real regulated melanocortin medicine from underground tanning-peptide culture.
The useful starting point is to separate the molecule itself from the internet story around it. It matters because it separates real regulated melanocortin medicine from underground tanning-peptide culture.
Why people keep looking it up
It matters because it separates real regulated melanocortin medicine from underground tanning-peptide culture.
Afamelanotide is a melanocortin analog used in an approved photoprotection context and often discussed alongside melanotan peptides.
Afamelanotide tends to stay in the conversation because it touches a familiar public theme: melanocortin receptor, pigmentation, and photoprotection. That makes it easy for the claim to travel faster than the evidence.
What the evidence can support right now
Approved peptide analog with clear human evidence for a specific use case.
Human trials and approved labeling support specific clinical use.
Mechanistic support follows melanocortin receptor pharmacology and pigmentation biology.
Why this page carries the current tier: Approved peptide analog with clear human evidence for a specific use case.
The current seed trail for Afamelanotide is pulling from 1 labels source, 1 regulatory source, and 1 literature source.
Safety, limits, and regulatory context
The approved medical use is narrower and more controlled than internet tanning-peptide narratives.
FDA-approved afamelanotide products exist for specific indications.
Editorial boundary: PeptideFactCheck does not publish dosing, cycling, sourcing, injection, or administration instructions for Afamelanotide. The job here is to explain the public claim, the mechanism story, the evidence strength, and the current limits.
Molecular and identifier data
The current PubChem match for Afamelanotide is CID 16197727. That gives the page a source-backed chemistry record rather than a placeholder identifier block.
- PubChem CID
- 16197727
- Formula
- C78H111N21O19
- Molecular weight
- 1646.8
- InChIKey
- UAHFGYDRQSXQEB-LEBBXHLNSA-N
Matched synonyms include Afamelanotide, Melanotan, 4-Norleucyl-7-phenylalanine-alpha-msh, DTXSID40226843, NDPMSH, (Nle(4),D-Phe(7))alpha-MSH, RefChem:57383, D02BB02.
Open PubChem recordClinical trial snapshot
The current ClinicalTrials.gov intervention query for Afamelanotide returns 23 study records. This does not prove efficacy by itself, but it does show whether the peptide is showing up in a formal trial registry rather than only in forums or vendor copy.
Literature snapshot
The current PubMed query for Afamelanotide returns 349 results. The articles below are a quick literature surface so the page shows actual papers instead of only generic evidence labels.
Label and regulatory records
For approved or clinically developed peptides, the page now pulls in official labeling and FDA-facing records where they exist. That makes the regulatory section materially more useful than a generic approved or not-approved tag.
- Brand names
- SCENESSE
- Generic names
- AFAMELANOTIDE
- Routes
- SUBCUTANEOUS
- Application numbers
- NDA210797
Indications and usage. SCENESSE ® is indicated to increase pain free light exposure in adult patients with a history of phototoxic reactions from erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP). SCENESSE is a melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1-R) agonist indicated to increase pain free light exposure in adult patients with a history of phototoxic reactions from erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP)
Warnings and cautions. Hypersensitivity Skin Monitoring Serious hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, have been reported with postmarket use of SCENESSE. Warn patients of the risk of hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis. If a serious hypersensitivity reaction occurs, initiate appropriate therapy and remove the SCENESSE implant if needed [ see Dosage and Administration ]. The patient should not receive any further...
Contraindications. CONTRAINDICATIONS SCENESSE is contraindicated in patients with a history of severe hypersensitivity reaction to afamelanotide or to any of the excipients in SCENESSE . Known hypersensitivity to afamelanotide or to any of the excipients in SCENESSE .
Source trail
Each linked source is shown directly so the page can be audited. The page now combines its editorial seed trail with automated official-source enrichment generated on 2026-04-24 from PubChem, ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, DailyMed, openFDA label, and Drugs@FDA.