Pair page
Melanotan I with Melanotan II
Mechanism-tag overlap and published literature for Melanotan I and Melanotan II, pulled verbatim from each Kalios compound profile. Kalios is a literature reference, not a recommendation.
Mechanism overlap
Mechanism tags are verbatim labels on each compound's profile. Generic tags ("peptide", "small-molecule", "research-chemical") are excluded from this overlap view. Tags are descriptive — not an inference about combined effect.
mc1r-selective-msh-analog
non-selective-melanocortin-agonisttanning-sexual
Co-administration notes from the literature
Verbatim summary text pulled from each compound's profile data. Researchers studying Melanotan I and Melanotan II have published these mechanism-level observations. Not a co-administration recommendation.
MT-I and MT-II should not be used together. They target the same MC1R pathway; combined exposure multiplies pigment and nevus stimulation without mechanistic rationale. Choose one based on goals and risk tolerance; prefer afamelanotide where the approved pathway fits the indication.
Linear 13-aa α-MSH analog, FDA-approved 2019 for erythropoietic protoporphyria. MC1R-biased selectivity with less central activity than MT-II. Slow-release implant; monthly subcutaneous dosing. The legitimate medical pathway for melanin stimulation.
Quick facts
Melanotan I
Melanotan II
Literature table
Classified references from each compound profile. Click a column header to sort. Click a PMID to open PubMed. Findings are quoted verbatim from each profile's literature_summary; nothing here is added or interpreted.
| Year | Compound | Source | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Melanotan I | Chen AC, Martin AJ, Choy B, Fernández-Peñas P, Dalziell RA, McKenzie CA, Scolyer RA, Dhillon HM, Vardy JL, Kricker A, St George G, Chinniah N, Halliday GM, Damian DL. A phase 3 randomized trial of nicotinamide for skin-cancer chemoprevention. N Engl J Med. 2015;373(17):1618-1626… PMID 26488693 | human trial, Phase 3 |
| — | Melanotan I | CLINUVEL Pharmaceuticals. CUV801 acute arterial ischaemic stroke proof-of-concept — Phase II clinical program summary. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05119296. | human trial, Phase 2 |
| 2015 | Melanotan I | Lim HW, Grimes PE, Agbai O, Hamzavi I, Henderson M, Haddican M, Linkner RV, Lebwohl M. Afamelanotide and narrowband UV-B phototherapy for the treatment of vitiligo: a randomized multicenter trial. JAMA Dermatol. 2015;151(1):42-50. PMID: 25587703. PMID 25587703 | human trial |
| 2015 | Melanotan I | Biolcati G, Marchesini E, Sorge F, Barbieri L, Schneider-Yin X, Minder EI. Long-term observational study of afamelanotide in 115 patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria. Br J Dermatol. 2015;172(6):1601-1612. PMID: 25494545. PMID 25494545 | human study |
| 1995 | Melanotan I | Valverde P, Healy E, Jackson I, Rees JL, Thody AJ. Variants of the melanocyte-stimulating hormone receptor gene are associated with red hair and fair skin in humans. Nat Genet. 1995;11(3):328-330. PMID: 7581459. PMID 7581459 | human study |
| 1992 | Melanotan I | Hadley ME, Hruby VJ. Discovery and development of novel melanogenic drugs: melanotan-I and -II. In: Crommelin DJA, Sindelar RD, Meibohm B, editors. Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. 1992;1st ed. | mechanism / discovery |
| 2017 | Melanotan I | Minder EI, Barman-Aksoezen J, Schneider-Yin X. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of afamelanotide and its clinical use in treating dermatologic disorders. Clin Pharmacokinet. 2017;56(8):815-823. PMID: 28063036. PMID 28063036 | pharmacology |
| 2019 | Melanotan I | FDA. Scenesse (afamelanotide) prescribing information. NDA 210797. Approved October 8, 2019. | regulatory / registry |
| 2015 | Melanotan I | Langendonk JG, Balwani M, Anderson KE, Bonkovsky HL, Anstey AV, Bissell DM, Bloomer J, Edwards C, Neumann NJ, Parker C, Phillips JD, Lim HW, Hamzavi I, Deybach JC, Kauppinen R, Rhodes LE, Frank J, Murphy GM, Karstens FPJ, Sijbrands EJG, de Rooij FWM, Lebwohl M, Naik H, Goding CR… PMID 26132941 | research article |
| 2013 | Melanotan I | Grimes PE, Hamzavi I, Lebwohl M, Ortonne JP, Lim HW. The efficacy of afamelanotide and narrowband UV-B phototherapy for repigmentation of vitiligo. JAMA Dermatol. 2013;149(1):68-73. PMID: 23207610. PMID 23207610 | research article |
| 2011 | Melanotan I | Haylett AK, Nie Z, Brownrigg M, Taylor R, Rhodes LE. Systemic photoprotection in solar urticaria with α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogue [Nle⁴,D-Phe⁷]-α-MSH. Br J Dermatol. 2011;164(2):407-414. PMID: 21054334. PMID 21054334 | research article |
| 2009 | Melanotan I | Falchi M, Bataille V, Hayward NK, Duffy DL, Bishop JA, Pastinen T, Cervino A, Zhao ZZ, Deloukas P, Soranzo N, Elder DE, Barrett JH, Martin NG, Bishop DT, Montgomery GW, Spector TD. Genome-wide association study identifies variants at 9p21 and 22q13 associated with development of… PMID 19578365 | research article |
| 1998 | Melanotan II | Wessells H, Fuciarelli K, Hansen J, Hadley ME, Hruby VJ, Dorr R, Levine N. Synthetic melanotropic peptide initiates erections in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction: double-blind, placebo controlled crossover study. J Urol. 1998;160(2):389-393. PMID: 9679884. PMID 9679884 | human trial |
| 1996 | Melanotan II | Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, Brooks C, Xiang L, Hruby VJ, Hadley ME. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study. Life Sci. 1996;58(20):1777-1784. PMID: 8637402. PMID 8637402 | human pilot |
| 2014 | Melanotan II | Rössler E, Salih V, Lee N, Bolz S, Pellacani G, Raposio E, Hönigsmann H. Melanocortin receptor agonists in the treatment of male and female sexual dysfunctions: results from basic research and clinical studies. Curr Top Med Chem. 2014;14(23):2670-2683. PMID: 25096243. PMID 25096243 | human study |
| 2004 | Melanotan II | Levine N, Dorr RT, Ertl GA, Brooks C, Alberts DS. Effects of a superpotent melanotropic peptide in combination with solar UV radiation on tanning of the skin in human volunteers. Arch Dermatol. 2004;140(9):1126-1129. PMID: 15262693. PMID 15262693 | human study |
| 2000 | Melanotan II | Wessells H, Gralnek D, Dorr R, Hruby VJ, Hadley ME, Levine N. Effect of an alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone analog on penile erection and sexual desire in men with organic erectile dysfunction. Urology. 2000;56(4):641-646. PMID: 11018622. PMID 11018622 | human study |
| 2005 | Melanotan II | Hadley ME. Discovery that a melanocortin regulates sexual functions in male and female humans. Peptides. 2005;26(10):1687-1689. PMID: 15996790. PMID 15996790 | mechanism / discovery |
| 2015 | Melanotan II | Gorrie S, Elwes R, Hardman G, Stratigos AJ. An unhealthy glow? A review of melanotan use and associated clinical outcomes. Australas J Dermatol. 2015;56(3):e66-e71. | review |
| 2015 | Melanotan II | Lengyel I. Melanotan-II (MT-II): a safety perspective on an unlicensed product. Drug Test Anal. 2015;7(11-12):989-994. | review |
| 2021 | Melanotan II | Melanotan tanning injection: a rare cause of priapism. Case report. 2021. PMC7930850. | case report |
| 2012 | Melanotan II | Ellis R, Lahiri R, Chandler J, Mohamed MB. Melanotan II injection resulting in systemic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2012;50(8):729-730. PMID: 23121206. PMID 23121206 | research article |
| 2011 | Melanotan II | Paurobally D, Jason F, Dezfoulian B, Nikkels AF. Melanotan-associated melanoma. Br J Dermatol. 2011;164(6):1403-1405. PMID: 21457222. PMID 21457222 | research article |
| 2010 | Melanotan II | Langan EA, Nie Z, Rhodes LE. Melanotropic peptides: more than just "Barbie drugs" and "sun-tan jabs"? Br J Dermatol. 2010;163(3):451-455. PMID: 20545686. PMID 20545686 | research article |
Related pair pages
More research context
Frequently asked
Have Melanotan I and Melanotan II been studied together?
Researchers have published mechanistic-level co-administration discussion of Melanotan I and Melanotan II. No human co-administration trials are catalogued in the Kalios profiles. The pair page lists each compound's classified literature; full citations sit on each individual profile.
What mechanisms do Melanotan I and Melanotan II share?
Melanotan I and Melanotan II do not share a specific mechanism tag on their Kalios profiles. They appear on the same pair page because at least one profile lists the other in its co-administration data.
What is the FDA status of Melanotan I and Melanotan II?
Melanotan I: Approved 2019 (EPP). Melanotan II: Not approved; MHRA banned. FDA-status text is pulled verbatim from each compound profile. See /fda-pcac-2026.html for the broader FDA Pharmacy Compounding Advisory Committee context.
Where can I find the full research on Melanotan I and Melanotan II?
Full citation lists, dosing tables from the literature, reconstitution data, and the FDA / WADA status are on the individual compound profiles: the Melanotan I profile and the Melanotan II profile. The Kalios Stack Research Tool hub lists every compound covered.
Last updated: April 2026