database / melanocortin
Afamelanotide
also known as Melanotan I, NDP-α-MSH, Scenesse
Skeletal structure drawn from the computed atomic coordinates in PubChem CID 16197727. Carbons are implicit vertices; hydrogens on carbon are suppressed, as in any structural formula. Nothing here is estimated — every atom sits where PubChem placed it.
Research reference only. The observations below are recorded in the cited literature. Nothing here is advice or a recommendation, and no dosing information is published on this site.
Sequence
Primary structure not characterised in the public records this index draws on. Nothing is shown rather than something invented.
Ac-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Nle-Glu-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-Lys-Pro-Val-NH2 — norleucine and D-Phe substitutions on the α-MSH backbone.
Molecular data
| molecular formula | C78H111N21O19 |
|---|---|
| molecular weight | 1646.8 Da (PubChem) |
| computed backbone mass | not characterised |
| length | not characterised |
| net charge (pH 7.4) | not characterised |
| mean hydropathy | not characterised |
| half-life | not characterised |
| delivery route | subcutaneous implant |
| PubChem CID | 16197727 |
| PDB | not characterised |
| UniProt parent | P01189 |
Mechanism
MC1R agonist; approved for erythropoietic protoporphyria.
Reported targets: MC1R
Experimental structure
No experimental structure of this peptide is deposited in the PDB. Nothing is rendered here — a predicted fold would not be a structure, and this site does not draw one.
Parent protein
Analogue of α-MSH, a POMC cleavage product. UniProt P01189 · 267 aa
Reported effects
Each row is an outcome described in the literature indexed for this peptide. Reported in the cited work — not a claim, not a recommendation.
| reported outcome | where it appears |
|---|---|
| melanogenesis | [Hormones and skin pigmentation: fundamentals and clinical relevance] Dermatologie (Heidelberg, Germany) 2026 |
| phototoxicity reduction in trials | German Cohort Observational Study to Investigate the Short- and Long-Term Sa… Photodermatology, photoimmunology & photomedicine 2025 |
Registered trials
| NCT | title | status | phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCT00979745 | Phase III Confirmatory Study in Erythropoietic Protoporphyria (EPP) | COMPLETED | PHASE3 |
| NCT05159752 | A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of Afamelanotide in Patients With Xeroderma Pigm | UNKNOWN | PHASE2 |
| NCT04053270 | Multicentre Phase III Erythropoietic Protoporphyria Study | COMPLETED | PHASE3 |
| NCT04578496 | A Safety Extension Study in Patients With Erythropoietic Protoporphyria (EPP) | COMPLETED | PHASE3 |
| NCT06388642 | Pharmacokinetics of Afamelanotide in Erythropoietic Protoporphyria Patients | COMPLETED | PHASE1, PHASE2 |
Literature (8)
[Hormones and skin pigmentation: fundamentals and clinical relevance] — Dermatologie (Heidelberg, Germany) 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 41489668 · DOI 10.1007/s00105-025-05636-4
German Cohort Observational Study to Investigate the Short- and Long-Term Safety and Clinical Effectiveness of Afamelanotide 16 mg (SCENESSE) in Patients With Erythropoietic Protoporphyria (EPP) — Photodermatology, photoimmunology & photomedicine 2025
BackgroundAfamelanotide 16 mg (SCENESSE) is the first approved treatment for erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP). EPP is a rare autosomal recessive inherited disorder of the haem biosynthesis pathway, where patients experience severe and debilitating acute phototoxicity. It affects at least one in 140,000 of the European population. A postauthorisation safety study (PASS) and a disease registry were imposed as conditions of the European marketing authorisation.ObjectivesEvaluate the short- and long-term safety and clinical effectiveness of afamelanotide 16 mg in EPP patients enrolled in the PASS in Germany.MethodsThe PASS (EUPAS13004) is an ongoing observational study collecting safety and effectiveness variables from treated and untreated EPP patients in the European EPP Disease Registry. Patients (n = 200, none untreated) received afamelanotide according to the summary of product chara…
open access ↗ · PMID 40082741 · DOI 10.1111/phpp.13012
The α-MSH-MC1R Axis Modulates Sex-Specific Senescence and Inflammation Processes in Human Articular Chondrocytes and Mice Knee Joints — Aging and disease 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 41824482 · DOI 10.14336/ad.2025.1307
Afamelanotide improves quality of life and light tolerance in Austrian erythropoietic protoporphyria patients — Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft = Journal of the German Society of Dermatology : JDDG 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 41793078 · DOI 10.1111/ddg.15996
Adjunctive use of Polypodium leucotomos extract in patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria: An exploratory study — Photochemistry and photobiology 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 41766687 · DOI 10.1111/php.70081
New and currently investigated pharmacotherapies for the erythropoietic protoporphyrias: spotlight on dersimelagon and bitopertin — Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
publisher record ↗ · PMID 41885813 · DOI 10.1080/14656566.2026.2651281
New pharmacotherapies for the erythropoietic protoporphyrias: an analysis of trial protocols from a patient perspective — Orphanet journal of rare diseases 2025
BACKGROUND: The erythropoietic protoporphyrias (EPP) are a group of ultra-rare (1:100.000) inborn errors of the heme biosynthesis characterised by painful phototoxic reactions in tissue exposed to visible light. Afamelanotide is the only approved treatment for EPP and effectively prevents phototoxic reactions and improves the quality of life of the patients. In the past years, several new potential treatment options for EPP have been identified, some of which are currently under investigation in clinical trials. While these developments could improve patient care, it is important to know how safety and efficacy of drug candidates compare to the existing treatment, i.e. afamelanotide. METHODS: We identified pharmacotherapies (leaving out, for example, topical applications such as sunscreens or supplements such as iron) which are currently (that is, within the last 5 years) evaluated for E…
open access ↗ · PMID 41466311 · DOI 10.1186/s13023-025-04170-9
From darkness to light: Case report on afamelanotide-treatment in a 9-year-old child with erythropoietic protoporphyria — JAAD case reports 2026
abstract not reproduced — this record is not open-access, so it is linked rather than copied.
open access ↗ · PMID 41542313 · DOI 10.1016/j.jdcr.2025.11.022
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