Melanotan I: research, legal status and who sells it

What it is

Melanotan I is [Nle4-D-Phe7]-alpha-MSH, a synthetic analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone that was tested clinically for skin tanning [8][9]. The same molecule, under the name afamelanotide, is the active ingredient of Scenesse [10]. It is a melanocortin-1 receptor agonist [11].

Research status

An early study in three men found that melanotan I darkened the skin, with minimal side effects, mainly occasional stomach upset and facial flushing [8]. In two randomized trials in people with erythropoietic protoporphyria, a painful light-sensitivity disorder, afamelanotide implants increased the time patients could spend in direct sunlight without pain and improved quality of life, with mostly mild adverse events [12]. In a study of patients treated for up to six years, afamelanotide did not trigger anti-drug antibodies [10].

Regulatory status

Afamelanotide was authorized in the EU as Scenesse in December 2014 [3] and approved by the FDA in October 2019 [1]. Scenesse is also licensed in Great Britain, listed by Health Canada and registered in Australia [2][4][6], where afamelanotide is Schedule 4 [5]. It is not named on WADA’s 2026 Prohibited List [7].

Quality and testing considerations

Scenesse is a controlled-release implant [11]. Products labeled “melanotan I” sold online are unregulated, and the UK medicines regulator has warned about the potential impurity of such tanning products [13]. A dermatology review links unregulated melanotan use with changes in existing moles and new atypical moles, and notes uncertainty about how these products are prepared [14]. Identity and purity should be confirmed by independent testing, particularly because melanotan I and melanotan II are different molecules sold under similar names [9].

Where it’s sold

In each market we track, the approved afamelanotide medicine is the prescription implant Scenesse [1][2][3][4][6]; the tables below track unregulated “melanotan I” listings.