Melanotan II: research, legal status and who sells it

What it is

Melanotan II is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) [9] and a non-selective melanocortin receptor agonist [10]. The approved drug bremelanotide (PT-141) was developed as an analogue of it [11].

Research status

Melanotan II was tested clinically for erectile dysfunction [11], and one early human trial was a 1996 pilot phase 1 study in three men [9]. It produced skin darkening, along with nausea, fatigue and drowsiness, and spontaneous erections [9]. Melanotan II never became an approved medicine [1]. Since then, unregulated use for tanning has generated case reports of melanoma, changes in existing moles and new atypical moles [12][13], as well as a case of kidney (renal) infarction [10]. FDA cites published case reports of melanoma, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, sympathomimetic toxidrome and priapism [2]. Conclusive evidence of a causal link is lacking, but reviewers stress that the substance is unlicensed and incompletely tested, so its risks are unknown [12][13].

Regulatory status

Melanotan II is not FDA-approved [1]. Its nomination for pharmacy compounding was withdrawn after FDA flagged these risks, and FDA plans to consult its compounding advisory committee on it before the end of February 2027 [2][14]. No melanotan II medicine is authorized in the UK, the EU or Canada [3][4][6]. Australia lists it in Schedule 4 (prescription-only) [7]. It is not named on WADA’s 2026 Prohibited List, although WADA’s section S0 bans substances with no current approval for human therapeutic use [8].

Quality and testing considerations

The UK medicines regulator has warned about the potential impurity of tanning products sold as melanotan and about blood-borne virus risks from needle sharing [15]. A dermatology review notes uncertainty about how unregulated melanotan products are prepared, and that multiple national health organizations have issued safety warnings [12].

Where it’s sold

Melanotan II is sold online as a “research use only” peptide; the tables below track listings.