MT-1
Synthetic α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) analogue with high MC1R selectivity
- Class
- MC1R agonist
- Half-life
- ~30-40 min (plasma)
- Route
- Subcutaneous (SubQ)
- Cadence
- Cycled (on/off)
- Evidence
- Human clinical trials
Overview
MT-1 (afamelanotide) is a synthetic 13-amino-acid peptide engineered to mimic α-MSH — the natural hormone that tells your skin to make pigment. Unlike most peptides in the research-market space, this one has a real FDA approval: Scenesse, a slow-release subcutaneous implant for erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), a rare genetic disorder where even a few minutes of sunlight causes excruciating pain. The drug works by binding tightly to the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) on melanocytes, triggering eumelanin synthesis — the dark pigment that protects DNA from UV damage. It doesn't make you more sensitive to sun; it mimics what UV exposure does at the cellular level, minus the DNA damage.
It's different from its cousin Melanotan-2 (MT-2) in one critical way: receptor selectivity. MT-1 binds almost exclusively to MC1R. MT-2 also hits MC4R hard, the receptor tied to appetite and sexual function, which is why MT-2 causes nausea, spontaneous erections, and appetite suppression at much lower doses. MT-1 avoids most of that because its affinity for MC4R is about 1000-fold weaker. The trade-off: MT-1 requires higher doses and doesn't tan as fast.
The approved form is a 16 mg rice-grain-sized implant placed under your skin every ~60 days. In EPP trials, people tolerated a median 69.4 hours of direct sunlight over six months on the drug vs 40.8 hours on placebo — a 70% increase. But the research-market version you'll see sold is injectable powder, dosed daily or every other day at far lower milligram amounts. It's the same peptide, but without FDA batch verification, purity varies wildly between suppliers. Nausea hits 25-40% of users during the dose ramp, and skin darkening starts within 5-10 days if paired with UV exposure.
Safety considerations
A few of the safety signals worth knowing — the full list, with dosing context and what to monitor, is inside AIx Core.
- FDA-approved as Scenesse (16 mg implant) for EPP only — injectable research-market versions are not FDA-approved for any indication.
- Nausea is common (25-40% of users in trials) during the first 1-2 weeks; slowing the dose ramp or splitting doses helps.
- Darkens existing moles and freckles — any new or changing moles should be evaluated by a dermatologist. One case report linked unregulated 'melanotan' use to melanoma in situ, but causality is unclear and confounded by unlicensed product purity.
+ 3 more safety notes inside AIx Core →
Commonly monitored
Markers and signals people track when researching MT-1.
- Skin pigmentation changes — darkening of moles, freckles, and overall tone
- Nausea severity and timing (usually worst during the first 1-2 weeks)
- Injection-site reactions — redness, itching, or implant-site discomfort if using depot form
- New or changing moles — any atypical changes should be checked by a dermatologist
- UV exposure habits — track sun time and burn incidents to assess photoprotection
Frequently asked questions
What is MT-1?
Synthetic α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) analogue with high MC1R selectivity. MT-1 (afamelanotide) is a synthetic 13-amino-acid peptide engineered to mimic α-MSH — the natural hormone that tells your skin to make pigment. Unlike most peptides in the research-market space, this one has a real FDA approval: Scenesse, a slow-release subcutaneous implant for erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), a rare genetic disorder where even a few minutes of sunlight causes excruciating pain. The drug works by binding tightly to the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) on melanocytes, triggering eumelanin synthesis — the dark pigment that protects DNA from UV damage. It doesn't make you more sensitive to sun; it mimics what UV exposure does at the cellular level, minus the DNA damage.
How is MT-1 administered?
Subcutaneous (SubQ), typically cycled (on/off).
What is the half-life of MT-1?
~30-40 min (plasma) — Plasma half-life is short; approved implant formulation extends release over weeks.
Is MT-1 approved for human use?
MT-1 is investigational — not approved by the FDA, EMA, or MHRA for human use at the time of writing.
What does the evidence show for MT-1?
Evidence tier: Human clinical trials. FDA approval (2019) was based on two phase-3 RCTs (EU: 74 patients, US: 94 patients) using 16 mg subcutaneous implants every ~60 days. Primary endpoint: total hours in direct sunlight (10 AM - 6 PM) without pain over 180 days. MT-1 group: median 69.4 hours vs placebo 40.8 hours (Langendonk et al., NEJM 2015).
What is commonly monitored when researching MT-1?
Commonly tracked markers + signals: Skin pigmentation changes — darkening of moles, freckles, and overall tone, Nausea severity and timing (usually worst during the first 1-2 weeks), Injection-site reactions — redness, itching, or implant-site discomfort if using depot form, New or changing moles — any atypical changes should be checked by a dermatologist, UV exposure habits — track sun time and burn incidents to assess photoprotection.
Open this in AIx Core for the full picture
Mechanism breakdown, receptor pathway diagram, full safety list, monitored items, source citations, and one-tap add-to-protocol. Free with any account.