Afamelanotide

Note: this article describes afamelanotide which is also known by the name melanotan I. afamelanotide should not be confused with melanotan II.

Afamelanotide (/ˌæfəmɛˈlænoʊtaɪd/ (INN) (brand name Scenesse), also known as melanotan I (or melanotan-1), originally developed at the University of Arizona and now by Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals, is a synthetic peptide and analogue of the naturally occurring melanocortin peptide hormone α-melanocyte stimulating hormone (α-MSH) that has been shown to induce the production of darkening dermal pigmentation through melanogenesis and thereby subsequently reduce sun (UV) damage to UV light-exposed skin in preliminary research and human clinical trials. Its amino acid sequence is Ac-Ser-Tyr-Ser-Nle-Glu-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Gly-Lys-Pro-Val-NH₂, and it is additionally known as [Nle,D-Phe]-α-MSH, which is sometimes abbreviated as NDP-MSH or NDP-α-MSH (especially in the scientific literature).