MT-2 10mg (Melanotan II)

MT-2 was developed in the late 1980s from structure–activity work on cyclic lactam analogues of α-MSH, in which cyclising the peptide was designed to increase potency and resistance to enzymatic breakdown (Al-Obeidi et al., 1989). Because it activates several melanocortin receptor subtypes at once, it is used as a broad reference agonist in melanocortin receptor pharmacology, including cell-based receptor assays and rodent studies of MC4R signalling in energy balance.

A result obtained with MT-2 reflects activity at every melanocortin receptor expressed in the system being studied, so attributing an effect to one receptor needs additional controls. Most published work is preclinical; a small number of early-phase human studies were published in the 1990s (for example Dorr et al., 1996), and MT-2 has never been approved as a medicine by any regulator. A fuller explanation is in What Is MT-2?

MT-2 and MT-1 10mg (afamelanotide) are different compounds. MT-2 is a seven-residue cyclic peptide; MT-1 is a thirteen-residue linear analogue of α-MSH. Their documentation, certificates and research uses are separate.

Independent analytical reports for MT-2 10mg are published on the CoA page and in the Certificate of Analysis section of this page. Each report applies to the vial and batch it names, so when stock changes the testing record is updated rather than this description.

Purity and content are different results. Purity is the share of detected material that is Melanotan II; content is how much Melanotan II was measured in the vial. A report on one vial does not show that every vial or batch gives the same result. Each report also states which analyses were run; where a report does not name the analytical method or include a separate mass-spectrometry identity test, it should not be read as confirming them.

The identifiers above (sequence, formula, molecular weight, CAS, UNII and PubChem numbers) are reference values for Melanotan II from the NCATS Global Substance Registration System and PubChem. They describe the compound, not test results for a particular vial, and they refer to the free peptide; the salt form supplied (for example acetate) has not yet been confirmed by the manufacturer.

Storage requirements for this product are being verified with the manufacturer. Please contact ASCEND before purchasing for information about the current product batch.

• Al-Obeidi F, Castrucci AM, Hadley ME, Hruby VJ. Potent and prolonged acting cyclic lactam analogues of α-melanotropin: design based on molecular dynamics. J Med Chem. 1989;32(12):2555–2561. University of Arizona record
• Dorr RT, Lines R, Levine N, et al. Evaluation of melanotan-II, a superpotent cyclic melanotropic peptide in a pilot phase-I clinical study. Life Sci. 1996;58(20):1777–1784. University of Arizona record
• Melanotan II substance record, UNII UPF5CJ93X7: formula C50H69N15O9, MW 1024.18, CAS 121062-08-6. NCATS Global Substance Registration System. GSRS UPF5CJ93X7
• Melanotan II compound record, CID 92432. PubChem. PubChem 92432