Product Usage: For Research Use Only – Not for Human or Veterinary Use

This product is not a drug, food, cosmetic, or dietary supplement and has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is strictly intended for in vitro research by qualified professionals. Any use in humans or animals is strictly prohibited and may violate federal, state, or local laws, including the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. No therapeutic or diagnostic application is implied or permitted. The purchaser assumes all responsibility for compliance with applicable regulations.

Melanotan II research vial

Melanotan 2 – 10mg

10mg, lyophilized — must be reconstituted. Melanotan II is a synthetic melanocortin-receptor agonist that research has examined extensively for its interaction with melanogenesis and appetite-related signaling pathways in laboratory models. Supplied at research-grade purity for laboratory use only.

$225.00

Researchers who buy Melanotan 2 research peptide are typically studying its behavior as a non-selective melanocortin-receptor agonist, engaging MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R subtypes with a cyclic peptide structure that confers substantially greater receptor-binding potency and metabolic stability than native alpha-MSH. The summary below reflects the published preclinical and clinical literature and is provided strictly for research and educational reference — it does not describe an intended effect of this product in humans or animals.

Buy Melanotan 2 research peptide 10mg vial by First Class Science

In this reference:

What Is Melanotan 2?

Melanotan 2 (Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-DPhe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2) is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide analog containing the melanocortin 4-10 receptor-binding region shared with native alpha-MSH and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), modified with a lactam bridge that confers a cyclic structure. Published pharmacology characterizes it as a non-selective agonist across MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R receptor subtypes, in contrast to PT-141 (bremelanotide)’s more selective MC3R/MC4R activity profile.

Researchers should understand that Melanotan 2, unlike PT-141, has never completed an FDA drug-approval pathway for any indication. It is not a pharmaceutical product; it has been studied in early-phase clinical research examining its melanocortin-receptor pharmacology, but that published clinical-research record does not constitute FDA approval, and Melanotan 2 has also been the subject of documented regulatory and public-health scrutiny regarding unauthorized, non-research use — a distinction researchers evaluating this compound’s regulatory landscape should be aware of.

Proposed Mechanism of Action

Published pharmacology describes Melanotan 2 as a non-selective melanocortin-receptor agonist, engaging MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R with substantially greater potency and metabolic stability than native alpha-MSH, attributed to its cyclic lactam-bridge structure resisting the enzymatic degradation that limits linear melanocortin peptides. A pilot phase I clinical study characterizing this receptor pharmacology reported dose-dependent activity following subcutaneous administration, with study authors noting the compound’s non-selective receptor engagement produced effects attributed to multiple receptor subtypes simultaneously — melanogenesis (MC1R), documented spontaneous erectile responses (proposed as MC3R/MC4R-mediated), and other systemic effects (Dorr RT, et al., Life Sci. 1996;58(20):1777-84; PMID 8637402).

Because Melanotan 2 activates multiple melanocortin receptors simultaneously rather than a single selective target, published research has proposed it as a less mechanistically isolated research tool than newer, receptor-selective melanocortin analogs — a distinction relevant to researchers designing protocols that require isolating a specific receptor pathway.

Chemical Identity

Sequence Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-DPhe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2
Molecular Formula C50H69N15O9
Molecular Weight ~1024.2 g/mol
Structure Cyclic heptapeptide
Appearance White to off-white lyophilized powder

Purity, Storage & Quality

First Class Science supplies this Melanotan 2 research peptide vial at research-grade purity, verified by independent third-party HPLC testing and mass spectrometry. A Certificate of Analysis is available for every batch at our Certificate of Analysis page, listing the specific lot’s purity result, molecular-weight confirmation, and test date.

Store the lyophilized (freeze-dried) compound at −20°C for long-term stability. This vial must be reconstituted with bacteriostatic or sterile water before laboratory use; after reconstitution, refrigerate at 2–8°C and use within 4–6 weeks. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles and prolonged exposure to light or room-temperature conditions, both of which are associated with accelerated peptide degradation in handling literature.

Important: This item is manufactured strictly for research purposes. It is not intended for human or veterinary use and is distributed solely for laboratory and scientific investigation.

Preparing Solutions for Laboratory Use

Laboratories reconstituting lyophilized Melanotan 2 for in vitro or animal-model research typically follow standard peptide-handling practice: the vial is brought to room temperature before opening, and a diluent — commonly reconstitution solution or sterile water for injection (SWFI) — is added slowly down the interior wall of the vial rather than directly onto the lyophilized material, to reduce foaming and mechanical stress on the peptide. The vial is then gently swirled, never shaken, until the powder is fully dissolved.

Stock-solution concentration for a given protocol is calculated by dividing the total peptide mass in the vial by the volume of diluent added, and that calculation should be recorded in the study’s protocol documentation. This page describes general laboratory reconstitution practice for research use and is not a dosing guide for human or animal administration.

Quality Control Methodology

Each production batch of this Melanotan 2 research peptide undergoes independent third-party testing before release. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) confirms purity by measuring the proportion of the target peptide relative to synthesis by-products or degradation fragments. Mass spectrometry separately confirms molecular identity, verifying that the measured mass of the material matches the expected ~1024.2 g/mol molecular weight of Melanotan 2. Both results are recorded on the batch’s published Certificate of Analysis, letting researchers independently verify identity and purity rather than relying on manufacturer claims alone.

Who Should Buy Melanotan 2 Research Peptide

Researchers who buy Melanotan 2 from First Class Science are typically university and academic laboratories, contract research organizations (CROs), and biotechnology R&D teams running in vitro receptor-binding assays or animal-model studies on non-selective melanocortin-receptor pharmacology. First Class Science requires that all research-peptide orders be placed by parties who acknowledge and agree to the research-use-only terms stated on this page prior to purchase.

Research Applications

The published literature on Melanotan 2 spans several distinct research areas. Each is summarized below strictly as a description of what has been studied in animal, in vitro, or controlled clinical-trial models — not as a claim about effects for any individual using this product.

Non-Selective Melanocortin-Receptor Pharmacology Research

The foundational pilot clinical study (Dorr et al., 1996, PMID 8637402) established Melanotan 2’s multi-receptor pharmacology profile and remains the primary published human dose-response reference for this compound.

Melanogenesis Research

Melanotan 2’s MC1R agonist activity has been studied in the context of melanocyte-stimulation and pigmentation research, a research thread separate from and predating its later-characterized MC3R/MC4R activity.

Comparative Melanocortin-Receptor Selectivity Research

Because Melanotan 2 is non-selective across four receptor subtypes while newer analogs such as bremelanotide (PT-141) show greater MC3R/MC4R selectivity, published and comparative pharmacology literature frequently positions Melanotan 2 as a reference compound in structure-activity research on melanocortin-receptor selectivity engineering.

What the Human Evidence Shows

Researchers evaluating Melanotan 2 should know that a pilot phase I clinical study exists in the published literature — but it remains an early-phase, small-scale dose-escalation study, not a completed drug-development program. The Dorr et al. (1996) study administered subcutaneous Melanotan 2 to research subjects over a 2-week dose-escalation protocol and reported dose-dependent melanogenic and other receptor-mediated effects, alongside documented adverse reactions including nausea, flushing, and loss of appetite (PMID 8637402).

This pilot-phase clinical record does not constitute FDA approval, does not establish safety or efficacy for any indication, and does not support human self-administration outside a formal clinical-research setting. Melanotan 2 is not an FDA-approved drug for any indication, has not completed a drug-development pathway, and is not evaluated by the FDA for safety or efficacy in humans or animals. Researchers should also be aware that Melanotan 2 has been the subject of documented public-health and regulatory scrutiny in several jurisdictions regarding unauthorized, non-research distribution and use, separate from its legitimate research-literature record — a distinction relevant to understanding this compound’s overall regulatory landscape.

This distinction matters for how findings from this page should be characterized. A researcher citing the Dorr et al. pilot study in a grant application or protocol design should describe it accurately as a small, early-phase dose-escalation study, not as an established safety or efficacy record.

Melanotan 2 is studied within the broader melanocortin-receptor research family. First Class Science supplies a related preparation for researchers running comparative studies:

PT-141 – 10mg (bremelanotide) is a more receptor-selective melanocortin analog, active primarily at MC3R/MC4R rather than Melanotan 2’s non-selective four-receptor profile, and is commonly studied alongside Melanotan 2 in comparative receptor-selectivity research. Unlike Melanotan 2, bremelanotide’s pharmaceutical formulation (Vyleesi) has completed FDA approval for a specific indication — full detail is available on PT-141’s own product page.

Each related preparation carries its own Certificate of Analysis and is subject to the same research-use-only terms described on this page.

Common Research Study Designs

Published studies referenced throughout this page typically fall into two designs: in vitro melanocortin-receptor binding and pharmacology assays isolating receptor-subtype-specific activity; and a single pilot phase I human dose-escalation study. Understanding which design underlies a given finding is important context for interpreting the strength of any individual claim in the literature — a small pilot dose-escalation study carries different evidentiary weight than a completed, FDA-reviewed drug-development program.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purity of this Melanotan 2 research peptide?
Every batch is independently verified via third-party HPLC and mass-spectrometry testing, with a Certificate of Analysis published for each lot.

How should Melanotan 2 research peptide be stored?
Store the lyophilized powder at −20°C. After reconstitution, refrigerate at 2–8°C and use within 4–6 weeks; avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

Is Melanotan 2 approved for human or animal use?
No. Melanotan 2 is not an FDA-approved drug for any indication and has not completed a drug-development pathway. It is sold exclusively for in vitro and laboratory research use.

Has Melanotan 2 been tested in humans at all?
Yes, in a limited pilot phase I dose-escalation study (PMID 8637402) that characterized its multi-receptor pharmacology and reported dose-dependent effects and adverse reactions. This is early-phase research, not a completed safety or efficacy record, and does not establish FDA approval.

How does Melanotan 2 differ from PT-141?
Melanotan 2 is a non-selective agonist across MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R. PT-141 (bremelanotide) is more selective for MC3R/MC4R. PT-141’s pharmaceutical formulation (Vyleesi) is FDA-approved for a specific indication; Melanotan 2 has no FDA-approved formulation.

What does the Certificate of Analysis show?
The Certificate of Analysis published for each batch shows the HPLC purity result, mass-spectrometry molecular-weight confirmation, lot number, and test date, allowing researchers to independently verify the identity and purity of the specific batch they receive.

Can Melanotan 2 research peptide be shipped internationally?
Shipping availability and any import restrictions for research peptides vary by destination country and are subject to change; researchers should confirm their local import regulations for research-use-only compounds before ordering.

Shipping, Handling & Compliance

This Melanotan 2 research peptide ships as a lyophilized powder in a sealed glass vial, packaged to maintain cold-chain integrity in transit where applicable. All orders are subject to the research-use-only terms stated on this page, and First Class Science does not sell this or any other research peptide for human or veterinary administration under any circumstance.

Order tracking, batch-specific documentation requests, and general product questions can be directed to First Class Science customer support, which can confirm current lead times and any destination-specific documentation a receiving institution may require for its own compliance records.

Disclaimer: The research summarized above is drawn from third-party published studies conducted in vitro or in a limited clinical-research context. It is provided for research and educational reference only and does not describe an intended use, effect, or benefit of this product for any person or animal.

⊗ ALL ITEMS ARE SOLD FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY. This category covers strictly in vitro laboratory testing and scientific experimentation. Content on this site is for education only and does not authorize human or animal use of any kind, which is prohibited by law. Only trained, licensed professionals should handle these materials. Nothing sold here qualifies as a drug, food, or cosmetic, and none of it may be labeled, advertised, or used as such.