Research background · Updated November 1, 2026
MT-1 (Afamelanotide) Research: Publications, Study Types and Background
Short answer
MT-1 (Afamelanotide). As of November 1, 2026, PubMed indexes 121 records matching MT-1 (Afamelanotide), the earliest from 1993; 53 were published in 2021–2025 and 48 are reviews. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 23 registered studies matching the compound.
- PubMed records
- 121
- Earliest record
- 1993
- Published 2021–2025
- 53
- Reviews
- 48
- Animal-only studies
- 4
- Registered studies
- 23
Publications per year, 2006–2025
88 records in 2016–2025 against 35 in 2006–2015; the busiest year was 2023, with 17.
See the numbers
| Year | PubMed records |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 3 |
| 2010 | 4 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 9 |
| 2021 | 9 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 17 |
| 2024 | 14 |
| 2025 | 13 |
Study types
| All PubMed records | 121 |
|---|---|
| Reviews | 4840% |
| Animal studies (no human subjects indexed) | 43% |
| Indexed as clinical trials | 1210% |
| Registered on ClinicalTrials.gov | 23 |
Categories overlap and follow PubMed’s own indexing; recent records may not be indexed yet.
Primary research directions
What 1 of the most-cited and most recent MT-1 (Afamelanotide) papers report, in their own authors’ terms. Each line links the paper it came from.
Melanocortin-1 receptor and melanin
This review describes afamelanotide, a synthetic alpha-MSH analogue, as enhancing eumelanin production by binding the melanocortin-1 receptor, and states that since 2016 it has been used in erythropoietic protoporphyria, where subcutaneous use improved tolerance to artificial white light and increased pain-free time in direct sunlight.
ReviewPolańska A 2024Postepy dermatologii i alergologiiPMID 38784937
Most-studied topics
The Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic, across 121 of the 121 records. They describe what the literature is about, not what MT-1 (Afamelanotide) does.
- alpha-MSH41 papers
- Protoporphyria, Erythropoietic32 papers
- Vitiligo13 papers
- Dermatologic Agents10 papers
- Skin Pigmentation9 papers
- Dermatitis, Phototoxic6 papers
- Peptides, Cyclic5 papers
- Skin Diseases5 papers
Key papers
Earliest indexed record
Adam MP (1993). .
PMID 23016163Most-cited paper · 214 citations
Langendonk JG (2015). The New England journal of medicine.
PMID 26132941Most-cited #2 · 177 citations
Cong TX (2019). Archives of dermatological research.
PMID 30859308Most-cited #3 · 131 citations
Rodrigues M (2017). Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
PMID 28619557
Citation counts from NIH iCite, among the 121 records sampled. Titles are left out; open each record on PubMed to read it.
Identity
| CAS | 75921-69-6 |
|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C78H111N21O19 |
| Molecular weight | 1646.8 g/mol |
| Synonyms | Afamelanotide, Melanotan, 4-Norleucyl-7-phenylalanine-alpha-msh, DTXSID40226843, NDPMSH |
Identity data from PubChem, retrieved November 1, 2026, on the MT-1 (Afamelanotide) page.
How these numbers were counted
- PubMed search, run November 1, 2026:
afamelanotide[tiab] OR "melanotan I"[tiab] OR "melanotan-I"[tiab]re-run it. Study types add PubMed’s own filters (review, clinical trial, animals not humans). - Topics: MeSH major-topic headings counted across up to 400 of the matching records; headings for study set-up (species, sex, age) are left out.
- Citations: NIH iCite citation counts for the same records.
- ClinicalTrials.gov search:
afamelanotidere-run it. Any phase, any status.
This page reports what has been published and what papers say they found, with each source linked. It gives no dosing or usage information, and nothing here is a reason to use MT-1 (Afamelanotide) outside a laboratory.
Wholesale supply
MT-1 (Afamelanotide), sourced to order for research.
Not held in the listed catalog. Tell us the vial size and the number of vials and we come back with availability, documentation and pricing in writing.
MT-1 (Afamelanotide) research questions
How much research has been published on MT-1 (Afamelanotide)?
PubMed indexes 121 records matching MT-1 (Afamelanotide) (searched November 1, 2026), including 48 reviews and 12 records indexed as clinical trials. 53 were published in the five years 2021–2025.
When was MT-1 (Afamelanotide) first described in the literature?
The earliest PubMed record matching MT-1 (Afamelanotide) is from 1993 (Adam MP, , PMID 23016163).
What topics does the MT-1 (Afamelanotide) literature cover?
The subject headings PubMed indexers most often marked as a main topic of MT-1 (Afamelanotide) papers are alpha-MSH, Protoporphyria, Erythropoietic, Vitiligo, Dermatologic Agents. These describe what the literature is about. Findings from individual papers, with their sources, are summarized on this page.
Is MT-1 (Afamelanotide) sold for human use?
No. Vanta Foundry supplies it for laboratory research use only. Not for human or veterinary use, and not a drug, food, cosmetic or dietary supplement.
Where can I buy MT-1 (Afamelanotide) wholesale for research?
We source MT-1 (Afamelanotide) to order rather than stock it. Tell us the vial size and number of vials on WhatsApp or by email and the quote confirms availability, documentation and pricing.
Research materials supplied by Vanta Foundry are for laboratory research use only. They are not for human or veterinary use and are not drugs, foods, cosmetics or dietary supplements. Websites and payment processing are business services for research-supply brands.
All compounds: research peptide publication statistics.