Afamelanotide

Afamelanotide is a first-in-class synthetic 13-amino acid peptide analogue of the endogenous alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH). It acts as an agonist at the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) on melanocytes, stimulating the production of eumelanin pigment in the skin. This increased melanin provides photoprotection by blocking light penetration and reducing phototoxic reactions. Afamelanotide is primarily indicated for increasing pain-free light exposure in adults with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), a rare genetic disorder characterized by extreme sensitivity to sunlight and artificial light. The drug is administered as a subcutaneous implant and was approved in Europe in 2014 and by the FDA in 2019[1][2][3][5][6].

Brand names

Scenesse

Other names

Nle4-D-Phe7-α-MSHCUV1647CUV-1647CUV 1647