Melanocortin

An FDA-approved melanocortin agonist for hypoactive sexual desire disorder in premenopausal women.

An unapproved melanocortin agonist studied for skin pigmentation and libido, with notable safety concerns.

An FDA-approved MC4R agonist for rare genetic forms of obesity driven by defects in the melanocortin pathway.

An FDA-approved melanocortin agonist that increases skin pigmentation to protect people with a rare light-sensitivity disorder.

The natural melanocortin hormone behind skin pigmentation, appetite, and inflammation, and the template for melanotan and related peptides.

An oral selective MC1R agonist, a small-molecule cousin of afamelanotide, that met its Phase 3 endpoint in the light-sensitivity disorder erythropoietic protoporphyria in January 2026.

Palatin's oral melanocortin-1 receptor agonist peptide for ulcerative colitis, with a small Phase 2 showing 33% remission versus 0% on placebo before the study was cut short for licensing.