Description
PrymaLab · Research use only
Preloaded Autoinjector | Melanotan 2 | 3ml Pen | 10mg
Melanotan II in bacteriostatic water, 10 mg in a preloaded 3 mL pen (3.33 mg/mL)
Melanotan II is a cyclic seven-residue analogue of alpha-MSH, closed by a lactam bridge and amidated at its C-terminus, that acts at several melanocortin receptors. This preloaded pen holds 10 mg of melanotan II dissolved in 3 mL of bacteriostatic water, about 3.33 mg/mL, so there is no powder to make up. The published work on the peptide is small: preformulation chemistry, two small human studies reported in 1996 and 2000, and a run of case reports tied to products sold online.
Specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Compound | Melanotan II (acetate) Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH₂; supplied as the acetate salt, values quoted for the free peptide |
| CAS number | 121062-08-6 |
| Molecular formula | C50H69N15O9 |
| Theoretical mass | 1024.2 Da |
| Sequence / structure | Ac-Nle-cyclo[D-H-[D-Phe]-R-W-K]-NH₂ (7 residues; Asp–Lys side-chain lactam; N-acetyl; C-terminal amide) |
| Contents | Melanotan II (acetate): 10 mg per 3 mL pen (0.33% w/v) |
| Form | Sterile aqueous solution in bacteriostatic water (0.9% benzyl alcohol), supplied in a 3 mL glass cartridge inside a preloaded autoinjector pen fitted with a needle |
| Storage, sealed | Store at 2–8 °C in the original carton, protected from light |
| Safety data sheet | PL-SDS-109 |
What is in the pen
The 3 mL glass cartridge holds a sterile aqueous solution. The safety data sheet lists melanotan II at 0.33% w/v, 10 mg per pen, in bacteriostatic water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol as an antimicrobial preservative. The peptide is the acetate salt of Ac-Nle-cyclo[Asp-His-D-Phe-Arg-Trp-Lys]-NH2, the same compound as the MT-2 10 mg vial, with figures quoted for the free peptide (1024.2 Da). On that basis the pen holds about 9.8 µmol, roughly 3.3 mM. The SDS does not classify the peptide; benzyl alcohol is listed as harmful if swallowed or inhaled, a serious eye irritant and a skin sensitiser.
Keep the pen at 2 to 8 °C in its carton, protected from light, and capped once opened. It must not be frozen, and a pen whose solution has frozen, discoloured or clouded should be discarded. The peptide pen vs vial article sets out how the two formats differ.
What the research covers
In its first human study melanotan II was described as a lactam-bridged cyclic heptapeptide with superpotent melanotropic activity in vitro1. That pilot trial in three healthy men also recorded nausea, somnolence and a stretching and yawning complex1. Lan and colleagues characterised the molecule’s ionisation in 1994, estimating the pKa of its histidine at 6.54 and its arginine at 11.722, so its charge in solution shifts around neutral pH.
The safety literature is mostly about material bought online. Nelson and colleagues reported a man who developed sympathomimetic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis after using melanotan II bought on the internet to darken his skin, with tachycardia, raised creatinine and creatine kinase that kept climbing after admission to intensive care3.
None of the cited papers measured how long melanotan II stays intact in solution, in bacteriostatic water or otherwise, so the storage limits on the safety data sheet are the ones to follow. The full literature, including the pigmentation and erection studies and the regulatory record, is in the melanotan 1 vs melanotan 2 guide.
How each lot is tested
Every lot is tested in PrymaLab’s own laboratory in Ashland, Kentucky before release: RP-HPLC for purity, LC-MS for identity, Karl Fischer titration for water, LAL for endotoxin and USP <71> for sterility. Published certificates are listed on the results page and can be checked by number and key on the verify page. The certificate covers the peptide lot used to fill the pen, not the finished solution. These are in-house results from PrymaLab Analytical, not an independent test, and the lab is not accredited to ISO 17025. The third-party testing guarantee on this page still applies: if any independent laboratory finds the wrong compound, or less than the stated purity or amount, the order is refunded and the cost of the test is reimbursed.
Frequently asked questions
How does the pen differ from the MT-2 vial?
The vial holds 10 mg of freeze-dried melanotan II acetate kept at −20 °C. The pen holds the same 10 mg already in 3 mL of bacteriostatic water and is kept at 2 to 8 °C. The vial leaves the concentration to the laboratory; the pen fixes it at about 3.33 mg/mL.
Has melanotan II been studied in solution?
Only indirectly. Preformulation work measured its dissociation constants and partition coefficient, but none of the papers on this page tracked its stability in bacteriostatic water over time. The SDS conditions, 2 to 8 °C, dark and never frozen, are what the pen should be kept under.
What does the certificate cover for the pen?
It covers the melanotan II lot used to fill the pen, tested in PrymaLab's own laboratory, rather than the finished solution in the cartridge. The testing section on this page explains where certificates are published and how a certificate is verified.
Is the pen for human use?
No. The melanotan II pen is sold only for laboratory research. Melanotan II has no approval for human or veterinary use anywhere, and the pen must not be given to people or animals.
References
- 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):1777-84. DOI · PubMed
- Lan EL, Ugwu SO, Blanchard J, et al. Preformulation studies with melanotan-II: a potential skin cancer chemopreventive peptide. J Pharm Sci. 1994;83(8):1081-4. DOI · PubMed
- Nelson ME, Bryant SM, Aks SE. Melanotan II injection resulting in systemic toxicity and rhabdomyolysis. Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2012;50(10):1169-73. DOI · PubMed
Research use only
For laboratory research use only. This product is not a drug, food, cosmetic or dietary supplement, is not approved by the FDA or any comparable authority for human or veterinary use, and must not be given to people or animals. It is sold to qualified researchers and institutions, and the buyer is responsible for lawful handling and disposal.
Other formats of Melanotan 2
Melanotan 2 is also stocked as Melanotan II 10mg Nasal Spray and MT-1 (Melanotan 1) 10mg. Each listing states its own quantity and concentration, and the pen and vial comparison explains what changes between formats.
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