PT-141 (Bremelanotide)

A synthetic heptapeptide and melanocortin receptor agonist, approved in the US under the name Vyleesi for a specific form of low sexual desire in women.

PT-141 (bremelanotide) is a seven-amino-acid peptide developed at Palatin Technologies as a follow-on compound to melanotan II. Unlike melanotan II, which was studied mainly for skin pigmentation, research on bremelanotide focused on the central regulation of sexual desire. Since 2019, the compound has been approved in the US under the name Vyleesi for the indication hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women.

Facts

• CAS number: 189691-06-3
• Molecular weight: 1025.2 g/mol
• Amino acids: 7
• Halbwertszeit: ≈ 2.7 hours (terminal half-life, Vyleesi prescribing information)
• Purity specification: ≥ 99 % (HPLC, commercial standard)

Evidence

• Studies in female rats showed increased sexual solicitation behavior after bremelanotide administration, mediated by dopamine release following activation of MC4 receptors in the medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus. Pfaus JG et al. 2007, The Journal of Sexual Medicine, PMID 17958619
• In two randomized, placebo-controlled phase 3 trials (RECONNECT) in premenopausal women with HSDD, bremelanotide improved sexual desire and related distress more than placebo. Kingsberg SA, Clayton AH, Portman D et al. 2019, Obstetrics & Gynecology, PMID 31599840
• A pooled analysis of 43 clinical studies with roughly 3,500 participants documented nausea, flushing, headache, and transient blood pressure increases as the most common adverse effects of bremelanotide. Clayton AH et al. 2022, Journal of Women's Health, PMID 35147466

Frequently asked questions

Is PT-141 the same as melanotan II
No. Both trace back to related melanocortin structures, but PT-141 (bremelanotide) was specifically studied for sexual desire, while melanotan II was researched mainly for skin pigmentation. Only bremelanotide reached market approval in the US, as Vyleesi.

Is bremelanotide an approved medication
In the US, yes: since 2019 bremelanotide has been approved under the name Vyleesi for the indication of HSDD in premenopausal women. In Germany and the EU, no drug approval exists, and the substance is classed as a research chemical there.

What side effects were observed in studies
The most frequently documented effects were nausea, flushing, headache, and transient blood pressure increases after administration. According to the FDA label, the substance is contraindicated in uncontrolled hypertension or known cardiovascular disease.

Documented prices

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