Vendor comparison · 2026
Melanotan I vendors: 22 compared on COAs and price
DermatologicalAlso known as Afamelanotide, Melanotan-1, MT-1, NDP-MSH
Evidence tier
Regulator-reviewed human evidence
2 human trials · 1 review · 1 observational
- Vendors carrying it
- 22
- 19 with a listed price
- Vendors with checkable COAs
- 11
- 12 publish any certificate
- Lots tested
- 12
- 11 naming a checkable lab
- Independent assays
- 0
- none on file yet
- Newest assay
- 17 Sept 2026
- oldest 20 Nov 2025
- Laboratories named
- 7
- most often Freedom Diagnostics Testing
- Median label gap
- 3.8%
- 67% of lots within 5% of label
- Median purity
- 99.81%
- 12 of 12 lots at 99% or above
- Lowest price per mg
- $3.00
- peer median $4.19
- Publications located
- 345
- researched since 1980
Source: PepIndex, an independent index of research-peptide vendors. No vendor can pay for a rank, every score is computed by a published formula, and every figure links to the document it was read from.
Origin Labs has the most checkable Melanotan I testing in this index: 1 lot assayed by Freedom Diagnostics Testing, the newest on 31 Jul 2026. The lowest listed price is $3.00 per mg at Amino Club, against a peer median of $4.19. 22 vendors carrying Melanotan I are compared below. 11 publish at least one certificate naming a checkable laboratory, 12 lot records are on file, and none is an independently commissioned assay. Figures are PepIndex's own: it is an independent index of research-peptide vendors, no vendor can pay for a rank, and each figure links to the certificate it was read from.
Every vendor carrying Melanotan I
| # | Vendor | Score here | Price / mg | Lots | Newest test | Laboratory | Mean purity | Label gap | Reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Origin LabsISO/IEC 17025 | 96.9100% | — | 1 / 1 | Freedom Diagnostics Testing | 99.8% | 0.7% | ||
| 2 | Next Gen PeptidesISO/IEC 17025 | 93.697% | — | 1 / 1 | ILS Laboratories | 99.2% | 3.6% | ||
| 3 | Amino ClubISO/IEC 17025Age-gated COAs | 91.298% | $3.00 (72%) | 0 | — | — | — | — | |
| 4 | Ascend ScienceISO/IEC 17025 | 8894% | $3.85 (92%) | 0 | — | — | — | — | |
| 5 | PeptidePlugs | 85.294% | $4.00 (96%) | 1 / 1 | Freedom Diagnostics Testing | 99.9% | 0.7% | ||
| 6 | One Aminos | 85.189% | $3.50 (84%) | 1 / 1 | United Laboratories | 99.6% | 3.9% | ||
| 7 | Hydro Research PeptidesISO/IEC 17025 | 84.389% | $3.00 (72%) | 0 / 1 | Not named | 99.6% | 15.0% | ||
| 8 | NeuroLabs Research | 80.891% | $4.19 (100%) | 1 / 1 | Freedom Diagnostics Testing | 99.3% | 14.1% | ||
| 9 | Stealth Research Labs | 80.691% | $4.50 (107%) | 1 / 1 | Bioviridian Inc. | 99.9% | 2.4% | ||
| 10 | Bench Grade Peptides | 78.789% | $4.60 (110%) | 1 / 1 | AV Analytics | 99.8% | 0.6% | ||
| 11 | Simple Peptide | 77.692% | $4.50 (107%) | 1 / 1 | Freedom Diagnostics Testing | 99.9% | 16.2% | ||
| 12 | Ascension Peptides | 77.589% | $5.00 (119%) | 1 / 1 | MZ Biolabs | 99.5% | 4.8% | ||
| 13 | Prime PeptidesISO/IEC 17025 | 74.296% | $4.50 (107%) | 0 | — | — | — | — | no reportVisit site |
| 14 | Protide HealthAge-gated COAs | 74.292% | $5.00 (119%) | 0 | — | — | — | — | no reportVisit site |
| 15 | Northline LabsISO/IEC 17025 | 7195% | — | 1 / 1 | ILS Laboratories | 99.8% | 5.1% | ||
| 16 | Good Science Bio | 70.871% | $3.50 (84%) | 0 | — | — | — | — | no reportVisit site |
| 17 | True Research Labs | 65.468% | $3.90 (93%) | 0 | — | — | — | — | no reportVisit site |
| 18 | Eternal Peptides | 64.863% | $3.60 (86%) | 0 | — | — | — | — | no reportVisit site |
| 19 | Biotech Peptides | 6460% | $3.80 (91%) | 0 | — | — | — | — | no reportVisit site |
| 20 | BioLongevity Labs | 60.872% | $5.60 (134%) | 0 | — | — | — | — | no reportVisit site |
| 21 | Licensed Peptides | 60.687% | $8.80 (210%) | 0 | — | — | — | — | no reportVisit site |
| 22 | Improved Peptides | 60.487% | $5.60 (134%) | 1 / 1 | Krause Analytical LLC | 99.9% | 1.3% |
Independent assays
No independently commissioned assay of Melanotan I is on file. All 12 records below were published by the vendor that sells the product, naming the laboratory shown. PepIndex does not yet commission its own assays, so nothing on this page establishes what is in a vial beyond the vendor’s own certificate. A record moves into this section the moment an assay commissioned by anyone other than the seller is indexed.
What the certificates show
12 of 12 lots at 99% or above; median 99.81%.
| Range | lots |
|---|---|
| <95% | 0 |
| 95–97% | 0 |
| 97–98% | 0 |
| 98–99% | 0 |
| 99–99.5% | 3 |
| ≥99.5% | 9 |
67% of lots within 5% of the labelled mass; median gap 3.8%.
| Range | lots |
|---|---|
| ≤2% | 4 |
| 2–5% | 4 |
| 5–10% | 1 |
| 10–20% | 3 |
| >20% | 0 |
19 vendors, $3.00 to $8.80; median $4.19.
| Range | vendors |
|---|---|
| $2.00–$4.00 | 8 |
| $4.00–$6.00 | 10 |
| $6.00–$8.00 | 0 |
| $8.00–$10.00 | 1 |
Purity and mass are read from each certificate as published; the label gap is |labeled − assayed| ÷ labeled. Every value behind these bars is in the certificate table below.
Laboratories used
| Laboratory | Lots | Vendors | Share | Verify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom Diagnostics TestingUS | 4 | 4 | 33% | Public lookup |
| ILS LaboratoriesUS | 2 | 2 | 17% | Public lookup |
| AV Analytics | 1 | 1 | 8% | No public lookup found |
| Bioviridian Inc.US | 1 | 1 | 8% | Public lookup |
| Krause Analytical LLCUS | 1 | 1 | 8% | Public lookup |
| MZ BiolabsUS | 1 | 1 | 8% | No public lookup found |
| United LaboratoriesIN | 1 | 1 | 8% | Public lookup |
1 further record namesno checkable laboratory (a placeholder, a signature line or the vendor’s own name). It is listed in the certificate table but not counted as third-party testing.
Every certificate record
Score breakdown
The score has two halves: the research base — how long the compound has been studied and how much has been published — and the quality of the evidence the market produces for it, aggregated across every vendor that carries it: assayed purity, lot-to-lot consistency, readable third-party certificates and those vendors’ review record. It measures the evidence base, not the merits or safety of the substance.
Studied since 1980 — 46 years of published research
How long the compound has been studied. Fifteen years or more of published literature earns full marks; a newer compound earns less.
345 publications indexed in PubMed
The volume of published literature located. Full marks at fifty or more publications.
Mean assayed purity 99.7% across 12 certificates
Average assayed purity on the certificates published by vendors that carry this compound. Full marks at 99.5%+, nothing at 95% or below.
±0.24 pts purity across lots, mean label deviation 5.7%
How tightly assayed purity and labeled-versus-actual mass hold across different lots. Rewards reproducible manufacturing.
22 of 22 listing vendors publish an accessible certificate policy
Whether the vendors carrying this compound publish per-lot certificates anyone can read without an account.
11 of 12 certificates from a recognised independent lab
Share of certificates issued by a recognised third-party testing lab rather than an unnamed or self-named one.
What is Melanotan I?
A synthetic analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone that stimulates melanin production, studied in relation to skin pigmentation. Its approved form is known as afamelanotide.
Studied in published research for skin pigmentation and photoprotection.
Regulatory status
Labeled by vendors for laboratory research use only. Not approved as a medicine in the United States, United Kingdom, or European Union.
What the research examines
The areas of published research this compound appears in. These describe what the literature has studied — never a claim of benefit, effect or suitability for any use.
Published research
The related drug afamelanotide has been studied in humans for a rare light-sensitivity disorder. PepIndex does not evaluate clinical significance and does not describe administration.
- Vitiligo: Pathogenesis and New and Emerging Treatments — International journal of molecular sciences (2023)
Peer-reviewed article indexed in PubMed, published in International journal of molecular sciences (2023).
- From pathogenesis of acne vulgaris to anti-acne agents — Archives of dermatological research (2019)
Peer-reviewed article indexed in PubMed, published in Archives of dermatological research (2019).
- Vitiligo, from Pathogenesis to Therapeutic Advances: State of the Art — International journal of molecular sciences (2023)
Peer-reviewed article indexed in PubMed, published in International journal of molecular sciences (2023).
- Afamelanotide — PubMed (2012)
Peer-reviewed article indexed in PubMed, published in PubMed (2012).
- Treatment Advances in Vitiligo: An Updated Review — Dermatology practical & conceptual (2025)
Peer-reviewed article indexed in PubMed, published in Dermatology practical & conceptual (2025).
- X-Linked Protoporphyria — PubMed (1993)
Peer-reviewed article indexed in PubMed, published in PubMed (1993).
- Phototherapy for Vitiligo — Dermatologic clinics (2020)
Peer-reviewed article indexed in PubMed, published in Dermatologic clinics (2020).
- Afamelanotide in protoporphyria and other skin diseases: a review — Postepy dermatologii i alergologii (2024)
Peer-reviewed article indexed in PubMed, published in Postepy dermatologii i alergologii (2024).
Indexed studies4 human-evidence of 4
- Afamelanotide for Erythropoietic Protoporphyria — Human — controlled trial, 2015
Erythropoietic protoporphyria is a severe photodermatosis that is associated with acute phototoxicity. Patients with this condition have excruciating pain and a markedly reduced quality of life. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of an α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone analogue, afamelanotide, to decrease pain and improve quality of life. We conducted two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of subcutaneous implants containing 16 mg of afame…
- Long-term observational study of afamelanotide in 115 patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria — Human — observational, 2015
In erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP), an inherited disease of porphyrin-biosynthesis, the accumulation of protoporphyrin in the skin causes severely painful phototoxic reactions. Symptom prevention was impossible until recently when afamelanotide became available. Afamelanotide-induced skin pigmentation has statistically significantly improved light-tolerance, although the clinical significance of the statistical effect was unknown. To assess clinical effectiveness by recor…
- Afamelanotide and narrowband UV-B phototherapy for the treatment of vitiligo: a randomized multicenter trial — Human — controlled trial, 2015
Narrowband UV-B (NB-UV-B) phototherapy is used extensively to treat vitiligo. Afamelanotide, an analogue of α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, is known to induce tanning of the skin. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy for generalized vitiligo consisting of afamelanotide implant and NB-UV-B phototherapy. This study was performed in 2 academic outpatient dermatology centers and 1 private dermatology practice. We enrolled men and women 18 years or ol…
- A systematic review of case series and clinical trials investigating systemic oral or injectable therapies for the treatment of vitiligo — Systematic review, 2024
The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness and safety of oral and injectable systemic treatments, such as methotrexate, azathioprine, cyclosporine, tofacitinib, baricitinib, corticosteroids, statins, zinc, apremilast, etc., for treating vitiligo lesions. Databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were meticulously searched for studies spanning from 2010 to August 2023, focusing on systemic oral and injectable therapies for vitiligo, using compre…
Evidence digest
What the research on Melanotan I actually shows
The indexed literature on Melanotan I includes human clinical or observational records (4 human-clinical or observational records). This digest describes the shape of that evidence and links the records behind it. It does not judge whether Melanotan I is safe or effective for any purpose, and nothing here is medical advice — the material sold by the vendors in this index is labeled for laboratory research use only.
3 things the literature does not establish →
PepIndex describes what literature exists. We do not interpret it, assess clinical significance, or publish quantities, protocols or instructions for use.