What it is
A synthetic cyclic peptide melanocortin-4 receptor agonist available as a once-daily subcutaneous injection.
How it works
Selective agonist of the melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R), restoring downstream signaling in the central leptin-melanocortin pathway involved in energy balance.
Where it's used
Used in chronic weight management in patients with monogenic obesity due to confirmed POMC, PCSK1, LEPR, or Bardet-Biedl syndrome deficiencies.
FDA-approved use
Chronic weight management in adult and pediatric patients aged 2 and older with obesity due to POMC, PCSK1, or LEPR deficiency confirmed by genetic testing, or Bardet-Biedl syndrome.
Tracking it
Setmelanotide is injectable, so two things matter in a log: when you dosed and where. Rotating sites and writing both down prevents the classic “did I already pin the left side?” problem. with a half-life of about 11 hours, a dose log also lets a tracker model the relative amount still in your system between doses. for titrated compounds like this one, a log that records the dose at each step is the difference between knowing your history and guessing it.
Source
OpenFDA
Last reviewed 2026-06-11