Bremelanotide: First Approval

Bremelanotide (Vyleesi™) is a melanocortin receptor agonist recently approved in the USA for the treatment of premenopausal women with acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), as characterized by low sexual desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty. It is a self-administered, on-demand subcutaneous therapy. Initially developed by Palatin Technologies who sponsored the Phase 3 clinical trials, bremelanotide was subsequently out-licensed to AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc. for exclusive North American rights to develop and commercialize the drug, including submitting the New Drug Application to the US FDA. Bremelanotide is a synthetic peptide analogue of the neuropeptide hormone alpha melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) with high affinity for the melanocortin type 4 receptor (thought to be important for sexual function), giving it the potential to modulate brain pathways involved in sexual response. This article summarizes the milestones in the development of bremelanotide leading to this first regulatory approval.