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Study · Observational study · n = 23 · 2013

3 results

A bioassay for the detection of neutralizing antibodies against the α-melanocyte stimulating hormone analog afamelanotide in patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria.

Spichty R, Balimann M, Barman J, Minder EI

Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis5 Dec 2012Cited by 7 (Europe PMC)

PMID23277150 (opens in a new tab)DOI10.1016/j.jpba.2012.11.040 (opens in a new tab)PepBankPUB-23277150
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Summary

The text of this summary is not shown here, because the article license does not allow reuse. Read it at the source (opens in a new tab)

Text rights: Publisher copyright. Results still quote short attributed sentences.

Results from this study3

2 results from studies that gave the peptide. 1 result from people.

  1. 01HumanObservational studySafety outcome

    In patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria, serum cAMP bioassay results did not differ between drug-naive and afamelanotide-exposed patients, so no neutralizing antibodies were elicited.

    In plain wordsIn patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria, patients treated with afamelanotide showed no more antibody blocking of the drug than untreated patients.

    Peptide
    Melanotan I (afamelanotide)
    Outcome
    No significant changeNeutralizing antibodies in drug-exposed versus drug-naive EPP patients
    Study

    n = 23

    Comparator
    Drug-naive EPP patients
    Outcome group
    Immune response · Immune and inflammation
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Source sentences

    Summary
    There was no difference between drug-naïve and drug-exposed patients.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    Two neutralizing anti-α-MSH antibodies served as positive controls. cAMP formation in the G4F-7 cells after addition of sera of drug-naïve (n=6) and of drug-exposed EPP patients (n=17) was significantly lower than after that from healthy volunteers (n=13).
  2. 02LabIn vitro (cells)Activity measurement

    In G4F-7 melanoma cells expressing human MC1R, the average half-effective concentration of afamelanotide for cAMP formation was 10.9 nM.

    In plain wordsIn lab melanoma cells carrying the human MC1R receptor, afamelanotide switched on cAMP signalling at a low concentration.

    Peptide
    Melanotan I (afamelanotide)
    Outcome
    Not applicableAfamelanotide-induced cAMP formation in G4F-7 cells (EC50)
    Study

    mouse cells with human MC1Rn = 5

    B16 mouse melanoma G4F-7 cells expressing human MC1R
    Comparator
    alpha-MSH
    Outcome group
    Receptor activity and mechanism · Endocrine and hormones
    Studied dose
    Dose not stated

    Measurements

    EC50
    10.9 nM
    afamelanotide, G4F-7 cells

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Average half-effective concentrations of the natural hormone α-MSH and its congener afamelanotide were 38.8 ± 10.6 and 10.9 ± 7.17 nM (n=5), respectively.
    1 context sentence
    Summary · context
    The basis of our assay was the measurement of afamelanotide-induced cAMP formation in a strain of the B16 mouse melanoma cell line, G4F-7, expressing the transfected human MC1R.

Studies that did not test the peptide alone1

In this study, Melanotan I (afamelanotide) was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. These results are not evidence about taking Melanotan I (afamelanotide).

  1. 03HumanNot a test of Melanotan I (afamelanotide) aloneObservational studyOther

    In the bioassay, cAMP formation after addition of sera from drug-naive and drug-exposed EPP patients was significantly lower than after sera from healthy volunteers.

    In plain wordsIn a lab assay, sera from patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria lowered cAMP signalling more than sera from healthy volunteers, treated or not.

    Peptide
    Melanotan I (afamelanotide)
    Outcome
    DecreasecAMP formation by patient sera versus healthy volunteer sera in the bioassay
    Study

    n = 36

    Comparator
    Healthy volunteers
    Outcome group
    Immune response · Immune and inflammation

    Source sentences

    Summary
    Two neutralizing anti-α-MSH antibodies served as positive controls. cAMP formation in the G4F-7 cells after addition of sera of drug-naïve (n=6) and of drug-exposed EPP patients (n=17) was significantly lower than after that from healthy volunteers (n=13).

    In this study, Melanotan I (afamelanotide) was a lab tool or a carrier, part of a mix, or the subject of a lab method. This result is not evidence about taking Melanotan I (afamelanotide).

AI wrote and checked these results. AI can make mistakes, so check important results against the source.

Version history

PepBank keeps every version of the data on this study. Status changes from Retraction Watch, Europe PMC and Crossref are listed with their source.

  1. Version 2Current

    13 Oct 2026, 21:44 UTC

    Study results updated

  2. Version 1

    13 Oct 2026, 16:31 UTC

    First added · source update from Europe PMC

Subjects

Terms as the source lists them.

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