PT-141
PT-141 (bremelanotide, brand Vyleesi)
What is PT-141?
PT-141: Synthetic cyclic heptapeptide melanocortin receptor (MC4R/MC1R) agonist derived from Melanotan II that acts centrally on sexual desire pathways. The sources cited here most often discuss it for: Desire in women, FDA-approved; Erectile function in men; Arousal boost, anecdotal. Evidence label: Approved (specific use).
- Type
- Peptide
- Family
- Sexual Health & Hormones
- Evidence label
- Approved (specific use) (5 of 5)
- Regulatory status
- FDA-approved in 2019 as Vyleesi for premenopausal women with acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder; the label states it is not indicated for this condition in postmenopausal women or in men.
- Goals discussed
- Libido & Sexual Health
- Also called
- Vyleesi, bremelanotide, PT-141, PT141, Brem
- Last reviewed
- 2026-10-11
- Synthetic cyclic heptapeptide melanocortin receptor (MC4R/MC1R) agonist derived from Melanotan II that acts centrally on sexual desire pathways; FDA-approved 2019 as Vyleesi (on-demand SC injection) for premenopausal women with acquired generalized HSDD only, not for men.1
Regulatory status FDA-approved in 2019 as Vyleesi for premenopausal women with acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder; the label states it is not indicated for this condition in postmenopausal women or in men. 1
Names as used in gyms, forums and gray-market listings. Reported, not endorsed; stacks have not been studied as combinations.
There are women who, for no known reason, have reduced sexual desire that causes marked distress, and who can benefit from safe and effective pharmacologic treatment.
FDA statement on approving Vyleesi; the same release notes no difference versus placebo in the number of satisfying sexual events.
What is PT-141 researched for?
The three outcomes most discussed for PT-141 in the sources below, as those sources report them. humanpeptides.fyi makes no claims of its own: a listed benefit can be unproven or can have failed in trials, and the label on each line says which.
What do researchers and users say about PT-141?
Both studies demonstrated that bremelanotide significantly improved sexual desire and related distress in premenopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder.
Conclusion of the two 24-week RECONNECT placebo-controlled trials in 1,247 premenopausal women.
I’m not sold on it. Have used it about 10 times. Maybe 2 or 3 times it helped a little. Once it worked well and the rest virtually no impact.
Forum reply from a man using it off-label for erections; the original poster in the same thread reported a strong effect plus significant nausea.
What side effects of PT-141 are reported?
- Nausea in 40% (8% discontinued), flushing, headache, injection-site reactions; contraindicated with uncontrolled hypertension or cardiovascular disease; max 8 doses/monthFDA label/phase 321
- Dose-related nausea, vomiting, BP rise with up to 53% dropout at 15 mg intranasal in men4
- Users pre-treat nausea with ondansetron/gingeranecdotal12
- Can sharply lower blood levels of oral naltrexone, so it should not be combined with naltrexone products used to treat alcohol or opioid addiction.FDA label1
- May slow stomach emptying, which can reduce or delay absorption of oral medicines such as antibiotics or fast-acting pain relievers.FDA label1
- Darkening of the gums and skin did not go away in about half of affected patients after stopping, and was more likely in people with dark skin.FDA news release10
- Label advises stopping if pregnancy is suspected and using effective contraception while taking it.FDA label1
What do peptide guides say about PT-141?
- Dr. Axe Dr. Axe's library lists bremelanotide as FDA-approved for one labeled use, notes the label says the mechanism behind its benefit is not fully known, and flags its contraindication in uncontrolled hypertension or heart disease. 13
- PepEdHub PepEdHub contrasts PT-141 with pills like sildenafil: rather than acting on blood flow, it activates MC4R melanocortin receptors in the brain's hypothalamus to influence arousal and desire. 14
- Seek Peptides Seek Peptides frames PT-141 as a treatment for problems of desire rather than mechanics and suggests it for menopause-related libido loss, although the FDA approval covers only premenopausal women. 15
- NCBI PMC In the phase 3 trials, more women on bremelanotide than placebo reported nausea, flushing and headache, but most side effects were mild or moderate and related to tolerability. 11
- FDA FDA reported that about 25% of women on Vyleesi had a desire score increase of 1.2 or more versus about 17% on placebo, with no difference in the number of satisfying sexual events. 10
What does the research say, system by system?
Body & tissues1
- Focal hyperpigmentation (face, gums, breasts) reported with repeated dosing, via MC1RFDA label1
Hormones & physiology1
Brain, mood & sleep2
How strong is the evidence for PT-141?
FDA-approved for female HSDD (human phase 3 RCTs, modest effect); phase 2 human data in male ED; male use off-label/anecdotal
Approved by the FDA (or a major regulator) for at least one specific use. Approval covers that use only, not the other benefits listed. How tiers work
Questions about PT-141
What is PT-141?
Synthetic cyclic heptapeptide melanocortin receptor (MC4R/MC1R) agonist derived from Melanotan II that acts centrally on sexual desire pathways.
Is PT-141 FDA-approved?
FDA-approved in 2019 as Vyleesi for premenopausal women with acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder; the label states it is not indicated for this condition in postmenopausal women or in men.
What is PT-141 researched for?
The sources cited on this page most often discuss three outcomes: Desire in women, FDA-approved; Erectile function in men; Arousal boost, anecdotal. Each line above shows what the source reports and how strong that evidence is.
What side effects of PT-141 are reported?
Reported in the cited sources: Nausea in 40% (8% discontinued), flushing, headache, injection-site reactions; contraindicated with uncontrolled hypertension or cardiovascular disease; max 8 doses/month; Dose-related nausea, vomiting, BP rise with up to 53% dropout at 15 mg intranasal in men; Users pre-treat nausea with ondansetron/ginger. The list is not complete, and few listed risks does not mean a compound is safe.
How strong is the evidence for PT-141?
Evidence label: Approved (specific use). FDA-approved for female HSDD (human phase 3 RCTs, modest effect); phase 2 human data in male ED; male use off-label/anecdotal.
What else is PT-141 called?
Names used for it include Vyleesi, bremelanotide, PT-141, PT141, Brem.
Does humanpeptides.fyi recommend PT-141?
No. humanpeptides.fyi makes no claims and no recommendations of its own. It summarizes and links to what others have published and posted. Nothing here is medical advice; talk to a licensed clinician.