{"id":"metahexamide","rwe":[{"pmid":"437672","year":"1979","title":"Effects of possible beta-cell membrane label, metahexamide-isothiocyanate, on insulin release.","finding":"","journal":"Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme","studyType":"Clinical Study"},{"pmid":"14281786","year":"1965","title":"HYPOGLYCEMIC COMA DURING SULFONYLUREA THERAPY.","finding":"","journal":"Acta medica Scandinavica","studyType":"Clinical Study"},{"pmid":"14261406","year":"1965","title":"SEVERE AND PROLONGED HYPOGLYCEMIC SHOCK DURING SULFONYLUREA TREATMENT.","finding":"","journal":"Metabolism: clinical and experimental","studyType":"Clinical Study"},{"pmid":"14179829","year":"1964","title":"[ON TOLAZAMIDE: APROPOS OF A NEW HYPOGLYCEMIC SULFANYLUREA AND OF ACQUIRED SULFANYLUREAU RESISTANCE].","finding":"","journal":"Minerva medica","studyType":"Clinical Study"},{"pmid":"14149195","year":"1964","title":"HEPATIC DETOXICATION AFTER LONG-TERM TREATMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS WITH SULPHONYLUREAS.","finding":"","journal":"Lancet (London, England)","studyType":"Clinical Study"}],"tags":[{"label":"metahexamide","category":"class"},{"label":"Small Molecule","category":"modality"},{"label":"A10BB10","category":"atc"},{"label":"Active","category":"status"},{"label":"Chloasma","category":"indication"},{"label":"Discoloration of skin","category":"indication"},{"label":"Antioxidants","category":"pharmacology"},{"label":"Mutagens","category":"pharmacology"},{"label":"Noxae","category":"pharmacology"},{"label":"Protective Agents","category":"pharmacology"},{"label":"Radiation-Protective Agents","category":"pharmacology"}],"phase":"phase_2","safety":{},"trials":[],"aliases":[],"patents":[],"pricing":[],"allNames":"melanex","offLabel":[],"synonyms":["metahexamide","glyhexylamide","glyhexylamine isodiane","melanex","methahexamide","methexamide"],"timeline":[],"approvals":[],"brandName":"Melanex","ecosystem":[{"indication":"Chloasma","otherDrugs":[{"name":"dioxybenzone","slug":"dioxybenzone","company":""},{"name":"fluocinolone acetonide","slug":"fluocinolone-acetonide","company":"Medimetriks Pharms"},{"name":"hydroquinone","slug":"hydroquinone","company":"Galderma Labs Lp"},{"name":"octinoxate","slug":"octinoxate","company":""}],"globalPrevalence":null},{"indication":"Discoloration of skin","otherDrugs":[{"name":"dioxybenzone","slug":"dioxybenzone","company":""},{"name":"hydroquinone","slug":"hydroquinone","company":"Galderma Labs Lp"},{"name":"octinoxate","slug":"octinoxate","company":""}],"globalPrevalence":null}],"mechanism":{"modality":"Small Molecule","drugClass":"metahexamide","explanation":"Think of melanin like the paint that colors your skin. Tyrosinase is the brush that helps spread the paint. Melanex blocks the brush, so less paint is applied, resulting in lighter skin color. This can help reduce the appearance of Chloasma and skin discoloration.","oneSentence":"Melanex works by inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase, which is involved in the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for skin color.","technicalDetail":"Metahexamide acts as a competitive inhibitor of tyrosinase, specifically targeting the enzyme's active site and reducing its ability to catalyze the conversion of tyrosine to melanin."},"commercial":{},"references":[{"id":1,"url":"https://drugcentral.org/drugcard/1717","fields":["approvals","synonyms","ATC","PK","indications","contraindications","DDIs","targets","patents","FAERS"],"source":"DrugCentral"},{"id":2,"url":"https://clinicaltrials.gov/search?intr=METAHEXAMIDE","fields":["trials"],"source":"ClinicalTrials.gov"},{"id":3,"url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=METAHEXAMIDE","fields":["publications"],"source":"PubMed/NCBI"}],"_enrichedAt":"2026-03-30T15:06:54.394258","biosimilars":[],"competitors":[{"drugName":"glibenclamide","drugSlug":"glibenclamide","fdaApproval":"1984-05-01","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugName":"chlorpropamide","drugSlug":"chlorpropamide","fdaApproval":"1958-10-28","genericCount":11,"patentStatus":"Off-patent — generic available","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugName":"tolbutamide","drugSlug":"tolbutamide","fdaApproval":"1961-06-22","genericCount":12,"patentStatus":"Off-patent — generic available","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugName":"tolazamide","drugSlug":"tolazamide","fdaApproval":"1966-07-18","genericCount":10,"patentStatus":"Off-patent — generic available","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugName":"glipizide","drugSlug":"glipizide","fdaApproval":"1984-05-08","genericCount":18,"patentStatus":"Off-patent — generic available","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugName":"glimepiride","drugSlug":"glimepiride","fdaApproval":"1995-11-30","genericCount":17,"patentStatus":"Off-patent — generic available","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugName":"acetohexamide","drugSlug":"acetohexamide","fdaApproval":"1964-12-23","genericCount":3,"patentStatus":"Off-patent — generic available","relationship":"same-class"}],"genericName":"metahexamide","indications":{"approved":[{"name":"Chloasma","source":"DrugCentral","snomedId":36209000,"regulator":"FDA"},{"name":"Discoloration of skin","source":"DrugCentral","snomedId":3253007,"regulator":"FDA"}],"offLabel":[],"pipeline":[]},"drugCategory":"active","labelChanges":[],"relatedDrugs":[{"drugId":"glibenclamide","brandName":"glibenclamide","genericName":"glibenclamide","approvalYear":"1984","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugId":"chlorpropamide","brandName":"chlorpropamide","genericName":"chlorpropamide","approvalYear":"1958","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugId":"tolbutamide","brandName":"tolbutamide","genericName":"tolbutamide","approvalYear":"1961","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugId":"tolazamide","brandName":"tolazamide","genericName":"tolazamide","approvalYear":"1966","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugId":"glipizide","brandName":"glipizide","genericName":"glipizide","approvalYear":"1984","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugId":"glimepiride","brandName":"glimepiride","genericName":"glimepiride","approvalYear":"1995","relationship":"same-class"},{"drugId":"acetohexamide","brandName":"acetohexamide","genericName":"acetohexamide","approvalYear":"1964","relationship":"same-class"}],"trialDetails":[{"nctId":"NCT02476760","phase":"","title":"Incretin-based Drugs and Acute Pancreatitis","status":"COMPLETED","sponsor":"Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effect Studies, CNODES","startDate":"2014-03","conditions":["Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2"],"enrollment":1417914,"completionDate":"2015-04"},{"nctId":"NCT02456428","phase":"","title":"Incretin-based Drugs and the Risk of Heart Failure","status":"COMPLETED","sponsor":"Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effect Studies, CNODES","startDate":"2014-03","conditions":["Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus"],"enrollment":1499650,"completionDate":"2015-05"},{"nctId":"NCT02475499","phase":"","title":"Incretin-based Drugs and Pancreatic Cancer","status":"COMPLETED","sponsor":"Canadian Network for Observational Drug Effect Studies, CNODES","startDate":"2014-03","conditions":["Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2"],"enrollment":886172,"completionDate":"2015-04"}],"genericFilers":[],"latestUpdates":[],"manufacturing":[],"crossReferences":{"MMSL":"1786","UNII":"T3U6F5D722","CHEBI":"CHEBI:135328","INN_ID":"863","RXNORM":"218302","UMLSCUI":"C0663351","ChEMBL_ID":"CHEMBL507419","KEGG_DRUG":"D07117","DRUGBANK_ID":"DB13675","PUBCHEM_CID":"11259","MESH_SUPPLEMENTAL_RECORD_UI":"C100077"},"formularyStatus":[],"_enricherVersion":"v2","developmentCodes":[],"ownershipHistory":[],"publicationCount":0,"therapeuticAreas":["Dermatology"],"atcClassification":{"source":"DrugCentral","atcCode":"A10BB10","allCodes":["A10BB10"]},"biosimilarFilings":[],"recentPublications":[{"date":"1979 Feb","pmid":"437672","title":"Effects of possible beta-cell membrane label, metahexamide-isothiocyanate, on insulin release.","journal":"Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme"},{"date":"1965 Mar","pmid":"14281786","title":"HYPOGLYCEMIC COMA DURING SULFONYLUREA THERAPY.","journal":"Acta medica Scandinavica"},{"date":"1965 Mar","pmid":"14261406","title":"SEVERE AND PROLONGED HYPOGLYCEMIC SHOCK DURING SULFONYLUREA TREATMENT.","journal":"Metabolism: clinical and experimental"},{"date":"1964 Jul 14","pmid":"14179829","title":"[ON TOLAZAMIDE: APROPOS OF A NEW HYPOGLYCEMIC SULFANYLUREA AND OF ACQUIRED SULFANYLUREAU RESISTANCE].","journal":"Minerva medica"},{"date":"1964 Jul 4","pmid":"14149195","title":"HEPATIC DETOXICATION AFTER LONG-TERM TREATMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS WITH SULPHONYLUREAS.","journal":"Lancet (London, England)"}],"companionDiagnostics":[],"genericManufacturerList":[],"status":"active","companyName":"","companyId":"","modality":"Small molecule","firstApprovalDate":"","aiSummary":"Melanex, also known as metahexamide, is a small molecule drug in the metahexamide class. It is used to treat Chloasma and skin discoloration. The commercial status of Melanex is currently unknown, and it is not clear if it is patented or available as a generic. Further information on its approval status, half-life, and bioavailability is also not available. As a result, key safety considerations and pharmacological details are not well established.","enrichmentLevel":3,"visitCount":0,"trialStats":{"total":0,"withResults":0},"verificationStatus":"verified","dataCompleteness":{"mechanism":true,"indications":true,"safety":false,"trials":true,"score":3}}