The synthetic peptide [Nle4, D‐Phe7]‐αMSH (NDP‐αMSH), also known as afamelanotide, binds predominantly to MC1R and induces skin pigmentation that prevents phototoxic reactions and it has been approved in several countries for the treatment of adult patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP). This evidence concerns the gene NDP and autosomal erythropoietic protoporphyria.