Melanocortin receptor-specific compounds of the general formula and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, where X, W, J, Q, L1, L2, L3, R1a, R1b, R2a, and R2b are as defined in the specification, and the carbon atom marked with an asterisk can have any stereochemical configuration. Compounds disclosed herein bind to one or more melanocortin receptors and may be an agonist, a partial agonist, an antagonist, an inverse agonist or an antagonist of an inverse agonist as to one or more melanocortin receptors, and may be employed for treatment of one or more melanocortin receptor-associated conditions or disorders, including specifically treatment of obesity and related conditions.