Octreotide long-acting formulation

A long-acting formulation of lanreotide, another octapeptide somatostatin analog, was approved by the FDA in 2007 for treatment of acromegaly. Lanreotide appears to have effects comparable to those of octreotide on reducing GH levels and normalizing IGF-1 concentrations. 

Lanreotide Similar to octreotide and available as a long-acting formulation for acromegaly ... 

Octreotide acetate injectable suspension (octreotide long-acting release Sandostatin LAR) is a slow-release formulation in which octreotide is incorporated into microspheres. It is instituted only after a brief course of shorter-acting octreotide has been demonstrated to be effective and tolerated. The microspheres must be carefully put into suspension and immediately injected into a gluteal muscle. Injections into alternate gluteal muscles are repeated at 4-week intervals in doses of 20-40 mg. Octreotide is extremely costly. 

Rubin, J. Ajani, J. Schirmer, W. Venook, A.P. Bukowski, R. Pommier, R. Saltz, L. Dandona, P. Anthony, L. Octreotide acetate long-acting formulation versus open-label subcutaneous octreotide acetate in mahgnant carcinoid syndrome. J. Clin. Oncol. 1999,17 (2), 600-606. 

Octreotide therapy should be initiated using the shortacting subcutaneous formulation. Patients who have been maintained on subcutaneous octreotide for at least 2 weeks, and have shown response to therapy, may be converted to the long-acting depot form of octreotide. 

Octreotide (Sandostatin) injection is commercially available in the United States for subcutaneous or intravenous administration. A long-acting intramuscular formulation of octreotide (Sandostatin EAR) is also available for monthly administration. In addition to the treatment of acromegaly, octreotide has many other therapeutic uses, including the treatment of carcinoid tumors, vasoactive intestinal peptide tumors (VIPomas), gastrointestinal fistulas, variceal bleeding, diarrheal states, and irritable bowel syndrome. 

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