Sandostatin, Sandostatin LAR, Mycapssa
Evidence Grade A — Regulatory approved. 9211 published studies. 236 registered clinical trials.
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Octreotide is a medication that mimics somatostatin — a natural hormone that acts as a brake on many other hormones in the body. It is used for conditions caused by hormone overproduction, including acromegaly (excess growth hormone) and hormone-secreting neuroendocrine tumours. Available as a short-acting injection (Sandostatin), a monthly depot (Sandostatin LAR), and the first-ever oral somatostatin tablet (Mycapssa), it has one of the longest track records of any peptide medication — over 35 years.
9,211 published studies: 6907 human, 945 animal, 816 in-vitro, 1663 reviews
Octreotide is marketed as Sandostatin (approved 1988), Sandostatin LAR monthly depot (approved 1998), and Mycapssa oral capsules (approved June 2020 — the first oral somatostatin analogue). It is used for acromegaly, carcinoid syndrome, VIPomas, and gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (GEP-NETs).
The PROMID trial demonstrated that octreotide LAR significantly delayed tumour progression in patients with neuroendocrine tumours of the midgut, establishing somatostatin analogues as a standard treatment for these cancers. The approval of Mycapssa as an oral formulation was a significant advance for patients who had been receiving monthly injections for years. Octreotide has been on the market for over 35 years and has one of the longest safety track records of any peptide medication.
Your body produces somatostatin as a natural 'off switch' for many hormones — it tells the pituitary gland to stop releasing growth hormone, tells the gut to slow hormone secretion, and reduces blood flow to the digestive organs. Octreotide mimics this effect but lasts much longer than the natural hormone (hours rather than minutes). It is particularly effective at suppressing growth hormone in acromegaly and reducing hormone secretion from neuroendocrine tumours, which relieves symptoms like severe flushing and diarrhoea.
Octreotide's evidence base is extensive. The PROMID trial demonstrated that monthly octreotide LAR significantly delayed tumour progression in patients with neuroendocrine tumours of the midgut, establishing somatostatin analogues as a standard first-line treatment for these cancers. For acromegaly, octreotide normalises growth hormone levels in approximately 50-65% of patients. The approval of Mycapssa (oral octreotide capsules) in 2020 was a significant advance for patients who had been receiving monthly injections for years, though the oral form is currently approved only for acromegaly patients already stable on injectable octreotide. Key limitations include gallstone formation (affecting up to 63% of long-term users) and blood sugar elevation. Lanreotide (Somatuline Depot) is considered clinically equivalent and offers home self-injection.
A Multicenter Placebo-Controlled Double Blind Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Sandostatin ( SMS 201-995 ) in Patients With Acquired Immunodeficiency Related Diarrhea Who Were Either "Responders" or "Non-Responders" in a Prior Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Sandostatin Study.
Vatalanib and Octreotide in Treating Patients With Progressive Neuroendocrine Tumors
A Multicenter Placebo-Controlled Dose Titration Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Sandostatin (SMS 201-995) in the Treatment of Patients With Acquired Immunodeficiency Related Diarrhea
Single Dose Pharmacodynamic and Pharmacokinetic Study of DG3173
Intranasal Delivery of Octreotide for Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema
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