Absorption of an aqueous solution of a new synthetic somatostatin analogue administered to man by gavage.

To determine the local gastrointestinal absorption of a new synthetic somatostatin analogue (SMS 201-995 = Sandostatin), an intestinal tube was passed in eight healthy volunteers and on different days an aqueous solution was administered at four different locations: stomach, proximal duodenum, ligament of Treitz and jejunum. In a follow-up study, an oro-ileal tube was passed in six of the original volunteers and the drug solution was administered in to the terminal ileum. The aqueous solution of SMS was rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract after local application, and it was well tolerated. Absorption of the drug from the different sites was comparable, although there was a tendency to decreased peptide absorption after ileal administration. Absorption of the drug was quite variable between the subjects and the different locations. The dose-corrected systemic availability relative to subcutaneous administration in another study was 0.28%. However, significant plasma SMS concentrations were achieved, suggesting that oral delivery of the polypeptide may eventually be possible for long-term treatment of a variety of disorders.