Sandostatin, Sandostatin LAR Depot, Bynfezia Pen, Mycapssa, Oczyesa; SMS 201-995
Common dose
50–500 mcg 3× daily, or a 10–30 mg monthly depot
Cycle
Continuous
Form
Ready-made product
A man-made 8-amino-acid ring that acts like somatostatin, the body’s hormone “off switch”, but lasts hours instead of minutes. It lowers growth hormone and IGF-1 and blocks the gut hormones some tumors overproduce.
Evidence. FDA-approved since 1988 as Sandostatin, later also as a monthly depot (1998), generics, the Bynfezia pen and Mycapssa capsules (2020), for acromegaly and the diarrhea and flushing of carcinoid tumors and VIPomas. UK and EU labels add bleeding varices in cirrhosis and slowing advanced midgut neuroendocrine tumors, after the PROMID trial (85 people) found a median 14.3 vs 6.0 months before tumor growth.
What it’s used for
Approved uses first, then uses tested in people, then claims that rest on animal studies or user reports.
Acromegaly
LabelApproved when surgery, radiation and bromocriptine fall short. In a 6-month trial of 115 people, IGF-1 normalized in 55–68%; the monthly depot controlled GH and IGF-1 about as well as daily shots.
Diarrhea and flushing from carcinoid tumors
LabelApproved for symptom control in metastatic carcinoid tumors. In a 6-month trial the depot controlled stools and flushing as well as daily injections, though 50–70% needed some extra short-acting doses.
Diarrhea from VIP-secreting tumors (VIPomas)
LabelApproved to control the profuse watery diarrhea of VIPomas, rare tumors that release the gut hormone VIP. The US labels say its effect on tumor size or growth hasn’t been shown.
Slowing advanced midgut neuroendocrine tumors
LabelA UK and EU depot use, not a US one. In PROMID (85 people), the median time before tumors grew was 14.3 vs 6.0 months on placebo; longer survival wasn’t shown.
Bleeding varices in liver cirrhosis
LabelA UK label use, alongside endoscopic treatment. Added to sclerotherapy, it raised 5-day survival without rebleeding to 87% from 71% in 199 people, but reviews found no clear effect on deaths.
Polycystic kidney disease
TrialMixed, not approved: in two Italian trials (79 and 100 adults), the monthly depot slowed kidney growth at 1 year; in the larger one, kidney function didn’t decline significantly slower over 3 years.
Bleeding from gut angiodysplasia
TrialPromising, not approved: in an open-label trial of 62 adults needing repeated transfusions, a year of the monthly depot cut transfusions to 11.0 from 21.2 units with standard care.
Weight loss in obesity
TrialSmall effect, not approved: in 172 adults with obesity and high insulin output, 6 months of the depot gave about 2% more weight loss than placebo and raised blood sugar after glucose.
Label: an approved use. Trial: tested in people, with the result.
Approved in the US as Sandostatin injection (1988) and generics, Sandostatin LAR Depot (1998) and generic depots, Bynfezia Pen, and Mycapssa capsules (2020, acromegaly only), for acromegaly and the diarrhea and flushing of carcinoid tumors and VIPomas.
Approval history
1988US FDA: Sandostatin: diarrhea and flushing from carcinoid tumors and VIPomas
1994US FDA: Sandostatin: acromegaly added
1998US FDA: Sandostatin LAR Depot: monthly injection into muscle, same three uses
2020US FDA: Mycapssa: first octreotide capsules, for acromegaly maintenance
2025EU (EMA): Mycapssa: EU authorization withdrawn
2025EU (EMA): Oczyesa: monthly self-injected depot for acromegaly maintenance
European Union
Prescription only. Sandostatin and generics are authorized country by country; the EMA authorized Oczyesa, a monthly self-injected depot for acromegaly, in 2025. Mycapssa capsules were withdrawn in 2025.
United Kingdom
Prescription-only medicines licensed by the MHRA: Sandostatin (since 1989), Sandostatin LAR, generic injections and depots such as Olatuton, and Oczyesa (2025).
Canada
Prescription drugs: Sandostatin (marketed since 1989), Sandostatin LAR (since 1999), and generic injections and depots. Mycapssa and Bynfezia aren’t listed.
Australia
Prescription only (Schedule 4). Sandostatin, Sandostatin LAR and a generic injection have current product information.
Sport (WADA 2026)
Not banned in sportNot named on the 2026 list, and S0 doesn’t apply to an approved drug. Somatostatin analogs aren’t among the S2 hormones, releasing factors or growth factors the list names; octreotide lowers growth hormone rather than raising it.
Sport status follows the WADA Prohibited List in force since January 1, 2026; athletes should confirm with their anti-doping organization. Checked October 5, 2026. Status outside the US checked October 7, 2026 against EMA, MHRA, Health Canada and TGA records. By country: EU, UK, Canada, Australia. Status of every compound.
How it works
Octreotide binds somatostatin receptors, the switches through which the body’s own somatostatin turns hormone release off, and lasts far longer than the natural hormone. It suppresses growth hormone from the pituitary, insulin and glucagon from the pancreas, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and gut hormones such as serotonin, gastrin and VIP that some tumors overproduce. It also slows bile release and gallbladder emptying and reduces blood flow to the gut, which explains its gallstone risk.
LabelBased on the product label.
Not known
How it slows some neuroendocrine tumors, directly or through other hormones, isn’t settled, and no trial has shown that it helps people with these tumors live longer: PROMID had too few deaths to tell.
Protocol
Label
Sandostatin injection
Acromegaly: 50 mcg 3× daily under the skin to start, adjusted by GH or IGF-1 every 2 weeks; most need 100 mcg 3× daily, some up to 500 mcg. Carcinoid tumors: 100–600 mcg a day in 2–4 doses; VIPomas: 200–300 mcg a day.
Label
Sandostatin LAR Depot
20 mg into a buttock muscle every 4 weeks, only after at least 2 weeks of daily injections have worked; then 10, 20 or 30 mg by response (up to 40 mg in acromegaly).
Label
Mycapssa
Acromegaly maintenance only: 20 mg twice daily on an empty stomach, raised in 20 mg steps to at most 80 mg a day.
Frequency
2–4 times daily (injection) or every 4 weeks (depot)
Route
Subcutaneous or IV injection (label); monthly intramuscular depot (label); oral capsules for acromegaly (label)
Timing
The UK label says injecting between meals or at bedtime may ease gut side effects. Mycapssa: at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.
Cycle
Continuous while it works. After pituitary radiation, the labels pause it yearly (about 4 weeks, or 8 weeks for the depot) to check whether acromegaly is still active.
Week 15913172125
Continuous, shown over 26 weeks
Common protocols
The ways Octreotide is most often run, each tagged with where it comes from.
Acromegaly starts at 50 mcg 3× daily; over 300 mcg a day seldom adds benefit. Tumor symptoms: 100–600 mcg a day in 2–4 doses. The pen gives 50–200 mcg per injection.
Monthly depot (Sandostatin LAR Depot, generics)
Label
Dose
10–30 mg (40 mg in acromegaly)
How often
Every 4 weeks into a buttock muscle
How long
Long-term
Only after at least 2 weeks of daily injections show it works and is tolerated. Tumor patients keep their daily shots for at least 2 weeks after the first depot dose.
Capsules (Mycapssa)
Label
Dose
40–80 mg a day
How often
Twice daily, on an empty stomach
How long
Long-term
Acromegaly only, for people already controlled on octreotide or lanreotide injections. Taking it with food cut absorption by about 90%.
Monthly self-injected depot (Oczyesa, EU and UK)
Label
Dose
20 mg
How often
Every 4 weeks under the skin
How long
Long-term
Acromegaly maintenance, from a prefilled pen kept at room temperature. In ACROINNOVA 1, IGF-1 stayed normal in 72.2% vs 37.5% on placebo at 24 weeks. Not approved in the US.
Taking it
Where it goes
Daily injections go under the skin (belly, thighs or upper arms for the pen), rotating sites, or into a vein in hospital. The depot goes deep into a buttock muscle, alternating sides, and never into a vein or under the skin.
If you miss a dose
The US labels give no missed-dose rule; the depot is scheduled every 4 weeks, and the label advises against longer gaps. Oczyesa’s EU and UK label says to give a missed dose as soon as possible. Don’t double up; ask the prescriber.
In people with acromegaly, one 100 mcg injection cut growth hormone to 30% of its starting level within 2 hours.
Trial
First month
Diarrhea, belly pain and nausea are most common early; on the depot they began mainly in the first month, with few new cases after that.
Label
Weeks 2–3 of the depot
Blood levels reach a plateau about 2–3 weeks after each injection and a steady state after the third, which is why tumor patients overlap with daily shots at first.
Label
Month 6
In 115 people with acromegaly, IGF-1 was normal in 68% on 100 mcg 3× daily and 55% on 250 mcg 3× daily.
Trial
Side effects and what to do
Diarrhea, belly pain and nausea (label: diarrhea 58% on daily injections and 36% on the depot in acromegaly)
Usually mild and early. The UK label says injecting between meals or at bedtime may help.
Gallstones or sludge (label: 63% had biliary changes in early trials; 22% new gallstones on the depot)
Upper right belly pain, fever, or yellow skin or eyes needs prompt care. The UK label advises an ultrasound before and every 6–12 months.
High or low blood sugar (label: 16% and 3% in acromegaly)
Blood sugar is checked when starting or changing the dose; insulin or other diabetes drugs may need adjusting.
Slow heart rate (label: under 50 beats per minute in 25% of people with acromegaly)
Report dizziness or fainting. Beta-blockers and similar drugs may need lower doses.
Injection-site pain (label: 7.7% on daily injections; 30–50% with 20–30 mg depot doses in carcinoid patients)
Brief stinging. Letting the solution reach room temperature and injecting a smaller volume can help (UK label).
Stop and get medical help
Severe upper belly pain, fever, or yellow skin or eyes (gallbladder or pancreas trouble), fainting or a very slow pulse, or swelling of the face or throat with trouble breathing: get emergency care (labels).
Can it cause …?
The side effects people ask about most, answered one by one. Each answer says where it comes from.
Tiredness
LabelFatigue or weakness in 1–4% on daily injections; fatigue in 11% on the depot in acromegaly trials, and weakness in 22% in an open-label Mycapssa study.
Headache
LabelHeadache: 6% on daily injections and 15% on the depot in acromegaly trials, and 33% in an open-label Mycapssa study.
Nausea or vomiting
LabelNausea: 30% on daily injections and 10% on the depot in acromegaly, and 21% vs 11% on placebo with Mycapssa. Vomiting in 4–14%.
Diarrhea or constipation
LabelDiarrhea is the most common effect: 58% on daily injections and 36% on the depot in acromegaly. Constipation, gas, and pale, oily stools from poor fat absorption also occur.
Dizziness
LabelDizziness: 5% on daily injections, 12% on the depot in acromegaly and 15–20% in carcinoid patients. A slowed heart rate can also cause it.
Trouble sleeping
Not reportedTrouble sleeping isn’t a listed side effect in the US labels; the depot’s acromegaly trials treated 261 people, 96 of them for over 2 years.
Hair loss
LabelHair loss in 1–4% on daily injections, and 13% on the depot vs 8% after pituitary surgery in a 1-year acromegaly study. The UK label lists it as common.
Acne, rash or skin changes
LabelInjection-site pain or stinging is common (7.7% on daily shots); itching and rash are listed as common in the UK label. Hives can signal an allergic reaction.
Water retention or swelling
LabelSwelling (edema) in 1–4% on daily injections, and leg or ankle swelling in 16% in an open-label Mycapssa study. Face swelling can signal an allergic reaction.
Joint or muscle pain
LabelJoint pain and backache in 1–4% on daily injections; joint pain in 26% in an open-label Mycapssa study. Treating acromegaly eased joint pain in trials.
Anxiety, low mood or irritability
LabelDepression in 1–4% on daily injections. A suicide attempt and paranoia appear among rare post-approval reports, where a link to the drug wasn’t established.
Low or high blood sugar
LabelIt can raise or lower blood sugar: high in 16% and low in 3% of people with acromegaly on daily injections. Diabetes medicines may need adjusting.
Fast heartbeat or blood pressure changes
LabelSlows the heart: under 50 beats per minute in 25% of people with acromegaly, with conduction changes in 10% and irregular rhythms in 9%.
More hunger
LabelMore hunger isn’t a listed effect. The UK label lists loss of appetite as common, and poor fat absorption can cause weight loss.
Liver strain
LabelRaised liver enzymes are common (UK label), and hepatitis, including blocked bile flow, has been reported. Gallstones are the main risk to the liver and bile ducts.
Kidney problems
LabelKidney failure appears among post-approval reports, where a link wasn’t established. On dialysis, octreotide clears more slowly, so lower starting doses are used.
Cancer risk
LabelNo cancer link in people. High doses caused injection-site tumors in rats, tied to repeated irritation; the UK label reports none in patients treated for up to 15 years.
Label: from the prescribing information. Not reported: studied in people and not reported. A side effect that hasn’t been reported can still happen, especially with long or high-dose use. Any of these across every compound: the side-effect finder.
Who should avoid it
What its label rules out or warns about, most important first.
Allergy to octreotide
LabelRuled out by the Sandostatin and Mycapssa labels; anaphylactic reactions, including shock, have been reported.
Gallstones or gallbladder disease
LabelIt slows gallbladder emptying. About half of people treated for a year or more developed stones or sludge, and some needed surgery for complications.
Diabetes or insulin-producing tumors
LabelIt can push blood sugar up or down, so diabetes drugs may need changing; with insulinomas it can deepen and prolong low blood sugar, the UK label says.
Slow heart rate or heart rhythm problems
LabelSlow heart rate, heart block and irregular rhythms have occurred; complete heart block followed IV use during surgery, so the label advises heart monitoring with IV doses.
Dialysis or liver cirrhosis
LabelThe drug clears more slowly, so the labels call for lower starting doses of the depot, and of Mycapssa capsules in end-stage kidney disease.
Pregnancy or breastfeeding
LabelHuman data are limited. The UK label advises avoiding it in pregnancy and not breastfeeding; lowering growth hormone can restore fertility in acromegaly.
Infants and young children
LabelNot approved for children. Serious events, including low oxygen, bowel tissue death (necrotizing enterocolitis) and deaths, were reported mostly under age 2.
Interactions
Only interactions stated on a product label or measured in a human study are listed.
Cyclosporine (a transplant drug)
LabelOctreotide lowers cyclosporine levels, which can lead to transplant rejection; in a study, Mycapssa cut cyclosporine exposure by 62%. The dose may need adjusting.
Insulin and other diabetes medicines
LabelOctreotide blocks insulin and glucagon release, so the labels say to check blood sugar when starting or changing the dose and adjust diabetes treatment.
LabelThe slowing of heart rate can add up, so their doses may need lowering.
Bromocriptine (a pituitary drug)
LabelOctreotide raises bromocriptine levels; its dose may need adjusting.
Lutetium Lu 177 dotatate (a radioactive tumor drug)
LabelOctreotide competes for the same receptors and may weaken it; the label says to stop Sandostatin injection at least 24 hours before each dose.
With Mycapssa: acid reducers, birth control pills, lisinopril
LabelAcid reducers can lower absorption, so higher doses may be needed. Mycapssa lowered levonorgestrel levels and raised lisinopril’s 40%; the label advises backup contraception and blood pressure checks.
Label: a product label rules it out, warns about it or lists the interaction. This isn’t a complete list: a pharmacist or doctor can check a specific medicine or condition. Every documented interaction, by medicine: drug interactions.
Special situations
What the label and studies say about pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney and liver problems, age and surgery.
Pregnancy
LabelHuman data are limited; animal studies showed no birth defects at high doses. Lowering GH can restore fertility in women with acromegaly, so unplanned pregnancy is possible. The UK label advises avoiding it in pregnancy.
Breastfeeding
LabelUnknown whether it reaches human milk; small amounts passed into rat milk. The US labels weigh the benefits against the risks, and the UK label says not to breastfeed during treatment.
Kidney problems
LabelOn dialysis, clearance roughly halves, so the depot starts at 10 mg and Mycapssa at 20 mg a day. Milder kidney impairment needs no change in starting dose.
Liver problems
LabelIn cirrhosis, the half-life rose to 3.7 hours and clearance fell, so the depot starts at 10 mg. The UK label advises monitoring liver function during treatment.
Older adults
LabelAfter injection, the half-life rose 46% and clearance fell 26% in older adults; the US labels advise starting at the low end of the dose range.
Children and teens
LabelNot approved for children in the US. The labels say safety and effectiveness haven’t been shown, and serious events, including deaths, were reported mostly in children under 2.
Surgery and anesthesia
LabelComplete heart block was reported with IV octreotide during surgery, mostly at high doses or by continuous infusion; the label advises heart monitoring with IV use. Tell the surgical team about any octreotide.
Registered trials that are still running, or that finished without published results, most important first. Checked on ClinicalTrials.gov, October 7, 2026.
Phase 3NCT05050942
SORENTO: monthly self-injected octreotide depot (CAM2029) vs octreotide LAR or lanreotide in 332 people with gut and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: time before tumors grow
Active, not recruiting; primary completion expected November 2026
Phase 2/3NCT05281328
POSITANO: octreotide subcutaneous depot (CAM2029) vs placebo in 71 people with symptomatic polycystic liver disease: change in liver volume over a year
Active, not recruiting; results posted June 2026, not yet published in a journal
Phase 3NCT07623824
A new long-acting octreotide injection (SYHX2008) vs Sandostatin LAR in 154 people with active acromegaly: IGF-1 control at week 28
Not yet recruiting; completion expected December 2029
Phase 3NCT07479784
One 30 mg octreotide depot injection a week before surgery vs placebo in 230 people having distal pancreas removal: pancreatic fistula within 60 days
Not yet recruiting; completion expected December 2028
Phase 1NCT06881888
An octreotide nasal spray 3× daily vs placebo in 60 people with diabetic macular edema: retinal thickness and vision after a month
Not yet recruiting; planned start August 2026, completion expected December 2027
Octreotide’s approvals rest on small trials from the 1980s and 1990s: 115 people in the main acromegaly study and 93 in the carcinoid depot trial, without long placebo comparisons. Tumor control rests on one 85-person trial that couldn’t show longer survival. Uses such as polycystic kidney disease, gut bleeding and weight loss come from small trials with mixed results, and long-term safety data come mainly from post-approval reports.
How it’s supplied
Solutions of 50–1,000 mcg/mL in ampuls or vials; Bynfezia, a 2,500 mcg/mL pen; 10, 20 or 30 mg monthly depot kits; and Mycapssa 20 mg capsules. Injected under the skin 2–4 times daily by the patient, or into a vein in hospital; the depot goes into a buttock muscle every 4 weeks, given by a clinician. It’s used as supplied, so the calculator and dose log don’t apply.
The injection is a ready-made solution drawn up with a syringe, not a powder. The depot kit is mixed with its own diluent by a clinician, exactly as its instructions say, and injected at once. The label says the solution isn’t compatible with IV nutrition (TPN) mixtures.
Datasheet
Half-life
about 1.7 to 1.9 hoursLabelAfter subcutaneous or IV injection in healthy adults (natural somatostatin lasts 1–3 minutes); 3.7 hours in cirrhosis. After a depot injection, levels plateau from about week 2–3 and fall after about week 6.
Type
Peptide, 8 amino acids
Molecular weight
1,019.3 g/mol
Formula
C49H66N10O10S2
Sequence
(D-Phe)-CF-(D-Trp)-KTC-(Thr-ol), ring closed by a disulfide bond between the two cysteines
Storage before use
Not a powder: ampuls hold a ready-made solution. Refrigerate at 2–8 °C in the carton, away from light; ampuls keep 14 days at 20–30 °C if protected from light.
After mixing or opening
Open ampuls just before use and discard the rest. Depot kits: refrigerate, stand 30–60 minutes at room temperature before mixing, inject at once. Mycapssa: refrigerate until first use, then up to 1 month at 20–25 °C.
Half-life: Sandostatin injection and Sandostatin LAR Depot prescribing information, section 12.3 (DailyMed)
Molecule: Sandostatin label section 11 (free peptide); PubChem CID 448601; FDA GSRS (UNII RWM8CCW8GP). Products contain the acetate salt (about 1,139 with two acetates).
Storage:Label Sandostatin, Sandostatin LAR Depot and Mycapssa prescribing information, section 16 (DailyMed)
Products contain octreotide acetate, with doses stated as octreotide itself; Oczyesa uses the hydrochloride in a liquid that forms a depot under the skin. The daily solution and the depot aren’t interchangeable, and Sandostatin solution shouldn’t be mixed into IV nutrition (TPN).
Cautions
Gallstones and sludge are very common: 52% of people treated for a year or more developed them, and gallbladder inflammation, bile duct infection and pancreatitis have followed.
Can push blood sugar up or down (high in 16%, low in 3% of people with acromegaly); insulin and other diabetes drugs may need adjusting.
Slows the heart: 25% of people with acromegaly had a rate under 50 beats per minute, and complete heart block has occurred with IV use during surgery.
Can lower thyroid hormone and vitamin B12 and cause pale, oily or loose stools from poor fat absorption; the labels advise periodic checks.
Lowers cyclosporine levels, which can lead to transplant rejection; Sandostatin is stopped at least 24 hours before each lutetium Lu 177 dotatate dose.
Questions
What is octreotide?
A man-made 8-amino-acid ring that acts like somatostatin, the body’s hormone “off switch”, but lasts hours instead of minutes. It lowers growth hormone and IGF-1 and blocks the gut hormones some tumors overproduce.
How does octreotide work?
Octreotide binds somatostatin receptors, the switches through which the body’s own somatostatin turns hormone release off, and lasts far longer than the natural hormone. It suppresses growth hormone from the pituitary, insulin and glucagon from the pancreas, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and gut hormones such as serotonin, gastrin and VIP that some tumors overproduce. It also slows bile release and gallbladder emptying and reduces blood flow to the gut, which explains its gallstone risk. How it slows some neuroendocrine tumors, directly or through other hormones, isn’t settled, and no trial has shown that it helps people with these tumors live longer: PROMID had too few deaths to tell.
Is octreotide FDA-approved?
Approved in the US as Sandostatin injection (1988) and generics, Sandostatin LAR Depot (1998) and generic depots, Bynfezia Pen, and Mycapssa capsules (2020, acromegaly only), for acromegaly and the diarrhea and flushing of carcinoid tumors and VIPomas.
What is the usual octreotide dose?
From the label (Sandostatin injection): Acromegaly: 50 mcg 3× daily under the skin to start, adjusted by GH or IGF-1 every 2 weeks; most need 100 mcg 3× daily, some up to 500 mcg. Carcinoid tumors: 100–600 mcg a day in 2–4 doses; VIPomas: 200–300 mcg a day. Sandostatin LAR Depot: 20 mg into a buttock muscle every 4 weeks, only after at least 2 weeks of daily injections have worked; then 10, 20 or 30 mg by response (up to 40 mg in acromegaly). These are the amounts sources reference, not recommendations.
How is octreotide given?
Injected under the skin 2–4 times daily by the patient, or into a vein in hospital; the depot goes into a buttock muscle every 4 weeks, given by a clinician. The UK label says injecting between meals or at bedtime may ease gut side effects. Mycapssa: at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.
Who should avoid octreotide?
Allergy to octreotide: Ruled out by the Sandostatin and Mycapssa labels; anaphylactic reactions, including shock, have been reported. Gallstones or gallbladder disease: It slows gallbladder emptying. About half of people treated for a year or more developed stones or sludge, and some needed surgery for complications. Diabetes or insulin-producing tumors: It can push blood sugar up or down, so diabetes drugs may need changing; with insulinomas it can deepen and prolong low blood sugar, the UK label says. The “Who should avoid it” section lists 4 more groups and 6 interactions.
What is the half-life of octreotide?
About 1.7 to 1.9 hours, according to the prescribing information. After subcutaneous or IV injection in healthy adults (natural somatostatin lasts 1–3 minutes); 3.7 hours in cirrhosis. After a depot injection, levels plateau from about week 2–3 and fall after about week 6.
How should octreotide be stored?
Not a powder: ampuls hold a ready-made solution. Refrigerate at 2–8 °C in the carton, away from light; ampuls keep 14 days at 20–30 °C if protected from light. Open ampuls just before use and discard the rest. Depot kits: refrigerate, stand 30–60 minutes at room temperature before mixing, inject at once. Mycapssa: refrigerate until first use, then up to 1 month at 20–25 °C.
Is octreotide banned in sport?
No. Not named on the 2026 list, and S0 doesn’t apply to an approved drug. Somatostatin analogs aren’t among the S2 hormones, releasing factors or growth factors the list names; octreotide lowers growth hormone rather than raising it.
Has octreotide been studied in people?
Yes. The human studies section lists 5 published studies. The largest, from 1995, included 199 people. Survival without rebleeding at 5 days 87% vs 71% with fewer transfusions, but survival at 15 days was 88% in both groups.
How long has octreotide been studied in people?
Label The depot’s acromegaly trials treated 96 people for over 108 weeks; ALADIN 2 treated 51 adults for 3 years. The UK label cites use for up to 15 years.
Does octreotide come in other forms, like a pill or nasal spray?
Label Injected under the skin or into a vein, as a monthly depot into muscle (or under the skin: Oczyesa, EU and UK), or swallowed as Mycapssa capsules. Nasal sprays are only in early testing.
Can you drink alcohol while taking octreotide?
Precaution The labels don’t address alcohol. Octreotide can push blood sugar up or down and is linked to pancreatitis, and heavy drinking can do both.
Can octreotide be taken with semaglutide or tirzepatide?
Precaution No study has combined them. Both slow the gut and are linked to gallstones, and octreotide’s labels say to recheck blood sugar and adjust diabetes medicines, which include GLP-1 drugs.
What happens if you take too much octreotide?
Label Per the label, overdoses of 2,400–6,000 mcg a day caused irregular heartbeat, heart block, low blood pressure, cardiac arrest, pancreatitis and diarrhea in some adults. Call Poison Help (1-800-222-1222), or emergency services for severe symptoms.
Sources
Sandostatin injection prescribing information (Novartis, DailyMed, July 2026)
Sandostatin LAR Depot prescribing information (Novartis, DailyMed, December 2025)
Mycapssa prescribing information (Chiesi, DailyMed, July 2025) and Bynfezia Pen prescribing information (Sun Pharma, DailyMed, February 2025)
Drugs@FDA: Sandostatin, NDA 019667 (October 21, 1988; new indication, S-017, May 3, 1994); Sandostatin LAR Depot, NDA 021008 (November 25, 1998); Mycapssa, NDA 208232 (June 26, 2020)
Mosdell and Visconti, emerging indications for octreotide (Am J Hosp Pharm 1994) PMID 8042637
UK summaries of product characteristics: Sandostatin (rev. July 8, 2025), Sandostatin LAR (rev. July 13, 2022) and Oczyesa (rev. February 9, 2026)
EMA medicines data: Mycapssa (authorized December 2, 2022, withdrawn February 26, 2025) and Oczyesa (authorized June 30, 2025)
Rinke et al., PROMID trial of octreotide LAR in midgut neuroendocrine tumors (J Clin Oncol 2009) PMID 19704057
For the protocol details
Sandostatin injection prescribing information, sections 2, 5, 6 and 12 (DailyMed, July 2026)
Sandostatin LAR Depot prescribing information, sections 2, 6, 12 and 14 (DailyMed, December 2025)
Mycapssa and Bynfezia Pen prescribing information (DailyMed, 2025)
Sandostatin and Oczyesa UK summaries of product characteristics (2025–2026)
Ezzat et al., octreotide in acromegaly, randomized multicenter trial (Ann Intern Med 1992) PMID 1416572
Ferone et al., ACROINNOVA 1 trial of octreotide subcutaneous depot (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2025) PMID 39378125
For how it works, who should avoid it and the limits of the evidence
Sandostatin injection prescribing information, sections 4, 5, 7, 8 and 12 (Novartis, DailyMed, July 2026)
Sandostatin LAR Depot prescribing information, sections 2, 5, 6, 7 and 8 (Novartis, DailyMed, December 2025)
Mycapssa prescribing information, sections 2, 4, 7 and 12.3 (Chiesi, DailyMed, July 2025)
Sandostatin UK summary of product characteristics, sections 4.4–4.6 (Novartis, rev. July 8, 2025)
For uses, the side-effect questions, special situations, trials, identifiers and status outside the US
Sandostatin injection prescribing information, sections 1, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 13 (Novartis, DailyMed, July 2026)
Sandostatin LAR Depot prescribing information, sections 6, 8, 12 and 14 (Novartis, DailyMed, December 2025)
Mycapssa prescribing information, sections 6 and 14 (Chiesi, DailyMed, July 2025)
Rubin et al., octreotide LAR vs subcutaneous octreotide in carcinoid syndrome (J Clin Oncol 1999) PMID 10080605
Besson et al., sclerotherapy with or without octreotide for variceal bleeding (NEJM 1995) PMID 7623904
Gøtzsche and Hróbjartsson, somatostatin analogues for bleeding oesophageal varices, Cochrane review (2008) PMID 18677774
Caroli et al., ALADIN trial in polycystic kidney disease (Lancet 2013) PMID 23972263
Perico et al., ALADIN 2 trial in later-stage polycystic kidney disease (PLoS Med 2019) PMID 30951521
Goltstein et al., OCEAN trial of octreotide in angiodysplasia bleeding (Gastroenterology 2024) PMID 38158089
Lustig et al., octreotide LAR for weight loss in adults with insulin hypersecretion (Int J Obes 2006) PMID 16158082
Bauer et al., SMS 201-995, an octapeptide somatostatin analogue (Life Sci 1982) PMID 6128648
FDA Global Substance Registration System records (UNII RWM8CCW8GP, 75R0U2568I), PubChem CID 448601 and WHO ATC index (H01CB02)
EMA medicines data for Oczyesa and Mycapssa (downloaded October 8, 2026)
Health Canada Drug Product Database entries for octreotide (checked October 8, 2026)
TGA product information search for octreotide and Poisons Standard, October 2026 (Schedule 4)
ClinicalTrials.gov registry entries for the trials listed (checked October 8, 2026)