Octreotide

Areas of active research — not promised effects

Each tag links to other compounds with research into that goal. Research use only: these are areas of study, not human-use claims.

Related by research scope · open each to compare

Octreotide acetate injection (Sandostatin) and octreotide LAR depot (Sandostatin LAR) are FDA-approved Rx medications. Generic formulations are also approved. Lawfully available only by prescription from a licensed prescriber.

Transparent blend · bci-1.0 · never paid-placement

Primary name

Octreotide

Origin

Synthetically derived analogue of endogenous somatostatin (somatotropin release-inhibiting factor); designed for improved metabolic stability and potency relative to the native 14-amino-acid peptide.

Registry IDs

PubChem CID

448601

CAS

83150-76-9

InChIKey

DEQANNDTNATYII-OULOTJBUSA-N

ChEMBL

CHEMBL1680

Molecular formula

C49H66N10O10S2

Molar mass

1019.2 g/mol

Monoisotopic

1018.44048069 Da

InChIKey

DEQANNDTNATYII-OULOTJBUSA-N

Appearance

Lyophilised powder (LAR depot) or clear, colourless solution (immediate-release acetate injection). MW 1019.2 Da.

Solubility

Freely soluble in water and in dilute acetic acid as the acetate salt.

Sequence not available in current seed.

Stability: Immediate-release octreotide acetate solution is stable in normal saline or 5% dextrose at room temperature for up to 24 hours when protected from light. LAR mi

Vial sizes

null mg · null mg

Purity grades

pharmaceutical-grade (GMP)

Salt forms

Free base (primary)

• GHS hazard class on file
• PPE & spill response
• Disposal guidance
• Not-for-human-consumption posture

How much research exists, and of what maturity — never a verdict on whether it works.

Mechanism of action

• Octreotide binds with high affinity to somatostatin receptor subtypes SSTR2 and SSTR5, both of which couple to inhibitory Gi/o proteins
• Receptor activation suppresses adenylyl cyclase, reduces intracellular cAMP, opens inwardly-rectifying potassium channels, and inhibits voltage-gated calcium channels, collectively hyperpolarizing secretory cells and reducing hormone exocytosis
• In pituitary somatotrophs this curtails growth hormone and IGF-1 release; in enterochromaffin and enteropancreatic cells it suppresses serotonin, VIP, glucagon, and secretin secretion
• Octreotide also inhibits splanchnic vasodilation through direct vascular SSTR2 activation, accounting for its use in variceal bleeding

Pharmacokinetics (ADME)

Half-life

Subcutaneous: approximately 1.7–1.9 hours (distribution half-life 72–98 min); LAR depot formulation achieves sustained release over ~4 weeks with a terminal half-life of approximately 23 days.

Clearance

Total body clearance ~7–10 L/h in healthy adults; reduced ~26% in elderly and further reduced in hepatic impairment (cirrhosis: ~5.9 L/h).

PK–PD note: Subcutaneous and IV routes are bioequivalent in terms of AUC. Volume of distribution ~13.6 L (healthy adults); increased to ~21.6 L in acromegalic patients. Approximately 65% protein-bound, primarily …

Reading the evidence

• Evidence quality and gaps vary by application — see the cited grades above.
• Indexed-article counts span all evidence tiers, not only completed human trials.
• No first-party human-dosing, efficacy, or benefit claims are made here.

Key reviews & evidence-gap sources

• Zheng H, et al. An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the use of octreotide for the prevention of postoperative complications after pancreatic resection. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019;98(38):e17196. (13 RCTs, 2006 patients) — Anchoring systematic review/meta-analysis; found no significant benefit of prophylactic octreotide for post-pancreatectomy complications
• Octreotide – A Review of its Use in Treating Neuroendocrine Tumours (PMC5983100) — Narrative review of octreotide LAR antiproliferative evidence in NETs
• Szilagyi A, Shrier I. Systematic review: the use of somatostatin or octreotide in refractory diarrhoea. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2001;15(12):1889-97 — DARE-quality-assessed systematic review of somatostatin/octreotide in refractory diarrhoea
• Octreotide — StatPearls (NBK544333) — NIH/NCBI peer-reviewed pharmacology reference; mechanism of action and receptor pharmacology

5 registered trials — 0 currently recruiting.

Phase 2
NCT03179995
Trial Using Octreotide to Enhance Liver Recovery After Hepatectomy

TERMINATED

Phase 4
NCT01278342
Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Sandostatin LAR at High Dose or in Combination Either With GH-receptor Antagonist or Dopamine-agonist in Acromegalic Patients

COMPLETED

Phase 1
NCT02359500
68Ga-Dotatoc Positron Emission Tomography (PET) for Somatostatin Receptor-Positive Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs)

TERMINATED

Phase 4
NCT01789281
Everolimus Roll-over Protocol for Patients Who Have Completed a Previous Novartis-sponsored Everolimus Study.

COMPLETED

Phase 3
NCT00248157
Extension Study of the Long-term Safety and Tolerability of Octreotide Acetate in Patients With Moderately Severe or Severe Non-proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy or Low Risk Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

TERMINATED

Summary (literature)

Gastrointestinal effects (nausea, abdominal cramps, loose stools, steatorrhoea) are the most common adverse reactions and typically attenuate over the first weeks of treatment. Prolonged use is associated with cholesterol gallstone formation and biliary sludge due to impaired gal…

WADA status

Not specifically listed as a prohibited substance on the WADA 2026 Prohibited List. Somatostatin analogues are not enumerated in the current peptide hormones/gr…

Dominant research route: Subcutaneous

Absorption rapid and complete; bioavailability ~100%; peak 5.2 ng/mL at 0.4 h after 100 mcg in healthy volunteers; in acromegaly patients peak 2.8 ng/mL at 0.7 h (humans)

Bioavailability: Bioavailability approximately 100% after subcutaneous injection; absorption rapid and complete from injection site

Dominant immediate-release route; basis for all relative bioavailability comparisons. FDA-approved Sandostatin injection.

Long-acting release (LAR) depot injected intramuscularly; relative bioavailability ~60% vs subcutaneous immediate-release (humans)

Bioavailability: Bioavailability of the long-acting release form is relatively low at about 60% compared to subcutaneous octreotide

Sandostatin LAR Depot; sustained-release IM formulation for monthly dosing. Lower peak but prolonged exposure vs SC.

IV bolus doses of 1 mg (1000 mcg) to healthy volunteers; IV infusion of 30 mg over 20 min and 120 mg over 8 h to research patients (humans)

Bioavailability: Intravenous administration defines 100% systemic exposure reference; IV bolus of 1 mg did not result in serious ill effects in healthy volunteers

IV route studied for tolerability/overdose characterization, not routine maintenance therapy. Apparent elimination half-life 1.7-1.9 h.

MYCAPSSA delayed-release capsules (TPE technology); oral bioavailability <1% at 20 mg and <0.2% at 80 mg vs 0.1 mg SC; peak at median 1.67-2.5 h vs 0.5 h SC (humans); oral delivery in Intravail enhancer studied in male Swiss Webster mice

Bioavailability: Oral bioavailability <1% (20 mg dose) and <0.2% (80 mg dose) versus 0.1 mg SC immediate-release injection; Cmax 22-33% lower than SC; absorption delayed

FDA-approved oral formulation (MYCAPSSA, NDA 208232, 2020) uses Transient Permeation Enhancer (TPE) technology opening tight junctions; requires empty-stomach dosing. Separate animal study (mice) with Intravail enhancer reported relative bioavailability 4.0 vs SC.

Animal & human figures are kept visibly separate so studied animal doses are never misread as human guidance.

Sorted A–Z by vendor — never by price

DrugPatentWatch notes octreotide acetate prices are declining while growth is sustained by expanding indications; generic competition since Sandostatin patent expiry. Research-reagent pricing appears stable.

Researched storefront prices, bucketed

p25 $23.36 · median $34.80 · p75 $120.45 · 4 researched vendors

Legit, COA-backed band: $30.00–$60.00/mg.

Value rule: don't just buy the cheapest — a price under $3/mg is a red flag. Pair price with COA and independent-test grade.

Estimated cost of research (10 mg)

Vial (best researched price)

$119

Bacteriostatic water (generic estimate)

$6

Syringes / supplies (generic estimate)

$12

What each test proves — general guidance, plus this compound's researched purity data

Independent labs cited for this compound

Two compound-specific FDA recalls identified: (1) Mylan/Viatris Octreotide Acetate Injection 500 mcg/mL, lot AJ21002, recalled 2022-10-25 for glass particulates (terminated); (2) Teva Octreotide Acetate for Injectable Suspension (10/20/30 mg), Class II recall initiated 2026-03-17 for lack of assurance of sterility (ongoing). No octreotide-specific counterfeit or criminal-seizure events were found in FDA OCI or Partnership for Safe Medicines records retrieved.

Buyer red-flag checklist

• Injectable sterile product — particulate/glass contamination recalls indicate sterility/containment risk in legitimate supply chain
• Lack-of-assurance-of-sterility recall tied to FDA-identified quality system deficiencies at contract manufacturer (Pharmathen, Greece)
• Octreotide is a prescription injectable/depot; any 'research peptide' octreotide sold outside FDA-approved channels is unapproved and subject to Import Alert 66-41 DWPE
• No independent third-party purity/identity data publicly confirmed for non-pharma octreotide sources
• High-value branded product (Sandostatin LAR) historically a target for diversion/counterfeiting in specialty-injectable class

GMP vs research-grade: the chemistry (SPPS + HPLC + MS) is identical — the difference is the quality system.

Underdosing / mislabeling: No independent third-party lab test results (Janoshik/MZ Biolabs/Finnrick) specific to octreotide were retrievable; Janoshik's public-tests database could not be accessed (HTTP 403) and no octreotide entry was confirmed in retrieved sources. Underdosing prevalence for octreotide is therefore not established from independent lab data.

• FDA Import Alert 66-41, 'Detention Without Physical Examination of Unapproved New Drugs Promoted In The U.S.' (DWPE). General alert covering unapproved new drug products from firms on the Red List; not octreotide-specific, but unapproved/octreotide-labeled imports from non-approved firms would fall under this framework. Revision dated 05/19/2026.66-41
• An RUO label is not an import exemption — CBP judges actual intended use.
• Lyophilized powder is ambient-stable in transit; temperature control needed for > 7-day transit.
• US-warehouse vendors dodge import scrutiny — they cost more but ship more reliably.

Every item dated & sourced

Octreotide is not explicitly named on the WADA Prohibited List; full list content could not be retrieved to confirm whether it falls under S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, and mimetics) by similarity. Athletes should verify status with their Anti-Doping Organization.

No granted patents identified in current seed. Composition-of-matter coverage is limited given the peptide's synthetic origin.

• IACUC / IRB research context
• RUO buyer responsibilities & documentation
• Veterinary / alternative-use where lawful
• Jurisdiction-aware "who may lawfully obtain"

What people discuss

Reported concerns — discussion, not established effects

Reading caveats

• Self-selected patient reviewers; long-term survivors overrepresented
• Condition-specific skew (NET/carcinoid and acromegaly dominate)
• Small aggregate sample; individual anecdotes not generalizable
• Prescription-only drug; minimal gray-market/counterfeit discourse vs research-peptide compounds

Manually researched from reddit, youtube— theme weights are research estimates, not live counts; aggregated & de-identified. No individual posts, quotes, or usernames are ever shown.

Relative research / market volume — populated once the activity stream is wired

Inline tooltips for lyophilized, RUO, EU/mg, SPPS, 503A and more.

Toggle plain-language ↔ scientific in the header.

• How to read a COA
• Free base vs acetate
• Understanding evidence grades

FDA-approved synthetic somatostatin analogue that suppresses growth hormone, controls carcinoid flushing, and manages VIPoma-related secretory diarrhea. Approximately 12,565 articles are indexed (literature last scanned 2026-05-29). US regulatory status: FDA-approved prescription drug (NDA 019667 / NDA 021008). Research use only.

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