Organic Compounds

A process for the production of octreotide acetate microparticles, comprising the steps of:

• a) forming a solution or dispersion by combining a first mixture which comprises octreotide acetate dissolved in a polar organic solvent that is miscible with methylene dichloride, with a second mixture which comprises a linear poly (lactide-co-glycolide) free from silicone oil or heptane dissolved in methylene chloride;
• b) combining said solution or dispersion with an effective amount of an aqueous process medium to form an emulsion that contains said process medium and microdroplets which are free from silicone oil or heptane comprising said octreotide acetate, said methylene dichloride and said linear poly (lactide-co-glycolide);
• and
• c) forming said microparticles by combining said emulsion with an effective amount of an extraction medium.