Pharmaceutical compositions containing octreotide and excipients for oral or rectal administration

A pharmaceutical composition comprising octreotide and an excipient selected from the group consisting of a) a monosaccharide, b) a sugar alcohol, c) a monosaccharide and a polyoxyalkylene ether, and d) a sugar alcohol and a polyoxyalkylene ether, and said composition being adapted for gastro-intestinal resorption by oral or rectal administration and having a relative bioavailability of said octreotide, in blood plasma up to 12 hours after administration, of at least 160% by oral or rectal administration compared with 100% by oral or rectal administration of said octreotide alone.

A pharmaceutical suppository composition comprising octreotide, a polyoxyalkylene ether excipient, and a suppository base, and said composition being adapted for gastro-intestinal resorption by rectal administration.