A process for the synthesis of a therapeutic peptide using stepwise solid-phase Fmoc-chemistry comprising the steps of: (a) swelling Fmoc-Sieber resin (also referred to as Sieber Amide resin or Fmoc Sieber Amide resin) in a dipolar aprotic solvent; (b) de-protecting the Fmoc group using a solution of piperidine in a dipolar aprotic solvent; (c) washing the resin after Fmoc de-protection with a dipolar aprotic solvent; (d) activating the Fmoc-amino acids for coupling to the de-protected resin by dissolving the Fmoc-amino acid and coupling reagent(s) in a dipolar aprotic solvent then adding a base and stirring; (e) charging the activated Fmoc-amino acid solution to the resin in the reactor; (f) coupling the activated Fmoc-amino acid using (2-(6-chloro-1H-benzotriazole-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethylaminium hexafluorophosphate) (HCTU) or 2-(1H-benzotriazole-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate (TBTU)/1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt) with a base in a dipolar aprotic solvent as a coupling reagent; (g) washing the resin after each Fmoc-amino acid coupling; (h) repeating steps (b)-(g) until a peptide is formed; (i) cleaving the desired peptide from the resin while simultaneously de-protecting the amino acid side chains using a cleavage cocktail; (j) filtering the cleavage mixture from the resin; and (k) evaporating the filtrates and precipitating and partially purifying the crude product from the concentrated solution with an organic solvent to yield a partially purified peptide wherein said peptide is an analogue of ghrelin of formula R 1 -A 1 -A 2 -A 3 -A 4 -A 5 -R 2 wherein A 1 is Aib, Apc or Inp; A 2 is D-Bal, D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip, D-1Nal, D-2Nal, D-Ser(Bzl), or D-Trp; A 3 is D-Bal, D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip, D-1 Nal, D-2Nal, D-Ser(Bzl), or D-Trp; A 4 is 2Fua, Orn, 2Pal, 3Pal, 4Pal, Pff, Phe, Pim, Taz, 2Thi, 3Thi, Thr(Bzl); A 5 is Apc, Dab, Dap, Lys, Orn, or deleted; R 1 is hydrogen; and R 2 is OH or NH; provided that when A 5 is Dab, Dap, Lys, or Orn, then: A 2 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-Bal; or A 3 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-BaI;or A 4 is 2Thi, 3Thi, Taz, 2Fua, 2Pal, 3Pal, 4Pal, Orn, Thr(Bzl), or Pff; when A 5 is deleted, then: A 3 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, or D-Dip; or A 4 is 2Fua, Pff, Taz, or Thr(Bzl); or A 1 is Apc and - A 2 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-Bal; or A 3 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-Bal; or A 4 is 2Thi, 3Thi, Orn, 2Pal, 3Pal, or 4Pal. (a) swelling Fmoc-Sieber resin (also referred to as Sieber Amide resin or Fmoc Sieber Amide resin) in a dipolar aprotic solvent; (b) de-protecting the Fmoc group using a solution of piperidine in a dipolar aprotic solvent; (c) washing the resin after Fmoc de-protection with a dipolar aprotic solvent; (d) activating the Fmoc-amino acids for coupling to the de-protected resin by dissolving the Fmoc-amino acid and coupling reagent(s) in a dipolar aprotic solvent then adding a base and stirring; (e) charging the activated Fmoc-amino acid solution to the resin in the reactor; (f) coupling the activated Fmoc-amino acid using (2-(6-chloro-1H-benzotriazole-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethylaminium hexafluorophosphate) (HCTU) or 2-(1H-benzotriazole-1-yl)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyluronium tetrafluoroborate (TBTU)/1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HOBt) with a base in a dipolar aprotic solvent as a coupling reagent; (g) washing the resin after each Fmoc-amino acid coupling; (h) repeating steps (b)-(g) until a peptide is formed; (i) cleaving the desired peptide from the resin while simultaneously de-protecting the amino acid side chains using a cleavage cocktail; (j) filtering the cleavage mixture from the resin; and (k) evaporating the filtrates and precipitating and partially purifying the crude product from the concentrated solution with an organic solvent to yield a partially purified peptide A 1 is Aib, Apc or Inp; A 2 is D-Bal, D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip, D-1Nal, D-2Nal, D-Ser(Bzl), or D-Trp; A 3 is D-Bal, D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip, D-1 Nal, D-2Nal, D-Ser(Bzl), or D-Trp; A 4 is 2Fua, Orn, 2Pal, 3Pal, 4Pal, Pff, Phe, Pim, Taz, 2Thi, 3Thi, Thr(Bzl); A 5 is Apc, Dab, Dap, Lys, Orn, or deleted; R 1 is hydrogen; and R 2 is OH or NH; provided that when A 5 is Dab, Dap, Lys, or Orn, then: A 2 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-Bal; or A 3 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-BaI;or A 4 is 2Thi, 3Thi, Taz, 2Fua, 2Pal, 3Pal, 4Pal, Orn, Thr(Bzl), or Pff; A 2 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-Bal; or A 3 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-BaI;or A 4 is 2Thi, 3Thi, Taz, 2Fua, 2Pal, 3Pal, 4Pal, Orn, Thr(Bzl), or Pff; when A 5 is deleted, then: A 3 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, or D-Dip; or A 4 is 2Fua, Pff, Taz, or Thr(Bzl); or A 1 is Apc and - A 2 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-Bal; or A 3 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-Bal; or A 4 is 2Thi, 3Thi, Orn, 2Pal, 3Pal, or 4Pal. A 3 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, or D-Dip; or A 4 is 2Fua, Pff, Taz, or Thr(Bzl); or A 1 is Apc and - A 2 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-Bal; or A 3 is D-Bip, D-Bpa, D-Dip or D-Bal; or A 4 is 2Thi, 3Thi, Orn, 2Pal, 3Pal, or 4Pal.