Patent ID: 7803773

Claim:
A method of treating a patient suffering from one or more symptoms associated with carcinoid tumors, said method comprising: implanting subcutaneously into a patient in need thereof at least one implant comprising a hydrogel and a pharmaceutical formulation comprising octreotide; wherein said pharmaceutical formulation is contained within said hydrogel, which hydrogel comprises a copolymer obtained from the copolymerization of a mixture comprising at least two hydrophilic, ethylenically unsaturated monomers; wherein said pharmaceutical formulation contains between about 20 to about 150 milligrams of octreotide, in free form or salt form; wherein said pharmaceutical formulation further comprises hydroxypropylcellulose; and wherein said at least one implant releases a therapeutically effective amount of said octreotide to said patient over a period of at least about two months.