Patent ID: 8372804

Claim:
A method of providing a labile peptide hormone to a patient in need thereof comprising: administering a suitable pharmaceutical composition comprising microparticles produced from formulation of a diketopiperazine with the labile peptide hormone by pulmonary inhalation; wherein said labile peptide hormone is subject to degradation in said patient as a result of exposure of said agent to peripheral tissue, vascular venous tissue, or the liver, prior to reaching the agent's site of action, wherein the effectiveness of said labile peptide hormone is reduced by said degradation; wherein said labile peptide hormone is not GLP-1 or insulin; and wherein about 35% to about 75% of said microparticles have an aerodynamic diameter of less than 5.8 micrometer for said pulmonary inhalation; and further, wherein the pulmonary inhalation results in a greater therapeutic effect from a lower exposure of said labile peptide hormone than oral, subcutaneous and intravenous administration of said labile peptide hormone.