Context: An oral formulation of EP01572, a peptidomimetic growth hormone secretagogue, was studied. An oral delivery system would be preferable in many of the possible therapeutic indications of ghrelin agonists such as EP01572.

Objectives: Our objective was to establish the pharmacological profile and the GH-releasing activity of increasing oral doses of EP01572 in healthy volunteers. In addition, the pharmacokinetics and pharmacological effects of EP01572 were investigated after intraduodenal administration.

Setting: Single center escalating dose study with oral and duodenal applications.

Subjects and Methods: In the first part, EP01572 was given orally to 36 male subjects; the treatment consisted of one oral dose of either EP01572 or placebo (0.005, 0.05 and 0.5 mg/kg body weight). Six subjects received two additional oral doses of EP01572: 0.125 and 0.25 mg/kg body weight. In the second part, the following treatments were performed in a randomized order: 1) administration of a bolus of saline (placebo) to the small intestine; 2) intraduodenal (ID) administration of a bolus of EP01572 at 0.2 mg/kg body weight; 3) ID perfusion of a bolus of EP01572 at 0.35 mg/kg body weight; 4) ID perfusion of a bolus of EP01572 at 0.5 mg/kg body weight.

Results: The oral and intraduodenal administration of EP01572 induced a rapid and dose-dependent increase in plasma drug concentrations and a potent GH release in healthy male volunteers.

Conclusions: This study showed that EP01572 was active with regard to stimulation of growth hormone release in humans after oral and intraduodenal administration.