Pharmaceutical compositions which inhibit vascular proliferation and method of use thereof

1. A method of treating vascular proliferation in a patient, said method comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a somatostatin type-1 receptor agonist to said patient wherein said somatostatin type-1 receptor agonist is a somatostatin type-1 receptor selective agonist having a Ki for the somatostatin type-1 receptor which is less than 5 nM and at least 10 times less than the Ki for said somatostatin type-1 receptor agonist for each of the somatostatin type-2, type-3, type-4, and type-5 receptors provided that said somatostatin type-1 receptor agonist is not H-D-Phe-Phe-Phe-D-Trp-Lys-Thr-Phe-Thr-NH 2 or 3-((2,4-dimethylpyrrol-5-yl) methylidenyl)-2-indolinone.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the somatostatin type-1 receptor selective agonist is Caeg-c(D-Cys-Pal-D-Trp-Lys-D-Cys)-Thr(Bzl)-Tyr-NH 2 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said vascular proliferation comprises angiogenesis, restenosis, endothelial cell proliferation, smooth muscle proliferation, or new blood vessel sprouting.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said vascular proliferation occurs in a disease or condition comprising an autoimmune disease, arthritis, scleroderma, cancerous tumors, corneal graft neovascularization, diabetic retinopathy, hemangioma, hypertrophic scarring, or psoriasis.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said vascular proliferation is incident to or associated with angioplasty or an AV shunt.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said vascular proliferation occurs in a disease or condition comprising warts, granulomas, Kaposi's sarcoma, or allergic oedema.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said vascular proliferation occurs in a disease or condition comprising endometriosis, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, or follicular cysts.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said vascular proliferation occurs in a disease or condition comprising retinopathy of prematurity, choroidopathy, macular degeneration, or age-related macular degeneration.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said vascular proliferation occurs in a disease or condition comprising solid tumor, tumor metastasis, benign tumor, acoustic neuromas, neurofibromas, trachomas, leukemia, pyogenic granuloma, myocardial angiogenesis, plaque neovascularization, atherosclerosis, coronary collaterals, cerebral collaterals, arteriovenous malformations, ischemic limb angiogenesis, corneal graft rejection, Osler-Webber Syndrome, rubeosis, neovascular glaucoma, retrolental fibroplasia, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic neovascularization, fracture, vasculogenesis, hematopoiesis, ovulation, menstruation, placentation, cat scratch disease (Rochele minalia quintosa), peptic ulcer, Helicobacter pylori associated ulcer, psoriasis, telangiectasia psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, intestinal adhesions, scarring, hypertrophic scars, keloids, telangiectasia, hemophiliac joints, angiofibroma, or wound granulation.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said somatostatin type-1 receptor agonist is disposed upon or within a vascular stent.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said somatostatin type-1 receptor agonist is provided as a component of a slow release formulation.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein said somatostatin type-1 receptor agonist is provided as a component of a polymeric composition.