Use of Sanvar® With Endoscopic Treatment for the Control of Acute Variceal Bleeding

This is a single-arm open-label clinical study with historical controls using Sanvar® (vapreotide) administered for 5 days in patients with acute variceal bleeding due to portal hypertension. Cirrhotic patients with a history of acute hematemesis and/or melena admitted to the emergency unit and meeting the eligibility criteria will receive, as soon as possible after admission (within a maximum of 24 hours after onset of hemorrhage and within 6 hours after admission), Sanvar® (vapreotide acetate) 50 µg IV bolus followed by an IV continuous infusion of 50 µg/h for 5 days. The diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy will be performed as soon as possible after the initiation of the study drug infusion, but no more than 12 hours after the patient's admission to the study center. A final follow up will be performed on Day 42. Patients for whom the source of bleeding is determined at endoscopy to be due to a cause other than portal hypertension (e.g. gastric ulcer) will be replaced. In addition, in such cases the study medication will be discontinued and patients will receive standard treatment according to the cause of their bleeding. These patients will be followed up for safety only. \*Note: There is no provision in this study to have an expanded access program.