SMS 201-995, a new long-acting, synthetic somatostatin analogue, dose 50 μg/h, given as a continuous intravenous infusion, completely abolished quinine-induced insulin release in 9 healthy Thai volunteers. Hyperinsulinaemia, which caused sustained hypoglycaemia in a 32-year-old post-partum Thai patient who was receiving intravenous quinine for falciparum malaria, was suppressed within 30 min of starting SMS 201-995, and the patient became fully conscious. This octapeptide antagonises the stimulatory effect of quinine on the pancreatic beta cell and is a specific therapy for life-threatening hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia complicating falciparum malaria.