FDA approves first oral therapy for carcinoid syndrome diarrhea

Shares in Lexicon Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: LXRX) rose more than 5% in pre-market trading, following the announcement that the Texan biopharmaceutical company had received US Food and Drug Administration approval for its carcinoid syndrome diarrhea treatment.

The FDA approved Xermelo (telotristat ethyl), the first orally administered therapy for the rare, debilitating condition, based on safety and efficacy data from a 12-week trial with 90 adult participants.

The treatment is approved for use in combination with somatostatin analog (SSA) therapy for the treatment of adult patients for whom SSA therapy alone has been inadequately effective.