Researchers at the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa received a five-year, $10.67 million Specialized Programs of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant to study neuroendocrine tumors — the first and only grant of its kind. SPORE grants are funded through the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health. Read the full release.

On August 3, 2015 Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the pivotal TELESTAR Phase 3 clinical trial met its primary endpoint, showing the benefit of oral telotristat etiprate in treating cancer patients with carcinoid syndrome that is not adequately controlled by the current standard of care. Telotristat etiprate was discovered using Lexicon’s gene science, based on Nobel Prize-winning technology, and is the company’s first discovery to complete a pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial. If approved, telotristat etiprate would be the first oral treatment successfully developed for carcinoid syndrome and the first addition to the standard of care in more than 16 years.

Recently, two multi-institutional cooperative group trials looked at synergistic uses with common related therapies, moving toward the goal of uncovering new standards of care for this rare disease.