Generic Name: olaparib
Drug Class: Targeted Therapy Medications
Company: AstraZeneca
Approval Status: Approved
Generic Version Available: No
Drug Indication
Lynparza is a PARP inhibitor approved for the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer in previously treated people with harmful BRCA mutations, maintenance treatment of ovarian cancer in people responding to chemotherapy, previously treated HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer in people with BRCA mutations, maintenance treatment of pancreatic cancer in people with BRCA mutations and previously treated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer in people with BRCA or other faulty DNA repair mutations.
General Info
Lynparza blocks poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) proteins, which play a role in DNA damage repair. Inhibiting PARP leads to more DNA breaks in cancer cells, which halts cell division. People with harmful BRCA or other faulty DNA repair mutations do not make proteins that fix this kind of DNA damage, so their cancer is especially susceptible to these drugs.
The SOLO-1 trial showed that Lynparza as frontline maintenance therapy reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 70% in women with newly diagnosed BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer. SOLO-2 showed that Lynparza improved progression-free survival in women with BRCA-related ovarian cancer who experienced recurrence while on platinum-based chemotherapy. SOLO-3 showed that Lynparza led to better response rates than chemotherapy for previously treated BRCA-mutated advanced ovarian cancer. The The PAOLA-1 trial found that maintenance therapy with Lynparza plus Avastin (bevacizumab) slowed disease progression in people responding to chemotherapy.
The OlympiAD study showed that Lynparza extended progression-free survival in women with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer and BRCA mutations. The POLO trial found that Lynparza delayed progression of metastatic pancreatic cancer in people with BRCA mutations. The PROfound trial showed that Lynparza improved progression-free and overall survival in people with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who had BRCA or other faulty DNA repair mutations. Lynparza was first approved in 2014.
Dosage
Dosing Info:
Lynparza is taken as a tablet or capsule twice daily with or without food.
Side Effects
Common side effects include nausea and vomiting, fatigue, diarrhea, muscle and joint pain, headache, unusual taste sensations, decreased appetite, mouth sores and constipation. Lynparza can cause depletion of red blood cells (anemia), white blood cells (neutropenia) and platelets (thrombocytopenia), which can lead to infections and easy bleeding. Potentially serious side effects include lung inflammation, blood clots and increased risk of leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome. Lynparza can cause fetal harm if used during pregnancy.
For More Info: https://www.lynparza.com/
Patient Assistance Program Info: https://www.lynparza.com/ovarian-cancer/patient-resources/my-lynparza-support-program.html
Last Reviewed: May 20, 2020
