New drug first used to treat inherited cancers

Olaparib is set to become the first drug used to treat inherited forms of cancer, meaning it could pave the way to a range of personalised tumour treatments, according to a new study.

The drug has been recommended for approval by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of a type of ovarian cancer that has been caused by inherited BRCA gene mutations.

Early trials of Olaparib – which has been developed by AstraZeneca – suggest it could also be effective against aggressive, advanced prostate cancer that is linked to specific genetic defects, that are not necessarily inherited.

Furthermore, it has the potential to be used against other solid tumour cancers driven by similar DNA repair mutations, according to Professor Johann de Bono, from the Institute of Cancer Research in London and the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

Olaparib is from a new class of drugs called PARP inhibitors that prevent cancer cells from fixing broke DNA, which causes them to die. One of the biggest benefits of this treatment is that it only targets cancerous cells, leaving healthy ones unaffected.

Professor de Bon said: "Although PARP inhibitors like olaparib have generally been trialled in women with inherited BRCA mutations, these exciting new trials could give them a whole other lease of life in advanced prostate cancer, and other tumours with DNA repair mutations.”