olaparib
Lynparza (olaparib) is an oral PARP inhibitor from AstraZeneca for selected BRCA-mutated or homologous recombination-deficient cancers of the ovary, breast, pancreas, and prostate. It blocks DNA repair enzymes that cancer cells depend on, so damaged cancer cells die while treatment helps keep responding cancers from returning.
This page is based on FDA prescribing information and the EMA medicine record for olaparib, cross-checked with DailyMed, MedlinePlus, and the National Cancer Institute dictionary; the mechanism is explained in plain language, and analogies are used only where they stay accurate.
How it works
Explains what the medicine does in the body, not dosing, side effects, or safety.
An analogy
Cancer cells damage their own DNA as they grow, and PARP is the repair crew that patches single-strand breaks. Cancers with BRCA mutations have already lost their heavy repair machinery. Olaparib takes out the patch crew as well. With no repair route left, breaks multiply, the cancer cell's genome collapses, and the cell dies, while healthy cells still have working BRCA to fall back on.
In simple terms
Olaparib blocks PARP, an enzyme cells use to repair single-strand DNA breaks. When PARP is inhibited, breaks accumulate. Cancer cells that already carry BRCA mutations or other homologous recombination defects cannot complete the repairs and die, while normal cells keep other repair routes. Olaparib is used to treat selected BRCA-mutated breast, ovarian, pancreatic, and prostate cancers, and as maintenance therapy to keep cancers that responded to platinum chemotherapy from returning.
In depth
Olaparib is a small molecule inhibitor of the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). It selectively binds and inhibits PARP, blocking PARP-mediated repair of single-strand DNA breaks, which can enhance the cytotoxicity of DNA-damaging agents and reverse tumour cell chemoresistance and radioresistance. Tumours with deleterious BRCA mutations or broader homologous recombination deficiency are selectively vulnerable because they cannot repair the accumulated strand breaks. Companion diagnostics are used to select patients for treatment and maintenance across ovarian, breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancer indications.
See it in motion
A schematic animation of the mechanism — simplified for clarity, not drawn to scale.
How olaparib inhibits nuclear PARP so BRCA/HRD-deficient tumours cannot repair DNA
- Olaparib is a small molecule inhibitor of the nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP).
- It selectively binds and inhibits PARP, blocking PARP-mediated repair of single-strand DNA breaks, which can enhance the cytotoxicity of DNA-damaging agents and reverse tumour cell chemoresistance and radioresistance.
- Tumours with deleterious BRCA mutations or broader homologous recombination deficiency are selectively vulnerable because they cannot repair the accumulated strand breaks.
- Companion diagnostics are used to select patients for treatment and maintenance across ovarian, breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancer indications.
Target: Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP)
An enzyme activated by single-strand DNA breaks that catalyses ADP-ribosylation of nuclear proteins as part of DNA repair; blocking it leaves breaks unrepaired, which is lethal to cancer cells with defective BRCA-mediated repair.
Approved uses
Approved uses differ by country and change over time. Always follow your local prescribing information.
Approved uses in United States
FDA- For the maintenance treatment of adults with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline or somatic BRCA-mutated advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy, with patients selected by an FDA-approved companion diagnostic
- In combination with bevacizumab, for the maintenance treatment of adults with advanced epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to first-line platinum-based chemotherapy and whose cancer is homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)-positive, defined by a deleterious or suspected deleterious BRCA mutation and/or genomic instability
- For the maintenance treatment of adults with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline or somatic BRCA-mutated recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who are in complete or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy
- For the adjuvant treatment of adults with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated HER2-negative high risk early breast cancer who have been treated with neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy
- For the treatment of adults with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer who have been treated with chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or metastatic setting, with hormone receptor-positive disease also treated with prior endocrine therapy or considered inappropriate for it
- For the maintenance treatment of adults with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline BRCA-mutated metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma whose disease has not progressed on at least 16 weeks of a first-line platinum-based chemotherapy regimen
- For the treatment of adults with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline or somatic homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who have progressed following prior treatment with enzalutamide or abiraterone
- In combination with abiraterone and prednisone or prednisolone, for the treatment of adults with deleterious or suspected deleterious BRCA-mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer
Approved uses in European Union
EMA- As monotherapy, for the maintenance treatment of adults with advanced (FIGO stages III and IV) BRCA1/2-mutated (germline and/or somatic) high-grade epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who are in response (complete or partial) following completion of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy
- As monotherapy, for the maintenance treatment of adults with platinum-sensitive relapsed high-grade epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who are in response (complete or partial) to platinum-based chemotherapy
- In combination with bevacizumab, for the maintenance treatment of adults with advanced (FIGO stages III and IV) high-grade epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer who are in response (complete or partial) following completion of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy in combination with bevacizumab and whose cancer is associated with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) positive status defined by a BRCA1/2 mutation and/or genomic instability
- As monotherapy or in combination with endocrine therapy, for the adjuvant treatment of adults with germline BRCA1/2-mutations who have HER2-negative, high risk early breast cancer previously treated with neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy
- As monotherapy, for the treatment of adults with germline BRCA1/2-mutations who have HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with an anthracycline and a taxane, with hormone receptor-positive disease also progressed on or after prior endocrine therapy or considered unsuitable for it
Official sources
The statements on this page trace back to these records.
- Lynparza (olaparib) — Summary of product characteristics and package leaflet, English version
European Medicines Agency
- DailyMed: Lynparza (olaparib) official US label
U.S. National Library of Medicine, DailyMed
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: olaparib prescribing information
U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- MedlinePlus: olaparib
MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
- National Cancer Institute: olaparib
National Cancer Institute
This page explains how the medicine works — it isn’t the patient leaflet. For anything that applies to you, read the leaflet that came with your medicine or ask your pharmacist.
MedUnfold provides educational content and is not medical advice. Always follow your local prescribing information and healthcare professional.