According to brand-new data presented at the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, Merck and Co and AstraZeneca’s PARP inhibitor Lynparza conveyed positive results in BRCA-mutated high-risk early breast cancer.

Phase III OlympiA trial data demonstrated that Lynparza decreased the chance of second cancers, invasive breast cancer recurrence or death by forty-two per cent in the overall trial population, including those who had finished standard neoadjuvant and local treatment or adjuvant chemotherapy. Eight-five-point-nine per cent of patients treated with Lynparza remained free of second cancers and invasive breast cancer versus seventy-seven-point-one per cent on placebo.

“Lynparza conveyed positive results in BRCA-mutated high-risk early breast cancer.“

In addition, the PARP inhibitor decreased the jeopardy of death or distant disease recurrence by forty-three per cent, with fewer deaths occurring in patients receiving Lynparza at the time of the initial data cut-off.

Despite this, the difference in overall survival didn’t attain statistical significance at the time of the interim analysis.

Executive Vice President, Oncology Business Unit, AstraZeneca, Dave Fredrickson, stated: “This is the first time that any medicine targeting a BRCA mutation has demonstrated the potential to change the course of early-stage breast cancer and offer hope for a cure. By providing a treatment which significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer returning in these high-risk patients, we hope Lynparza will set a new benchmark demonstrating sustained clinical benefit. We are working with regulatory authorities to bring Lynparza to these patients as quickly as possible.”