
The now-published results from the EMBRACA study confirm that talazoparib (Pfizer), a poly-adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, prolongs progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced BCRA-positive breast cancer compared with single-agent chemotherapy alone, and that it also significantly improves quality of life.
“This is the largest randomized trial in BRCA mutation carriers [ever undertaken] and demonstrates PARP efficacy,” Jennifer Litton, MD, associate professor in the Department of Breast Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, told Medscape Medical News in an email.
“I think what was really striking was that patients felt better on [talazoparib] than on chemotherapy and the time to meaningful deterioration was significantly improved on talazoparib than on standard chemotherapy,” she added.
“The next steps will be to look beyond BRCA mutation carriers with combinations that may expand who may benefit or prolong their activity,” Litton said.
The study was published online on August 15 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Source: Medscape







