Dr. Garcia on a Trial Analyzing the PARP Inhibitor Veliparib

Agustin A. Garcia, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, discusses a phase I trial analyzing the PARP inhibitor veliparib (ABT-888) in patients with breast cancer.

This phase I/II trial analyzed the efficacy of the combination veliparib and carboplatin. The results of the phase I portion of the study were presented at the 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Meeting. The phase II portion of the trial will compare veliparib alone to veliparib and chemotherapy.

PARP inhibitors are highly specific for patients who are BRCA carriers. Though the BRCA gene is associated with breast cancer and ovarian cancer risk, this trial was specific to patients with breast cancer. This trial determined the maximum tolerated dose of carboplatin in combination with veliparib. Treatment was well-tolerated.