Olaparib is the first in a new type of targeted cancer drug called a PARP inhibitor. The drug was developed thanks to pioneering research made possible by Curestarters like you. Olaparib has so far been used to treat over 140,000 people with cancer worldwide – and many clinical trials are ongoing to see if olaparib can save the lives of more people with cancer.
There’s no guarantee of success with clinical trials. The striking thing was that, within not too many months of those trials, certain patients were responding in some very pronounced and outstanding ways.
Back in 1994, Professor Steve Jackson made the life-changing decision to apply for funding from Worldwide Cancer Research.
The charity's focus on discovery research had sounded like the perfect fit for an intriguing new avenue of his work, aiming to understand how certain proteins in our cells fix DNA damage, a process (called DNA repair) that is essential to keep our cells healthy.
As his idea began to grow, Worldwide Cancer Research continued to award funds for a further three projects. Finally, in 1997, Professor Jackson had his Eureka moment - that DNA repair deficiencies represented an Achilles' heel for certain cancers that could potentially be exploited.
But even with a potential new cancer treatment, no pharmaceutical companies were showing interest. This left Professor Jackson with no other option but to set up a start-up company of his own, called KuDOS, which would go on to be the first stepping stone towards a promising new drug based on his research.
After several years of development, testing, and late nights in the lab, Professor Jackson and his team landed on a drug called olaparib. You can read more about the journey to this discovery here.
As of April 2025, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (used by the NHS), advises the use of olaparib to treat patients with certain breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers.
Olaparib is also being tested in patients with some types of endometrial, pancreatic, and lung cancer. While decisions of approval are pending in the UK, the FDA has already approved olaparib for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in the USA, and the drug is authorised for sale across the EU for both pancreatic and endometrial cancers.
And the success of the drug doesn't stop there, as new opportunities continue to emerge in clinical trials around the world. Most of these studies are looking at using olaparib to treat different advanced cancers, or to improve treatment results with new drug combinations.
Regardless of the outcomes of these ongoing trials, olaparib is already changing thousands of people's lives by helping those with cancer live longer. For some, this game-changing drug has even led to the life-changing news that they are now cancer free.
We simply could not have funded Professor Jackson's original research without Curestarters like you. Your support really does make a difference.
Olaparib FAQs
What is olaparib?
Olaparib is a particular type of targeted cancer treatment called a PARP inhibitor that can stop cancer cells growing, whilst avoiding healthy cells.
What is a PARP inhibitor?
PARP stands for Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, which is a family of proteins that help with lots of vital cell functions, particularly helping with DNA repair. A PARP inhibitor like olaparib stops this process of DNA repair.
How does olaparib work?
Olaparib works by targeting a weak spot in cancer cells – their ability to repair damaged DNA. Cancer cells need certain molecules called PARP proteins to repair their DNA if it is damaged. Olaparib, and other PARP inhibitors, stop this process of DNA repair, causing cancer cells to die.
What types of cancer is olaparib able to treat?
Olaparib is currently approved to treat certain types and cases of ovarian cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer in the UK, and also for certain types of pancreatic cancers (in the US and EU) and endometrial cancers (in the EU). It is not approved, or suitable, for all patients so please always speak to your oncologist about the best treatment options for you.
Is olaparib available in the UK?
Yes. Olaparib has been approved to be used in the UK for certain cancer patients. Our Curestarter Fiona found olaparib to be game-changing in treating her ovarian cancer. Like a lot of cancer treatments, the use of olaparib varies from country to country because of differing regulatory bodies and health systems.
Why is olaparib such an exciting cancer treatment?
Olaparib is a pioneering new treatment that was made possible by discovery research backed by Curestarters. It was the first drug of it’s kind (known as a PARP inhibitor), giving a new lifesaving option to thousands of patients worldwide.
Excitingly, research around olaparib is ongoing. In the future we hope that even more people will benefit from olaparib and that it will pave the way for other innovative cures.
What other cancers could olaparib treat in the future?
There are lots of ongoing clinical trials around the world, looking into the use of olaparib to treat other cancer types or improving treatment results with new drug combinations.
Most studies are looking at advanced cancer i.e. metastatic solid tumours, in cancers including:
neuroendocrine cancer, glioma & glioblastoma, bladder cancer, bile duct cancer, stomach cancers, head and neck cancers, lung cancers, mesothelioma, kidney cancer, eye melanoma, gynaecological cancers, sarcoma, cervical cancer, oesophageal cancer, and osteosarcoma (bone cancer).
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