Veliparib in addition to carboplatin and paclitaxel for epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer

Veliparib as an oral formulation, in addition to chemotherapy drugs carboplatin and paclitaxel, is in clinical development for epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer. Ovarian cancer includes a group of tumours that arise from diverse types of tissue contained in the ovary. The most common type of ovarian cancer arises from epithelial cells (the outside layer of cells) on the surface of the ovary, and can often spread from the ovary to any surface within the abdominal cavity including the fallopian tubes and peritoneal cavity. Fallopian tube cancer and primary peritoneal cancer are histologically equivalent diseases to epithelial ovarian cancer.
Veliparib acts by targeting specific enzymes involved in the repair of damaged DNA that helps the body to kill cancer cells while allowing ordinary cells to survive. Veliparib is expected to be used in combination with other cytotoxic (cell-killing) cancer medicines that cause DNA damage, such as chemotherapy, where it is expected to enhance their activity by preventing DNA repair. If licensed, veliparib in addition to carboplatin and paclitaxel will offer an additional treatment option for women with stage III or IV epithelial ovarian cancer, fallopian tube cancer, or primary peritoneal cancer.