Linda and Carolyn in Borrego Springs
Just now ten minutes of intense research showed me that
AstraZeneca is one of those international drug companies that we so love to
hate. In other words, when we excoriate
Big Pharma, as we so often do, AstraZeneca comes in, non-specifically, as one
of the culprits. I have several times
said that, unfortunately, we need the bastards – stirring up a personal batch
of a cancer drug in your bathtub just isn’t feasible. There are sharp questions to be asked about
their (Big Pharma’s) business practices, for sure, but by and large they are on
the side of the angels. I have written
about this subject many times; here is an example:
Well, hell, AZ seems to have gone a long way toward
justifying its mercenary capitalist existence by developing, getting approval
for, and bringing to market a new drug they call Lynparza (Bio-name, Olaparib). Olaparib is a PARP inhibitor, useful as a “maintenance”
drug in cases of advanced ovarian cancer.
It also seems to be good for breast cancer and certain instances of
prostate cancer. It is specific to cases
of defective BRCA genes, but also (unless my hurried research betrays me) can
help in cases of non-BRCA OVCA as well.
Olaparib comes equipped with its own collection of side effects
(bio-geeks call them AE’s, for Adverse Events), but none appear to be
dangerously severe. Olaparib is not a
cure for OVCA, but it provides a good many months, even years, of life.
So, maybe AZ has done a good thing, after all. Quick:
sell your stock – as we all know, no good deed goes unpunished.
By the way, AZ is headquartered in London, but has a big facility in Maryland.
Oh, it turns out that I already wrote about this just two months ago - and then, undeniably, forgot all about it. Bad sign . . . .
ReplyDeletehttps://ljb-quiltcutie.blogspot.com/2018/10/all-women-should-know-their-brca-status.html
Well, olaporib has received the seal of approval from the FDA. It appears to be effective only in cases of BRCA mutation. More reason for every woman to know her BRCA status.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.targetedonc.com/news/fda-approves-olaparib-as-frontline-maintenance-therapy-in-ovarian-cancer
A whole lot more on PARPi
ReplyDeletehttps://www.onclive.com/web-exclusives/studies-seek-to-expand-on-parp-inhibitor-success-in-ovarian-cancer