I have the (g)BRCA2 mutation and was the first patient accepted into the RucaPANC clinical trial conducted at the Abramson Cancer Center of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania from 2014-2016. That clinical trial was open to BRCA1, BRCA2 and PALB2 germline and somatic mutations. I did 24 cycles of Folfirinox for metastatic pancreatic cancer to the liver to get maximum benefit out of it before doing maintenance monotherapy using the biosimilar drug to Olaparib (Lynparza) called Rucaparib (brand name Rubraca).

I have been on the PARP almost nine years. I had full dose until exactly six years on it when I began to feel the effects of anemia and did one dosage reduction. Rubraca was approved for ovarian, breast and prostate. The original developer Clovis Oncology did not apply for FDA approval. AstraZeneca with Lynparza beat them to a very small market and Clovis had limited financial resources that they were using to get approval for treating breast cancer. Clovis filed for bankruptcy December 2022 and the Rubraca asset was purchased by Pharma and Schweiz with offices in Austria and Switzerland. The drug is manufactured in Switzerland as it is prescribed for the FDA approved uses. Those that participated in clinical trials for pancreatic cancer are using it under compassionate use and obtain it at no cost.

The expert at Abramson Cancer Institute with PARP inhibitors is Dr. Kim Reiss-Binder. She has conducted trials of both Rubraca and Lynparza. She is the PI of the Apollo trial EA2192 that does not include ATM mutations.