Inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase in cancer

Inhibition of the DNA repair enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) has been extensively investigated in the pre-clinical setting as a strategy for chemo- or radio-potentiation. Recent evidence has suggested that PARP inhibitors might be active as single agents in certain rare inherited cancers that carry DNA repair defects. As a result, potent PARP-1 inhibitors have in the past three years entered early clinical trials in cancer patients, and the final results of these trials are eagerly awaited.