Talazoparib

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) are multifunctional enzymes involved in essential cellular functions, such as DNA transcription and DNA repair. PARPs recognize and repair DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs) via the base excision repair (BER) pathway. DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are repaired via homologous recombination by tumour suppressor proteins encoded by BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Talazoparib is a potent inhibitor of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) enzymes, including PARP1 and PARP2. In vitro, talazoparib binds to PARP-1 and -2 isoforms with similar affinity. Inhibition of the BER pathway by talazoparib leads to the accumulation of unrepaired SSBs, which leads to the formation of DSBs, which is the most toxic form of DNA damage. While BRCA-dependent homologous recombination can repair DSBs in normal cells, this repair pathway is defective in cells with BRCA1/2 mutations, such as certain tumour cells. Inhibition of PARP in cancer cells with BRCA mutations leads to genomic instability and apoptotic cell death. This end result is also referred to as synthetic lethality, a phenomenon where the combination of two defects - inhibition of PARP activity and loss of DSB repair by HR - that are otherwise benign when alone leads to detrimental results. By inhibiting PARP, talazoparib increases the formation of PARP-DNA complexes resulting in DNA damage, decreased cell proliferation, and apoptosis.