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Talazoparib

  • PARP inhibitorsPARP inhibitors
  • High alertAn error with this medicine can cause serious harm: double checks and protocols are used.
  • Pregnancy: avoidAvoid in pregnancy. Can harm the fetus: a pregnancy test is done before starting, effective contraception is used during treatment and for a time afterwards (by women and by men…

The strongest PARP trapper: for BRCA-mutated HER2-negative breast cancer and, with enzalutamide, prostate cancer. Anaemia is its main toxicity.

Updated

Also called: talazoparib tosylate, BMN 673

Quick facts

Group
PARP inhibitors
Target
Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases PARP1 and PARP2
Used for
HER2-negative locally advanced
Key effects
Anaemia and fatigue · Nausea · Hair loss
Monitor
Complete blood count
ATC
L01XK04

No doses: the clinician sets them by the current guideline.

Mechanism of action

The figure shows talazoparib in the NAD+ site of the human PARP1 catalytic domain.

Target in 3D: Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases PARP1 and PARP2. PDB structure 7KK3 (RCSB PDB, public domain). View the structure at RCSB PDB

Talazoparib inhibits PARP1 and PARP2 and is the strongest of the approved PARP inhibitors at trapping PARP on DNA. Trapped PARP–DNA complexes block replication and are lethal to cells with defective homologous recombination; the strong trapping also explains its high rate of anaemia.

  1. Inhibits PARP1/2 and traps them strongly on DNA
  2. Trapped complexes stall replication forks
  3. Lethal to homologous recombination-deficient cells

Indications

  • HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer with germline BRCA mutation. Breast cancer →
  • Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer with homologous recombination repair gene mutations, with enzalutamide. Prostate cancer →

Adverse effects

Common

  • Anaemia and fatigue
  • Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, decreased appetite
  • Hair loss
  • Headache, taste changes, mouth sores

Contraindications

  • No absolute contraindications in the label apart from hypersensitivity; see the warnings

Key interactions

Enzalutamide and androgen deprivation therapy
Intended partners in prostate cancer; androgen deprivation continues during treatment.
Other bone-marrow-suppressing drugs
Additive anaemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia.

What is monitored

  • BRCA or homologous recombination test before starting
  • Complete blood count, especially haemoglobin
  • Kidney function and electrolytes

Administration and safety

  • Oral capsules swallowed whole, not opened or dissolved.
  • If the patient vomits after a dose, the dose is not repeated; the next one is taken at the usual time.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Avoid in pregnancy. Can harm the fetus: a pregnancy test is done before starting, effective contraception is used during treatment and for a time afterwards (by women and by men with partners who could conceive), and breastfeeding is avoided.

Nursing care

  • Review blood counts before and during treatment; teach to report pallor, fatigue, bruising, bleeding or fever.
  • Ask about breathlessness, fast heartbeat or dizziness, which can signal anaemia.
  • Check kidney function results before refills as ordered.
  • Confirm a negative pregnancy test before the first dose and teach contraception during treatment and afterwards.

Pharmacokinetics

Absorption
Oral capsules, once daily, with or without food.
Metabolism
Minimal liver metabolism.
Elimination
Mostly in the urine, so kidney function matters.
Half-life
About 90 hours.

Test yourself

Think of the answer, then tap the question to see it.

What property distinguishes talazoparib among PARP inhibitors?

It is the strongest at trapping PARP on DNA, and it has the highest rate of anaemia.

Which drug is talazoparib combined with in prostate cancer?

Enzalutamide, an androgen receptor inhibitor.

Which organ function matters most for talazoparib elimination?

Kidney function, because it is excreted mostly in the urine.

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Connections

← Back to the class: PARP inhibitors

Educational content on how drugs work; not a prescribing guide and no substitute for a health professional's advice. No doses are given.

Sources: Talazoparib: MedlinePlus Drug Information (MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2023); Talazoparib Tosylate - NCI (National Cancer Institute, 2025); ATCDDD - ATC/DDD Index (WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, 2026).

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Representative model, for educational purposes only.