An experimental drug, olaparib, manufactured by the AstraZeneca has been found to slow down the succession of the common and deadly form of ovarian cancer in patients who had responded to chemotherapy earlier.

Olaparib belongs to a class of drugs called PARP inhibitors that help in destroying cancer cells by blocking an enzyme important in repairing DNA damage.

The results were based on Phase II trial of the drug, known as maintenance therapy, which was carried out on 136 women. Patients who received 400 milligrams of olaparib twice a day had a progression-free survival of 8.4 months while the patients who took placebos and had only 4.8 months of progression-free survival.

Principal investigator, Dr. Jonathan A. Ledermann said that there was a significant difference of 65% improvement between the two groups.

Dr. Mark G. Kris, Chairperson of the ASCO Cancer Communications Committee said that the results of the study could help the women ovarian cancer to live a better quality of life for longer Period.

The results of the phase II trial will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.