Highly genericized platinum-containing chemotherapies are still the standard of care for both newly diagnosed and recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer patients, although a platinum drug shortage in the US is currently affecting patient care. 

Avastin has become the drug of choice for the maintenance treatment of ovarian cancer patients who do not have a BRCA mutation. However, upcoming patent expiries and expected competition from label expansions for the PARP inhibitors and late-phase pipeline drugs will challenge Avastin’s position in the ovarian cancer market. 

The PARP inhibitor Lynparza has quickly become the standard-of-care first-line maintenance therapy for patients with BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer. However, fellow PARP inhibitor Zejula is now challenging Lynparza in this treatment setting. Although both PARP inhibitors have also demonstrated an advantage over chemotherapy in patients without a BRCA mutation or a homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), the primary benefit was derived in patients with BRCA or other HRD mutations, which may limit uptake in the broader patient population.