Rubraca (rucaparib) is an anticancer oral medication that’s used to treat adults with ovarian cancer and prostate cancer with certain changes (mutations) in their BRCA genes. It's typically given after you've been treated with chemotherapy. Rubraca (rucaparib) is conveniently available as a pill taken twice a day, 12 hours apart. The most common side effects are nausea, fatigue, and stomach pain.
Rubraca (rucaparib) is a PARP inhibitor, which means it stops the PARP protein in the body from working. The PARP protein normally helps cells, including cancer cells, grow and survive by fixing damaged DNA. By blocking PARP from working, Rubraca (rucaparib) prevents cancer cells from repairing their DNA, which kills them.
| Common Brands | Rubraca |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | PARP inhibitor |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | No lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription only |
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Ovarian cancer
Prostate cancer
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (Report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome.):
Rubraca (rucaparib) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Although rare, in clinical studies with Rubraca (rucaparib), people developed a bone marrow problem called myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), or new cancers of the blood. People who developed these new cancers while taking Rubraca (rucaparib) had been on treatment for anywhere between less than 2 months to more than 6 years. Many of those people had previous treatment with platinum-containing chemotherapy, or other DNA-damaging treatments (like radiation), which can lead to higher risk for these problems. Your provider will have you do blood tests before starting Rubraca (rucaparib), and then once a month (or weekly) to monitor for possible second cancers. Talk to your provider if you’re concerned about your risk for other cancers.
Let your provider know if you're pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Rubraca (rucaparib) is likely to harm unborn babies. If you’re able to become pregnant, your provider will have you do a pregnancy test before starting treatment. They’ll also ask you to use effective birth control while taking this medication and for at least 6 months after your last dose. For men with partners who are able to become pregnant, continue using effective birth control while taking Rubraca (rucaparib) and for at least 3 months after your last dose.
Tablet| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250mg | 120 tablets | $18,332.65 | $152.77 |
The typical dose is 600 mg by mouth twice a day, with or without food.
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The FDA Accelerated Approval Program allows a medication to be approved faster than usual if the medication helps fill an unmet medical need or if it treats a serious condition. While Rubraca is fully approved to treat ovarian cancer, it was granted accelerated approval for prostate cancer in 2020. That means the manufacturer is still required to complete clinical studies to confirm that the treatment is beneficial in prostate cancer. Otherwise, it's possible that the medication could lose its approval status and be withdrawn from the market.
No, Rubraca is a targeted therapy. Rather than chemotherapy, which works against any rapidly growing cells in the body, Rubraca targets a specific protein called PARP that cancer cells need to work normally. By blocking PARP, the cancer cells can’t grow and divide as easily.
Talk with your provider about how long you’ll need to take Rubraca. Usually, you’ll continue taking the medication until it’s no longer working to treat your cancer. Your provider will do blood tests and scans regularly to check that your treatment is still working. If you feel signs of your cancer coming back, or you’re having trouble with side effects like fatigue or nausea, let your healthcare team know. Your provider might have to lower your dose or have you stop taking Rubraca if the side effects become too burdensome.
Both Rubraca and Lynparza (olaparib) are PARP inhibitors used to treat certain people with ovarian cancer and prostate cancer. Lynparza (olaparib) is also FDA approved to treat certain types of breast cancer and pancreatic cancer. Studies have found that both medications work about the same to treat ovarian cancer. This means they are equally good at fighting the condition. But the choice between them depends on many different things. Talk with your provider to find out which one is right for you.
Rubraca can cause harm to unborn babies. Talk with your provider if you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant before starting this medication. For women, use effective birth control while you’re taking Rubraca and for 6 months after your last dose. For men with partners who can become pregnant, use effective birth control while taking this medication and for 3 months after your last dose.
