L-asparaginase Inhibitors
2 drugsAbout L-asparaginase
L-asparaginase is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of L-asparagine to aspartic acid and ammonia. It is a clinically validated drug target in oncology, particularly for cancers auxotrophic for L-asparagine. By depleting L-asparagine, it selectively starves and kills cancer cells.
L-asparaginase is targeted because some cancer cells cannot synthesize L-asparagine and rely on external sources. There is currently no genetic evidence directly linking L-asparaginase to specific diseases, but its clinical efficacy supports its therapeutic rationale.
Two FDA-approved drugs, ONCASPAR and ASPARLAS, target L-asparaginase for oncology indications. Both drugs are biologics (other) and marketed by SERVIER PHARMA LLC and SIGMA TAU.
Top L-asparaginase Drugs
The competitive landscape is concentrated, with SERVIER PHARMA LLC and SIGMA TAU holding all approved drugs.
High market concentration suggests significant barriers to entry for new competitors.
L-asparaginase Drug Modality Landscape
Modalities
Routes of Administration
L-asparaginase requires biologic approaches (biologic (other)), likely due to its structure or location.
Consider exploring alternative modalities like small molecules to differentiate from existing therapies.
📈 Modality Evolution
Enzymes pioneered L-asparaginase targeting (1994), with other biologics entering more recently (2018).
L-asparaginase Clinical Trials 78 trials
Phase 1-4 trials started in 2008 or later that test an FDA-approved drug acting on L-asparaginase. Source: ClinicalTrials.gov. How we count
Completion by Phase
| Phase | Total | Completed | Stopped | Active | Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 21 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 50% |
| Phase 2 | 38 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 53% |
| Phase 3 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 80% |
| Phase 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - |
Top Sponsors
By Modality
Top Conditions
Phase 3 Readout Calendar Pro
1 Phase 3 trial testing approved L-asparaginase drugs across all sponsors.
Coverage: trials whose intervention is an approved drug targeting L-asparaginase. Pre-approval candidates with development codes (e.g. AZD0901, MK-7240) are not yet linked. Anchored on CT.gov primary completion date.
L-asparaginase Drug Approval Timeline (1994 - 2018)
The first drug was approved in 1994 (ONCASPAR), and the most recent in 2018 (ASPARLAS), spanning 25 years.
The long approval span indicates a mature market with limited recent innovation.
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Competitive Landscape
- • 2 companies competing
- • Market share by company
Full Drug Portfolio
- • All 2 approved drugs
- • Approval dates & indications
Genetic Validation
- • Full genetic evidence table
- • Effect sizes & directions
Approval Timeline
- • Full 2-drug timeline
- • First-of-modality markers
Clinical Trials Analysis
- • Sponsors: 39 (7 companies)
- • Completion rates by condition
Full summary • All drugs • Genetic evidence • Trials • Timeline
How We Count Trials
- Trials: phase 1-4 interventional trials on ClinicalTrials.gov that started in 2008 or later and test an FDA-approved drug acting on L-asparaginase. A trial counts if an approved drug acting on L-asparaginase is in any arm, including as a comparator, and a trial that tests two such drugs counts once. Trials that test only unapproved drugs are not counted. A trial listed as phase 1/2 counts as phase 1, and phase 2/3 as phase 2.
- Active: recruiting, not yet recruiting, enrolling by invitation, or active and no longer recruiting.
- Completion rate: of the trials that have ended, the share marked Completed rather than Terminated or Withdrawn. Completed means the trial ended as planned; it does not mean the drug worked. Suspended trials are not counted as ended.
- Stopped: terminated or withdrawn. Trials stop for many reasons, including slow enrolment and business decisions, not only safety or efficacy.
- Sponsors: the lead sponsor of each trial. Companies are the sponsors ClinicalTrials.gov classes as industry; the rest are universities, hospitals, cooperative groups, government bodies and individuals.