What Is Lynparza? Uses, Dosage, and What You Need to Know in 2026

If you or someone you love has been prescribed Lynparza, you likely have a lot of questions. What is it, exactly? How does it work? How do you take it? This guide covers everything patients and families need to know about Lynparza (olaparib) in plain language.

What Is Lynparza?

Lynparza is the brand name for olaparib, a type of targeted cancer therapy called a PARP inhibitor. It was first approved by the FDA on December 19, 2014, making it the first PARP inhibitor ever approved for cancer treatment in the United States. It is manufactured by AstraZeneca.

Unlike traditional chemotherapy, which attacks all rapidly dividing cells, Lynparza is a targeted therapy—it is designed to specifically affect cancer cells that have certain DNA repair defects, particularly mutations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. This targeted approach means that patients must be selected for Lynparza based on genetic testing.

What Cancers Does Lynparza Treat?

Lynparza has multiple FDA-approved indications across several cancer types. As of 2026, it is approved for:

Ovarian cancer — For maintenance treatment of advanced BRCA-mutated ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer after first-line platinum-based chemotherapy; also in combination with bevacizumab for HRD-positive advanced ovarian cancer; and for recurrent BRCA-mutated ovarian cancer maintenance

Breast cancer — For adjuvant treatment of germline BRCA-mutated HER2-negative high-risk early breast cancer; and for treatment of germline BRCA-mutated HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer

Pancreatic cancer — For maintenance treatment of germline BRCA-mutated metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma after at least 16 weeks of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy

Prostate cancer — For metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer with HRR gene mutations (after abiraterone or enzalutamide); and in combination with abiraterone/prednisone for BRCA-mutated mCRPC

Endometrial cancer — In combination with durvalumab for maintenance treatment of pMMR advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (approved November 2024)

How Is Lynparza Taken?

Lynparza comes as film-coated tablets in two strengths: 100 mg and 150 mg. The standard dose for most indications is 300 mg (two 150 mg tablets) taken by mouth twice daily, approximately 12 hours apart. You take it with or without food, but you should swallow the tablets whole—do not chew, crush, or split them.

A very important dietary restriction: Avoid grapefruit, grapefruit juice, Seville oranges, and Seville orange juice while taking Lynparza. These foods contain compounds that inhibit an enzyme in the body that breaks down Lynparza, which can increase its concentration to potentially dangerous levels.

Who Qualifies for Lynparza?

Lynparza is only for patients with specific genetic profiles. Every FDA-approved indication requires selection based on an FDA-approved companion diagnostic test. This usually means your doctor must confirm that your cancer has a specific mutation before prescribing Lynparza. The most common tests look for:

BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations (germline = inherited through family; somatic = acquired in tumor)

Homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene mutations (for some prostate cancer indications)

HRD-positive status (homologous recombination deficiency, for the bevacizumab combination in ovarian cancer)

Is Lynparza a Chemotherapy?

Lynparza is often called a targeted therapy rather than traditional chemotherapy. It does work by interfering with cancer cell DNA—specifically by blocking PARP enzymes—but it is more selective than classic chemotherapy. Most patients experience different (and sometimes less severe) side effects compared to traditional intravenous chemotherapy, though Lynparza does still cause significant side effects in some patients.

Is There a Generic for Lynparza?

No. As of 2026, there is no FDA-approved generic version of Lynparza (olaparib) in the United States. The drug remains brand-name only, with a retail price of approximately $17,000–$20,000 per month. However, AstraZeneca offers substantial savings programs that can reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket costs for eligible patients.

How to Get Lynparza

Lynparza is a specialty medication filled through specialty pharmacies. Your oncologist's office typically handles the prior authorization and pharmacy routing. If you need help finding a specialty pharmacy that has Lynparza in stock near you, medfinder can call pharmacies on your behalf and text you the results.

For a deeper explanation of how Lynparza works at the molecular level, see: How Does Lynparza Work? Mechanism of Action Explained in Plain English.