ONCASPAR – (Pegaspargasa)

Oncaspar is a medicine used with other medicines to treat adults and children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. It is used in patients whose cancer has not been treated or who cannot receive asparaginase. It is also being studied in the treatment of other types of cancer. Oncaspar contains the enzyme L-asparaginase attached to a substance called PEG which allows the medicine to stay longer in the body. L-asparaginase is obtained from E. coli bacteria and its job is to break down the amino acid asparagine. This may stop the growth of cancer cells that need asparaginase to grow. Oncaspar is a type of protein synthesis inhibitor. Also called PEG-asparaginase and pegaspargase.