Erwinaze

Asparagine is an amino acid essential for cell growth. It occurs in most cells. The neoplastic cells present in acute lymphocytic leukemia lack the enzyme that synthesizes asparagine, therefore these neoplastic cells use circulating asparagine in the blood for their growth. L-asparaginase is an enzyme that reduces levels of circulating asparagine in the blood, thus depriving the asparagine available to the neoplastic cells, thus inhibiting their growth. <a id="