The therapeutic activity of L-asparaginase, an enzyme that makes exogenous L-asparagine unavailable to cells, came suddenly to the attention of most physicians via the press. Unlike most such shooting stars, the light of these initial observations continues to shine. It is clear from the first publicationsl, 2 that L-asparaginase induces complete remissions in about 50% of patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia. This trial of L-asparaginase was based on the brilliant observations of Kidd,3 who discovered the effect of guinea pig serum upon mouse leukemia; of Broome,4 who proved this effect to be due to L-asparaginase; and of Mashburn and Wriston,5 who found that E. coli could be used as a source of the enzyme.
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