Pancreatic Cancer Drug Doubles Survival in New Trial

For decades, pancreatic cancer has been one of medicine's most devastating diagnoses, with just 3% of patients with advanced disease surviving five years. Now, a new drug is rewriting that grim reality by attacking what scientists once called an "undruggable" target.

Daraxonrasib doubled survival time in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer during clinical trials. Patients taking the drug alongside chemotherapy lived 13.2 months on average, compared to just 6.7 months for those receiving chemotherapy alone.

The drug works by targeting a protein called RAS, which controls cell growth in the body. More than 90% of pancreatic cancers have a mutation that locks this protein in the "on" position, causing cells to multiply out of control.

Scientists struggled for years to find a way to block RAS. Daraxonrasib solves the problem by teaming up with another protein inside cells to act like "molecular glue," sticking to RAS and stopping it from causing further damage.

Dr. Brian Wolpin, who led the research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, called it "a watershed moment" for pancreatic cancer treatment. His team's results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed the drug kept tumors from growing for more than eight months and kept patients alive for up to nearly a year and a half.

The FDA has already fast-tracked daraxonrasib for approval. Last week, the agency allowed drugmaker Revolution Medicines to provide the drug to patients outside of clinical trials through an expanded access program.

The treatment does come with side effects, including a severe rash, mouth sores, and digestive issues. About 30% of patients experienced serious side effects, though most were manageable with antibiotics, creams, and anti-diarrheal medication.

Former Senator Ben Sasse, who has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, described his rash as "nuclear" but said his tumors have shrunk significantly since starting the drug. Most patients found the pill far more tolerable than chemotherapy infusions, according to Wolpin.

The Ripple Effect

The excitement extends beyond just patients with the specific RAS mutation. The Phase 3 trial included patients without the mutation, suggesting all pancreatic cancer patients might benefit in some way.

Dr. Reza Nazemzadeh, who treats pancreatic cancer patients at Atrium Health Levine Cancer in Charlotte, said the drug represents "the most exciting thing in pancreas cancer in over a decade." He noted that patients in the trials gained precious extra time with their loved ones.

The breakthrough could fundamentally change how doctors approach pancreatic cancer treatment. Wolpin believes oncologists will move away from giving everyone the same chemotherapy regimen and toward more targeted approaches.

After years of disappointment in pancreatic cancer research, doctors finally have a reason to feel hopeful about giving their patients more tomorrows.