Daraxonrasib pill doubles survival for metastatic pancreatic cancer patients

A phase‑3 RASolute 302 trial presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting in Chicago showed that the oral KRAS‑inhibitor daraxonrasib nearly doubled median overall survival for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who had exhausted chemotherapy. Among 500 participants from North America, Europe and Asia, median survival was 13.2 months with daraxonrasib versus 6.6 months with standard chemotherapy, and the risk of death fell by 60%. Tumor reduction was achieved in 31% of patients on the pill compared with 11.2% on chemotherapy, while treatment discontinuation due to side effects occurred in only 1.2% versus 11.2%.

Oncologists rallied with a standing ovation; Stephen Stefani of the Americas Health Foundation remarked, “Rarely do we celebrate a drug with this profile: low toxicity, real survival impact, and an unprecedented mechanism.” The drug, not yet FDA‑approved, could become the new second‑line standard, though cost and access remain concerns.

The trial’s results mark a potential breakthrough for a disease that accounts for over 50 000 deaths annually in the United States and similar burdens worldwide.