Daraxonrasib Doubles Survival in Pancreatic Cancer
SkimNews Take
The drug's success against a historically intractable cancer suggests a shift toward more targeted therapies for previously unaddressable mutations, even in late-stage disease.
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- Daraxonrasib doubled average survival to 13.2 months in a 500‑patient trial of metastatic pancreatic cancer, versus 6.6–6.7 months with chemotherapy.
- The trial was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.
- Daraxonrasib targets the KRAS protein, a driver in >90% of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients, and acts as a Ras(On) multi‑selective inhibitor.
- Dana‑Farber Cancer Institute researchers led the study that reported fewer side effects compared with standard chemotherapy.
- Dr Rachna Shroff called the results “landscape‑changing,” while ASCO chief medical officer Dr Julie Gralow called the study a “grand slam.”
Why it matters: Patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer gain roughly 6‑month longer survival and milder toxicity, shifting treatment standards and giving biotech firms a breakthrough product that could capture a multi‑billion‑dollar market.
