Illinois Patients Begin Daraxonrasib for Pancreatic Cancer, Extending Median Survival to 13 Months
Updated
Updated · Chicago Tribune · Aug 9
Illinois Patients Begin Daraxonrasib for Pancreatic Cancer, Extending Median Survival to 13 Months
3 articles · Updated · Chicago Tribune · Aug 9
Summary
Dozens of patients in Illinois and nationwide have started receiving experimental pancreatic cancer drug daraxonrasib in recent weeks through an expanded access program.
Trial data drove the early rollout: metastatic pancreatic cancer patients previously treated lived a median 13 months after enrollment on daraxonrasib, versus about six months with additional chemotherapy.
The FDA has not approved the drug, but Revolution Medicines is supplying it at no cost for eligible patients while physicians submit individual requests.
City of Hope Cancer Center Chicago has seven or eight patients starting treatment, and Advocate, OSF, Endeavor Health and UChicago Medicine have also begun offering it in Illinois.
Doctors called daraxonrasib the first targeted therapy and biggest pancreatic-cancer advance in decades, raising hopes of longer survival and better pain, appetite and energy.
With FDA review underway for daraxonrasib, how long until this life-extending pancreatic cancer pill becomes widely available to desperate patients nationwide?
Could the unprecedented success of this experimental KRAS-targeting drug finally turn one of the deadliest cancers into a manageable condition?
Daraxonrasib Delivers 13.2-Month Median Survival in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: Clinical Milestones, FDA Fast-Track, and Future Directions
Overview
Daraxonrasib, an oral pan-RAS inhibitor, has achieved a major breakthrough in pancreatic cancer treatment. By forming a complex with cyclophilin A and active RAS, it blocks key cancer-driving signals, leading to broad effectiveness across RAS mutations. In the pivotal Phase 3 RASolute 302 trial, daraxonrasib nearly doubled patient survival and improved quality of life compared to chemotherapy. Regulatory agencies in the US and Europe responded quickly, enabling early patient access. While side effects like rash and mouth sores are common, proactive management allows most patients to continue therapy. Combination strategies, such as pairing daraxonrasib with vopimetostat, have shown even higher response rates, pointing to a new era of targeted, personalized cancer care.