#News
#News
02.06.2026
Pancreatic cancer: Oral drug almost doubles survival in clinical trial
Data presented at ASCO 2026 showed that daraxonrasib reduced the risk of death by 60% in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer
An oral drug being tested against pancreatic cancer targets mutations in the KRAS gene, one of the main drivers of tumor growth | Image: Unsplash
Presented this week during the plenary session of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, the world’s leading conference on clinical oncology, daraxonrasib was highlighted as one of the most significant recent advances in the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer.
The final results of the RASolute 302 study, a phase 3 randomized clinical trial involving approximately 500 patients, indicated that the once-daily oral drug nearly doubled the median survival rate compared with conventional chemotherapy in previously treated patients: 13.2 months with daraxonrasib against 6.6 ‒ 6.7 months with chemotherapy.
The study also found a 60% reduction in the risk of death and a longer time before disease progression.
These findings build on previous data published in early May 2026 in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), which had already suggested that daraxonrasib could slow the progression of pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest malignancies.
In patients who had already received other treatments, tumors shrank in approximately one-third of cases, and median survival exceeded 13 months—results that surpass what is typically seen at this stage of the disease.
The drug targets KRAS mutations, present in more than 90% of pancreatic tumors and considered a key biological driver of the disease.
These mutations keep cellular growth signaling permanently activated, promoting cancer cell proliferation. Previously developed inhibitors targeted only KRAS G12C, a specific variant that is rare in pancreatic cancer.
Daraxonrasib was developed to overcome this limitation.
Rather than waiting for the RAS protein to enter its inactive state before blocking it, the drug recruits a second protein, cyclophilin A, to intercept the signal while RAS is still active.
In addition, the compound targets multiple variants of the mutation, including KRAS G12D, G12V, and G12R, which together account for most cases of pancreatic cancer.
To evaluate its potential, researchers conducted a clinical trial involving 168 people with RAS-mutated pancreatic cancer who had previously received at least one line of therapy.
The study combined phases 1 and 2, designed to evaluate safety, optimal dosing, and early signs of efficacy. Among the doses tested, 300 mg produced the best results: approximately one-third of patients experienced tumor shrinkage, and median survival exceeded 13 months after treatment began.
Today, fewer than 10% of patients respond to second-line treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer, and median survival typically ranges from five to seven months after treatment begins. The new findings therefore represent a significant advance in a setting where therapeutic options remain limited.
Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, frequently after the disease has already spread to other organs.
The Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA) estimates 13,240 new cases per year during the 2026–2028 triennium. Excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer, pancreatic cancer ranks ninth among the most common cancers in Brazil and has its highest incidence rates in the country’s South.
However, one in three patients experienced serious adverse effects, primarily skin rash and diarrhea, although none discontinued treatment because of these events.
Furthermore, the study was relatively small, lacked a control group for direct comparison, and was funded by Revolution Medicines, the company developing the drug.
Although still preliminary, these findings help strengthen the case for a new generation of KRAS-targeted therapies. Long considered “undruggable,” KRAS is now viewed as one of the most promising frontiers in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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