FDA Approves New Pancreatic Cancer Drug

The Food and Drug Administration approved a new drug on Wednesday for pancreatic cancer treatment that experts believe will significantly impact the disease’s management. The drug, Revolution Medicines’ Rasonque, also known as daraxonrasib, is for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer who have previously received treatments like chemotherapy.

In a clinical trial involving 500 participants, those who received Rasonque along with standard chemotherapy lived an average of 13.2 months, approximately twice as long as those who only had chemotherapy. Dr. Rachna Shroff from the University of Arizona Cancer Center expressed her emotional response to the trial results, highlighting the drug’s potential in transforming pancreatic cancer treatment.

Although the drug shows promise, it is not without side effects. Patients have reported a rash, sores in the mouth and throat, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Former Sen. Ben Sasse, who participated in the clinical trial, described the rash as particularly severe.

Rasonque targets a specific mutation in the KRAS gene, common in nearly all pancreatic cancers, as well as several other cancer types including lung and ovarian cancers. The mutation causes uncontrolled cell growth by keeping a cellular growth mechanism permanently active. Scientists have long recognized the importance of targeting this mutation, but successful treatments have been elusive until this breakthrough.

Statistics from the American Cancer Society indicate that over 67,000 people in the U.S. will likely receive a pancreatic cancer diagnosis this year. The disease is notably difficult to treat due to the lack of early screening and subtle initial symptoms, leading to most patients being diagnosed at advanced stages. The survival rate for the most common type, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, is about 8% over five years.

Revolution Medicines has already provided Rasonque to more than 2,000 patients through an extended access program initiated in May. However, the company has not disclosed the pricing of the drug yet.