Daily pill nearly doubles survival time for advanced pancreatic cancer in clinical trial
7 verified5 unconfirmed1 contested
A daily experimental pill called daraxonrasib has been shown to nearly double survival time in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, according to results from a clinical trial presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago. The drug targets a mutated protein in the KRAS gene family, which fuels tumor growth in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases and was long considered an untreatable target. In the trial of 500 patients whose metastatic cancer had stopped responding to prior treatment, those taking the pill lived for a median of 13.2 months compared with about 6.7 months for those receiving chemotherapy. Patients on the drug also experienced fewer severe side effects, such as rash and mouth sores, and reported better quality of life. Researchers from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the University of California, Los Angeles, led the study, which was funded by drugmaker Revolution Medicines and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to expedite review of the drug and has already allowed expanded access for certain patients.
What’s verified
The daily pill daraxonrasib targets the KRAS mutated protein, which drives growth in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases.
In a trial of 500 patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, the drug nearly doubled median survival to 13.2 months compared to 6.6–6.7 months for chemotherapy.
Patients on the pill experienced fewer severe side effects, including a potentially severe rash and mouth sores.
The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The drug uses a molecular glue mechanism to bind to multiple KRAS subtypes.
The FDA plans to expedite review of daraxonrasib and has initiated an expanded access program for eligible patients.
The study was funded by Revolution Medicines and led by researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and UCLA.
Where accounts differ
Sources differed in whether they reported the survival time for the chemotherapy group as an average range (6.6 to 6.7 months) or a precise median (6.7 months). One source described the pill’s survival benefit as an average, while others specified it as a median. No other major contradictions were identified across sources.
Not yet confirmed
Only one source reported that more than half of pancreatic cancer patients are diagnosed after the cancer has spread.
Only one source mentioned specific hopes for applying similar drugs to lung and colon cancers.
Only one source provided the detailed technical description of daraxonrasib as a Ras(On) multi-selective inhibitor targeting the Ras G12 variant.
Only one source included specific quotes from UK charity officials Paula Hanford and Anna Jewell, and from ASCO’s Dr. Julie Gralow.
It is not yet known whether the survival gap will widen as researchers continue tracking patients still on the drug.
Key figures
Dr. Zev Wainberg, University of California, Los Angeles (study co-leader)
Dr. Brian Wolpin, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (presented findings)
Dr. Rachna Shroff, University of Arizona Cancer Center (independent expert)
Dr. Julie Gralow, American Society of Clinical Oncology (independent expert)
Dr. Andrew Coveler, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center (independent expert)
Revolution Medicines (drug manufacturer)
Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse (patient who took the drug)
Sources: The Guardian, NPR, sciencealert.com
