New drug doubles survival in advanced pancreatic cancer patients, finds trial

A new targeted drug, Daraxonrasib, has shown significant benefits for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, according to results from a large international Phase 3 clinical trial.

The study titled ‘Daraxonrasib or Chemotherapy in Previously Treated Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer, authored by Eileen M. O’Reilly and others’, involved 500 patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC), found that those receiving Daraxonrasib lived nearly twice as long as patients treated with standard chemotherapy.

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of cancer, with most patients diagnosed at an advanced stage and survival rates remaining poor despite existing treatments. Researchers say the new findings could mark a major advancement in the treatment of the disease.

The trial focused on patients whose cancer had progressed after earlier treatment. Approximately 92% of participants carried RAS G12 mutations, genetic alterations that drive the growth of most pancreatic cancers. Daraxonrasib is designed to block the activity of RAS proteins, which play a key role in tumor development.

According to the study, patients treated with Daraxonrasib achieved a median overall survival of 13.2 months, compared with 6.6 months among those receiving chemotherapy. The drug also significantly delayed disease progression, with patients remaining progression-free for a median of 7.3 months versus 3.5 months in the chemotherapy group.

Researchers reported that tumors shrank in about one-third of patients receiving Daraxonrasib, compared with only around 12 percent of those treated with standard chemotherapy.

In addition to improving survival outcomes, Daraxonrasib was associated with better quality of life. Patients experienced a longer period before worsening pain and maintained their overall health and well-being for a greater length of time than those receiving chemotherapy.

The safety profile of the drug was considered manageable. The most commonly reported side effects included skin rash, diarrhea, mouth sores, nausea and vomiting. Although side effects were common, severe treatment-related complications occurred less frequently than with chemotherapy. Only 1.2 percent of patients discontinued Daraxonrasib because of treatment-related side effects, compared with 11.2 percent of patients receiving chemotherapy.

Researchers concluded that Daraxonrasib significantly improved overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer. They said the results support the drug as a potentially important new treatment option for a disease that has long lacked effective therapies.

The trial was funded by Revolution Medicines and conducted under the RASolute 302 study.