Experimental pill promises new hope for pancreatic cancer
2 hours ago
- #cancer research
- #drug development
- #medical breakthrough
- A novel pill called daraxonrasib improves survival for advanced pancreatic cancer patients, nearly doubling median survival time compared to chemotherapy.
- The drug targets mutated KRAS proteins, a long-elusive driver in over 90% of pancreatic cancer cases, using a molecular glue mechanism to block tumor growth.
- Patients on daraxonrasib experienced fewer severe side effects, less pain, better quality of life, and longer treatment duration than chemotherapy recipients.
- The findings, presented at ASCO, suggest daraxonrasib should become a new standard of care for metastatic pancreatic cancer, with FDA expedited review underway.
- Researchers plan to explore the drug's use earlier in the disease and in specific KRAS subtypes, while other approaches like vaccines are in development.