US drug agency approves breakthrough treatment for pancreatic cancer

August 26, 2026

The US Food and Drug Administration has granted approval to daraxonrasib (brand name Rasonque), a new medication for pancreatic cancer that works by targeting and deactivating the mutated KRAS gene present in over 90% of pancreatic tumors. Clinical trial results involving 500 participants showed patients taking the daily pill survived an average of 13. 2 months versus 6.

Who is affected

Approximately 67,000 people diagnosed with pancreatic cancer annually in the US
Patients with pancreatic tumors containing the mutated KRAS gene (over 90% of cases)
Revolution Medicines (drug manufacturer)
Former US Senator Ben Sasse, who has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and is participating in a clinical trial for the drug

What action is being taken

The FDA has approved daraxonrasib for pancreatic cancer treatment
Former US Senator Ben Sasse is currently in a clinical trial for the drug

Why it matters

This approval represents a critical advancement in treating pancreatic cancer, which has the highest mortality rate among all major cancers. The drug nearly doubles survival time compared to chemotherapy, offering hope for a disease that is typically diagnosed late and is notoriously difficult to treat, with more than half of patients dying within three months of diagnosis. The treatment provides a new option for the roughly 67,000 Americans diagnosed annually with a cancer that has historically had very limited effective treatment options.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC