A Turning Point in Pancreatic Cancer: Daraxonrasib

UPDATE (5/12/2026): Following last week’s announcement of expanded access for daraxonrasib in pancreatic cancer, Revolution Medicines has now shared additional information and guidelines for physicians and patients interested in the program. We encourage patients and caregivers to speak with their care teams to determine whether expanded access may be appropriate for their individual situation.

Learn more about the program and eligibility considerations »

For decades, pancreatic cancer has been defined by its constraints: limited treatment options, late diagnoses, and poor outcomes. At the center of that challenge is KRAS, one of the most important and historically intractable drivers of the disease.

That reality is finally starting to change.

A BREAKTHROUGH YEARS IN THE MAKING

This week, Revolution Medicines announced unprecedented results from a Phase 3 clinical trial of daraxonrasib, a targeted therapy for patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer.

The findings are striking: daraxonrasib demonstrated a level of overall survival benefit not previously seen in a Phase 3 trial in this setting. The trial met all primary and key secondary endpoints, including improvements in progression-free survival and overall survival.

In a disease where progress has historically been incremental, this represents a meaningful step forward and a signal that the field may be entering a different phase.

Targeting the “undruggable”

More than 90 percent of pancreatic cancers are driven by mutations in KRAS, a gene long considered “undruggable.” Scientists have understood its central role for decades but have lacked effective ways to inhibit it.

Daraxonrasib is among the first therapies designed to directly target KRAS-driven cancers. It is also the first KRAS inhibitor to complete a Phase 3 trial in pancreatic cancer.

While regulatory review remains ahead, these data are expected to support a broader submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA has already granted daraxonrasib a National Priority Voucher, reflecting both the urgency of the disease and the potential impact of this class of drugs.

The Power of Collaboration

Advances like this come from sustained, coordinated effort.

The Lustgarten Foundation supports the researchers and clinical efforts working to translate KRAS biology into real therapies for patients, accelerating progress from discovery through clinical trials.

Among those leading this work is Brian M. Wolpin, MD, MPH, principal investigator of the daraxonrasib trial and leader of a Lustgarten LABS site at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. He has described these results as “a clear and highly meaningful step forward” for patients whose disease has progressed after prior treatment.

STORIES THAT DRIVE THE SCIENCE

Behind every scientific milestone are people living with this disease.

Public figures like Ben Sasse, who has spoken openly about his pancreatic cancer diagnosis, underscore how widely this disease reaches. In a recent interview in The New York Times, he reflected on what it means to confront a cancer that has historically offered so few options, and how emerging KRAS-targeted therapies like daraxonrasib are beginning to shift that reality.

He made two points that resonate. For the first time, there is a sense of real biological leverage against a central driver of the disease that had long been considered untouchable. And, even incremental gains in time can change how patients and families experience the course of illness, creating space for clarity, connection, and planning.

This is what progress looks like. Not only longer survival in clinical terms, but a meaningful shift in how patients live with the disease.

WHAT THIS MEANS AND WHAT COMES NEXT

These results mark progress, not a conclusion. Key priorities ahead include:

• Expanding access to KRAS-targeted therapies
• Determining how best to combine these drugs to improve durability of response
• Continuing to innovate for patients at every stage of disease

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most complex cancers to treat. Advances like daraxonrasib show that even long-standing scientific barriers can be addressed with sustained focus and investment.

THE ROLE OF THE LUSTGARTEN FOUNDATION

The Lustgarten Foundation is the largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research in the world. Our role is to support the full continuum of discovery, from early science to clinical trials, and to ensure that promising breakthroughs move forward with urgency.

Progress like this reflects years of investment, collaboration, and scientific discipline. Together, with the support of our community, we will continue to advance life-saving discoveries so every patient has more time, more options, and more hope.