A breakthrough in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

SKĐS - A new experimental oral drug called daraxonrasib is opening up new prospects in the treatment of late-stage pancreatic cancer.

Báo Sức khỏe Đời sống•04/06/2026

Pancreatic cancer has long been considered one of the cancers with the worst prognosis due to its often late detection and limited effective treatment options. However, results from a recently published phase 3 clinical trial are offering positive signs for patients, as a new oral drug has shown the potential to significantly improve survival time in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.

CONTENT:

1. New drug helps nearly double lifespan.
2. Why does pancreatic cancer remain a major challenge in treatment?
3. Daraxonrasib targets previously considered 'untreatable'.
4. Fewer serious side effects than chemotherapy.

1. New drug helps extend duration by almost double. lifespan

The research findings, presented at the 2026 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and expected to be published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggest that daraxonrasib may significantly extend the survival time of patients with end-stage pancreatic cancer after previous treatments have failed.

The study was conducted in a phase 3 clinical trial called RASolute 302 with approximately 500 patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) – the most common form of pancreatic cancer today. All participants had previously received cancer treatment but experienced disease progression or recurrence. The results showed that half of the patients treated with the drug lived for over 13.2 months, almost double that of the chemotherapy group. This means that the patients' survival time was nearly doubled.

Furthermore, those treated with daraxonrasib also experienced longer progression-free survival, suggesting the drug may have better tumor control capabilities compared to current treatments in this patient group.

Bước đột phá trong điều trị ung thư tuyến tụy- Ảnh 1.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the cancers with the highest mortality rates.

2. Why does pancreatic cancer remain a major challenge in treatment?

Pancreatic cancer is one of the cancers with the highest mortality rates. One of the main reasons is that the disease often does not cause clear symptoms in the early stages. By the time signs appear, the tumor has usually grown or spread to other organs. Patients may experience symptoms such as:

3. Daraxonrasib targets previously considered 'untreatable'.

Daraxonrasib belongs to a new class of drugs called RAS(ON) inhibitors. This class of drugs acts on the RAS protein – a protein that plays a crucial role in regulating cell growth and survival. When mutations occur, RAS can promote uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells.

In pancreatic cancer, KRAS gene mutations are detected in over 90% of cases. This is one of the most common gene mutations associated with the formation and progression of pancreatic cancer. For over 40 years, KRAS has been referred to by many scientists as a "difficult-to-treat drug target" because its molecular structure makes the development of targeted drugs extremely challenging.

According to the researchers, the advantage of daraxonrasib is its ability to target a wider range of RAS-related mutations compared to some previous generation drugs that only targeted specific mutations. This may be the reason why the drug achieved higher therapeutic efficacy in this trial.

4. Fewer serious side effects than chemotherapy.

Besides its life-prolonging effects, daraxonrasib also shows a relatively favorable safety profile. Some reported adverse effects include: skin rash, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, and stomatitis.

However, most side effects are manageable. Notably, the incidence of serious treatment-related side effects is lower than with standard chemotherapy. The number of patients who have to discontinue treatment due to adverse effects is also lower.

For patients with advanced pancreatic cancer—a group often facing numerous symptoms and a heavy treatment burden—this is a significant advantage as it helps maintain a better quality of life during treatment.

The results from the RASolute 302 trial are considered one of the most significant advances in pancreatic cancer treatment in decades. However, experts also note that daraxonrasib is still under investigation and evaluation, and further data on long-term efficacy, safety, and applicability to various patient groups are needed before the drug can be widely used in clinical practice.