US drug agency approves breakthrough treatment for pancreatic cancer

What the report says

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved daraxonrasib, a new treatment for pancreatic cancer developed by Revolution Medicines, in a move that BBC World News says could be a major advance for one of the deadliest forms of cancer. The drug is sold under the brand name Rasonque and is taken as a daily pill.

BBC World News reported that the decision was supported by a late-stage trial involving about 500 patients. In that study, people receiving daraxonrasib had an average survival time of 13.2 months, compared with 6.6 months for those treated with chemotherapy. The FDA said the medicine offers a new option for patients with a cancer that has been historically very difficult to treat.

The treatment works by targeting the mutated KRAS gene, which is found in most pancreatic tumours and helps drive cancer growth. The agency had already given the drug Breakthrough Therapy status in 2025, allowing an expedited review. It then approved the medicine ahead of its deadline after what officials described as unusually strong results in an area with high unmet need.

BBC World News also noted that pancreatic cancer is usually diagnosed late and has a very high death rate. Side effects seen in the trial included rash, diarrhoea, nausea, fatigue and vomiting, while severe side effects were reported less often in the daraxonrasib group than in the chemotherapy group.