FDA approves landmark pancreatic cancer drug that's shown to improve survival

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved daraxonrasib, a first-in-class daily pill for advanced pancreatic cancer, granting expedited review to the targeted therapy. The drug blocks a mutated protein that drives tumor growth in more than 90% of pancreatic cancer cases. Sold by Revolution Medicines under the brand name Rasonque, it is priced at about $39,800 for a one-month supply. In a randomized, company-funded study of 500 metastatic patients whose cancer had stopped responding to prior treatment, median survival was 13.2 months with daraxonrasib versus 6.7 months with chemotherapy. Common side effects included rash, mouth sores, and digestive issues.