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An international research team presented groundbreaking study results on the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer at the ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) conference. The Phase III study found that the drug daraxonrasib doubles the average survival time of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer compared to the previous standard chemotherapy. Christoph Springfeld and Maximilian Jenzer from the Department of Medical Oncology at Heidelberg University Hospital and NCT Heidelberg co-led the study. Patients at NCT Heidelberg also participated in the study.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. The disease is often not detected until an advanced stage, when metastases are already present. For patients whose disease progresses despite initial treatment, few effective treatment options have been available to date.

Daraxonrasib specifically targets one of the tumor’s most important growth drivers: the so-called RAS signaling pathway. Alterations in this signaling pathway are found in more than 90 percent of all pancreatic carcinomas. Unlike conventional chemotherapy, Daraxonrasib thus specifically targets cancer cells and blocks their growth signals.

The study involved 500 patients across six countries who had previously received treatment. The results are remarkable: the median survival time with daraxonrasib was 13.2 months, compared to just 6.7 months with chemotherapy. This nearly doubled survival time and significantly delayed disease progression.

Christoph Springfeld says: “The results are highly relevant for clinical treatment. With Daraxonrasib, a targeted therapy option is now in sight for the first time for a large group of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.”

Approval in the U.S. is expected in the coming months. The approval process in Europe is likely to take more time. At the same time, additional studies are already underway that are investigating Daraxonrasib in combination with chemotherapy and could lead to further progress for patients.

Here is the link to the original publication