Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive and hard-to-treat cancers¹. Every year, over 101,073 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in Europe, and nearly 95,656 people lose their lives to the disease². Many people are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and once the first treatment stops working, outcomes are often limited because the cancer becomes resistant to standard chemotherapy¹.

A recent phase 3 clinical trial called RASolute 302 tested a new oral targeted drug called Daraxonrasib (RMC-6236) in people with metastatic pancreatic cancer whose disease had progressed after at least one prior treatment, such as Fluorouracil– or Gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.

The results were encouraging:

• Patients treated with Daraxonrasib lived a median of 13.2 months, compared with 6.7 months for those who received standard chemotherapy
• This corresponded to about a 60% reduction in the risk of death
• The treatment also helped delay cancer growth, meaning the disease stayed under control for longer
• Overall, the treatment was generally well tolerated, with a manageable safety profile and no new or unexpected safety concerns identified

For a cancer that is often difficult to treat, especially after initial therapies stop working, this level of benefit is considered clinically meaningful.

How this treatment works

Around 90% of pancreatic cancers are driven by alterations (mutations) in a gene called KRAS. These alterations act like a stuck “on switch”, telling cancer cells to keep growing.

For decades, RAS was considered “undruggable” because it was difficult to block directly. Daraxonrasib is part of a new generation of drugs designed to overcome this challenge by targeting the active form of RAS proteins, effectively switching off this growth signal³. Unlike older treatments that only worked in very specific mutation subtypes, Daraxonrasib is designed to target a broad range of RAS alterations, which is why it was studied in a diverse population of patients.

Why this matters for patients

Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed at a late stage, and treatment options after the first line of therapy are limited. This study suggests that:

• A new targeted option may soon be available after initial standard treatment stops working
• An oral treatment could offer more convenience compared to intravenous chemotherapy, reducing the need for frequent hospital visits
• There is growing progress in tackling one of the main drivers of pancreatic cancer, KRAS, moving toward treatments that are more personalised and based on the biology of each tumour

What are the limitations?

While these results are promising, there are important points to understand:

• Daraxonrasib is not yet approved and is still under review by regulatory authorities
• The study focused on patients whose cancer had already progressed after previous therapy, so results may differ in earlier stages
• Although survival improved, pancreatic cancer remains a serious and life-limiting disease, and this is not a cure
• More research is needed to understand long-term benefits, durability, and side effects
• Further research is underway, including the RASolute 303 trial that is exploring this treatment earlier in treatment (first-line treatment) and in combination with chemotherapy (such as Gemcitabine and Nab-paclitaxel) in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer

Key takeaway: This study represents an important step forward in pancreatic cancer research. It shows that directly targeting the RAS pathway can lead to meaningful improvements in survival, even in a disease that has historically been very difficult to treat. It adds to growing evidence that new and more precise treatment strategies are emerging for pancreatic cancer.

If you are interested in clinical trials or emerging treatments, speaking with your healthcare team can help you understand what options may be right for you. You can also search the DiCE Clinical Trials Database for trials that may suit your needs.

References:

[1] Rozengurt, E. & Eibl, G. Pancreatic cancer: molecular pathogenesis and emerging therapeutic strategies. Signal Transduct. Target. Ther. 11, 6 (2026).

[2] ECIS – European Cancer Information System. Estimates from 2024 in https://ecis.jrc.ec.europa.eu, accessed on 16/04/2026 © European Union, 2026

[3] Cregg, J. et al. Discovery of Daraxonrasib (RMC-6236), a Potent and Orally Bioavailable RAS(ON) Multi-selective, Noncovalent Tri-complex Inhibitor for the Treatment of Patients with Multiple RAS-Addicted Cancers. J. Med. Chem. 68, 6064–6083 (2025).

Author:

Juliana Calheiros