FDA approved daraxonrasib (Rasonque) for pancreatic cancer, a therapy that in a late‑stage trial doubled median overall survival from 6.6 months to 13.2 months compared with chemotherapy. The agency said the daily oral medication, developed by Revolution Medicines, works by binding to and inhibiting the mutated KRAS protein, which is present in more than 90% of pancreatic tumors. A study of 500 patients showed the drug produced a median survival of 13.2 months, while the control group receiving chemotherapy had a median of 6.6 months, according to trial data. Common adverse events included rash, diarrhea, nausea, fatigue and vomiting; severe side effects occurred in 44% of patients, lower than the 57.5% rate observed with chemotherapy, the FDA reported. The FDA granted the drug Breakthrough Therapy designation in 2025 and approved it six months before the scheduled deadline, citing unprecedented results in an area of high unmet need, said Angelo de Claro, director of the agency’s Oncology Center of Excellence. Pancreatic cancer accounts for roughly 67,000 new diagnoses in the United States annually and has the highest mortality rate among major cancers, the American Cancer Society noted. More than half of those diagnosed die within three months, and the disease is often detected late. Former U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, who announced a Stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis in December, is participating in the trial and reported tumor shrinkage, according to his statement. The approval represents a new therapeutic option for a disease with limited treatment alternatives.