Breaking News: Daraxonrasib Approved for Pancreatic Cancer

August 26, 2026 by

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a groundbreaking new drug for pancreatic cancer: daraxonrasib (Rasonque) for patients with certain previously treated, metastatic pancreatic cancers who are not eligible for multiagent systemic therapy.

RAS proteins are mutated in about 90% of pancreatic cancers.

The novel therapeutic inhibits the RAS family of proteins by bridging RAS with the chaperone protein cyclophilin A, which shuts off RAS signaling by blocking RAS from interacting with downstream proteins. Preclinical data and early clinical data on daraxonrasib were published in Cancer Discovery, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), in 2024.

The approval is based on clinical trial data showing an unprecedented near-doubling of survival among patients with previously treated, metastatic pancreatic cancer who received the drug compared with those treated with chemotherapy (13.2 months vs. 6.7 months).

Cancer Research Catalyst, the official blog of the AACR, has extensively covered the field of RAS-targeted therapeutics, from the discovery of RAS as an oncogene to the development of drugs targeting this once-elusive protein.

Catch up on the amazing progress scientists have made in targeting RAS, as chronicled on the blog:

KRAS, A History

The journey from the discovery of KRAS to the eventual FDA approval of the first KRAS inhibitor was complex, requiring the efforts of countless researchers. In this story from 2022, scientists who shaped the field tell the oncogene’s tale and discuss the future of KRAS-targeted therapies.

Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics Conference Moves Targeting KRAS to the Fore

Go back in time to some of the earliest reports of a KRAS inhibitor showing clinical efficacy. At the 2019 AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, researchers presented phase I clinical results outlining the efficacy of MRTX849—better known today as the FDA-approved drug adagrasib (Krazati)—for patients with lung cancer.

Life in the RAS Lane: Frank McCormick and the Pursuit of Pancreatic Cancer’s Driver

Frank McCormick, PhD, FAACR, AACR Past President and recipient of the 2025 Stephenson Global Prize, discusses his illustrious career studying RAS and the promise of targeting RAS to not just treat pancreatic cancer—but someday even prevent it.

Dragging Oncogenes From the Cell: A New Horizon for Targeting KRAS

Researchers are exploring countless strategies to target KRAS. In this story, we dive into one innovative example, where researchers used an antibody to quite literally expel oncogenic KRAS from cells. Part Trojan horse, part ejector seat, this investigational approach has shown promise in preclinical models.

New Molecular Targets, Technologies, and Cancer Treatments Take Center Stage at the AACR-NCI-EORTC Conference

Learn about the potential of the investigational PROTACs ASP3082 and ARV-806 for KRAS G12D-mutated cancers showcased at the 2025 AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics.

AACR D3 Offered a Peek Into the Cancer Drug Pipeline, Innovative AI Tools, and More

At last month’s inaugural AACR Drug Discovery and Development (AACR D3) conference, the question of how KRAS-targeted degraders would compare to daraxonrasib was front of mind.

From the Bench, AACR D3 2026: Emerging Therapeutic Strategies to Inhibit KRAS, Enhance ADCs, and Tackle Resistance

At AACR D3, one researcher shared a novel EGFR-directed antibody-drug conjugate with a KRAS inhibitor payload. The strategy, explained by the researcher herself in a short video, aims to overcome one of the most common mechanisms of resistance to KRAS inhibition.

From Treatment to Prevention: How Vaccines Are Reshaping the Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer

AACR Past President Elizabeth M. Jaffee, MD, FAACR, discusses recent developments in pancreatic cancer vaccines, including a KRAS-targeting vaccine that may intercept cancer in patients at high risk.

Learn More About Advances in Targeting RAS