Nisha Pandey

Daraxonrasib: New Drug Approved For Pancreatic Cancer Shows Promise In Lung Cancer Treatment

Credit: AI

A cancer drug that was approved in the US just last week for <span>pancreatic cancer</span> is also showing promise in <span><a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health/lung-cancer">lung cancer</a></span> treatment.

The drug, <span>daraxonrasib</span> (<span>Rasonque</span>), showed encouraging results in patients with previously treated RAS-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (<span>NSCLC</span>) in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The results were published in the <em>New England Journal of Medicine</em> on September 2. 

Rasonque is not approved for lung cancer yet. The new findings are early-stage evidence, and a larger Phase 3 trial is now underway.

<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/how-scientists-blocked-drug-resistant-triple-negative-breast-cancer-with-a-two-step-drug-method-article-156024315" data-type="tilCustomLink">Rasonque</a> is a once-daily tablet that targets multiple forms of a protein called <span>RAS</span>, a key driver of tumor growth in most patients with <span>pancreatic adenocarcinoma</span>, which arises from cells lining the ducts of the pancreas. 

Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most RAS-driven cancers, with more than 90% of patients carrying tumours driven by RAS protein mutations.

RAS mutations are found in about 30% of non-small cell lung cancers, making them among the most common cancer-driving alterations in the disease. Yet, apart from treatments targeting the specific KRAS G12C mutation, patients with other RAS mutations have had few treatment options. 

<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/when-common-health-conditions-tell-a-bigger-story-the-hidden-link-between-endometrial-cancer-and-metabolic-diseases-article-156017171" data-type="tilCustomLink">Daraxonrasib</a> tackles this issue. It is designed to block RAS signalling, shutting down signals that tell cancer cells to keep growing.

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/daraxonrasib-us-fda-approves-once-daily-pill-for-metastatic-pancreatic-cancer-article-155991835" data-type="tilCustomLink">Daraxonrasib: US FDA Approves Once-Daily Pill for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer</a> 

<h2>What Did The Lung Cancer Trial Find?</h2>

The most relevant results came from 38 patients with NSCLC who received doses of 160 to 220 mg. These patients had already been treated with <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/stage-iv-melanoma-when-a-difficult-cancer-shows-an-unexpected-response-article-156015846" data-type="tilCustomLink">chemotherapy</a> and immunotherapy but had not received docetaxel.

The tumours shrank in about 42% of patients. The duration of response was 11.5 months, while progression-free survival was 8.3 months and overall survival was 16 months. 

For comparison, earlier studies of docetaxel in this treatment setting have reported response rates of around 9% to 14%, with progression-free survival of roughly 3 to 4.5 months. 

As these results come from a small, early-stage study and are not a comparison with docetaxel, they need to be interpreted further cautiously.

Also read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/blocked-ears-after-flight-turned-out-to-be-rare-head-and-neck-cancer-in-22-year-old-article-156032105" data-type="tilCustomLink">Blocked Ears After Flight Turned Out To Be Rare Head And Neck Cancer In 22-Year-Old</a>

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David Hong, M.D., deputy chair of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics at MD Anderson and the study's lead investigator, said, “Immunotherapy has improved outcomes for many patients with <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/mystery-behind-rare-cancer-cluster-in-california-community-deepens-after-20-yo-warning-emerges-what-is-ewing-sarcoma-article-156017925" data-type="tilCustomLink">non-small cell lung cancer</a>, but the majority of these cancers eventually progress.”

“At that point, the few treatment options available to these patients often have modest clinical benefit and substantial toxicities, so these early results are encouraging.” 

The drug did cause side effects. At the Phase 3-selected dose, 51% of patients experienced a grade 3 or higher adverse event, while 71% required dose modifications and 10% discontinued treatment. Rash was particularly common, affecting 90% of patients, while diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting were also reported. 

Hong noted that “the toxicities are largely manageable compared to the alternatives available.” 

<h2>The Drug Is Already Approved For Pancreatic Cancer</h2>

The interesting development comes shortly after the <span>US FDA</span> approved Rasonque on August 26, 2026. It is first targeted therapy in this new class for metastatic <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/the-silent-killer-why-more-indians-need-to-pay-attention-to-liver-cancer-article-155998015" data-type="tilCustomLink">pancreatic adenocarcinoma</a>.

In a 500-patient pancreatic cancer trial, median overall survival was 13.2 months with daraxonrasib versus 6.7 months with standard chemotherapy. Similar RAS-targeting drugs are now being developed by other companies for pancreatic, lung and colon cancers.

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A cancer drug that was approved in the US just last week for pancreatic cancer is also showing promise in lung cancer treatment.The drug, daraxonrasib (Rasonque), showed encouraging results in patients with previously treated RAS-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine on September 2. Rasonque is not approved for lung cancer yet. The new findings are early-stage evidence, and a larger Phase 3 trial is now underway.More About This DrugRasonque is a once-daily tablet that targets multiple forms of a protein called RAS, a key driver of tumor growth in most patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which arises from cells lining the ducts of the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most RAS-driven cancers, with more than 90% of patients carrying tumours driven by RAS protein mutations.RAS mutations are found in about 30% of non-small cell lung cancers, making them among the most common cancer-driving alterations in the disease. Yet, apart from treatments targeting the specific KRAS G12C mutation, patients with other RAS mutations have had few treatment options. Daraxonrasib tackles this issue. It is designed to block RAS signalling, shutting down signals that tell cancer cells to keep growing.Also read: Daraxonrasib: US FDA Approves Once-Daily Pill for Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer What Did The Lung Cancer Trial Find?The most relevant results came from 38 patients with NSCLC who received doses of 160 to 220 mg. These patients had already been treated with chemotherapy and immunotherapy but had not received docetaxel.The tumours shrank in about 42% of patients. The duration of response was 11.5 months, while progression-free survival was 8.3 months and overall survival was 16 months. For comparison, earlier studies of docetaxel in this treatment setting have reported response rates of around 9% to 14%, with progression-free survival of roughly 3 to 4.5 months. As these results come from a small, early-stage study and are not a comparison with docetaxel, they need to be interpreted further cautiously.Also read: Blocked Ears After Flight Turned Out To Be Rare Head And Neck Cancer In 22-Year-OldResearchers React    David Hong, M.D., deputy chair of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics at MD Anderson and the study's lead investigator, said, “Immunotherapy has improved outcomes for many patients with non-small cell lung cancer, but the majority of these cancers eventually progress.”“At that point, the few treatment options available to these patients often have modest clinical benefit and substantial toxicities, so these early results are encouraging.” The drug did cause side effects. At the Phase 3-selected dose, 51% of patients experienced a grade 3 or higher adverse event, while 71% required dose modifications and 10% discontinued treatment. Rash was particularly common, affecting 90% of patients, while diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting were also reported. Hong noted that “the toxicities are largely manageable compared to the alternatives available.” The Drug Is Already Approved For Pancreatic CancerThe interesting development comes shortly after the US FDA approved Rasonque on August 26, 2026. It is first targeted therapy in this new class for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma.In a 500-patient pancreatic cancer trial, median overall survival was 13.2 months with daraxonrasib versus 6.7 months with standard chemotherapy. Similar RAS-targeting drugs are now being developed by other companies for pancreatic, lung and colon cancers.