Experimental drug doubles survival in metastatic pancreatic cancer trial

Months after revealing his stage 4 cancer diagnosisformer US Sen. Ben Sasse is speaking out about an experimental remedy that would lengthen his life.

Sasse, a Republican who represented Nebraska between 2015 and 2023, shared in December 2025 that he has metastatic pancreatic cancer, which has unfold to a number of organs — together with his liver and lungs.

After initially being given three to 4 months to reside, Sasse, 54, entered a clinical trial for a drug known as daraxonrasib, an oral remedy (tablet) that’s designed to dam the faulty gene that triggers uncontrolled mobile progress.

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The California-based drugmaker, Revolution Medicines, lately shared information from a part 3 scientific trial of individuals with metastatic pancreatic cancer who didn’t reply to straightforward chemotherapy.

Patients on the therapy lived a median of 13 months, in comparison with round six months for many who continued with chemo.

“I have much, much less pain than I had four months ago when I was diagnosed, and I have a massive 76% reduction in tumor volume over the last four months,” Sasse informed “60 Minutes” in a current interview.

Daraxonrasib works by going after a key progress “switch” in many cancers known as RAS, in response to Sarbajit Mukherjee, MD, chief of gastrointestinal medical oncology at Miami Cancer Institute, a part of Baptist Health South Florida.

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“In pancreatic cancer, that switch is stuck in the ‘on’ position in the vast majority of tumors, constantly telling the cancer cells to grow and spread,” the physician, who was not concerned in the trial and didn’t deal with Sasse, informed Fox News Digital.

“Daraxonrasib is designed to bind to RAS in its active state and turn down that signal, which can slow or shrink the cancer.”

“The drug is in the final stages of clinical trials, where it has been shown to double the survival of those previously treated for metastatic pancreatic cancer.”

Pancreatic cancer is troublesome to diagnose early as a result of there are usually no signs — or solely delicate gastrointestinal signs — till it’s already widespread, in response to Dr. Marc SiegelFox News senior medical analyst.

“This is the first-of-its-kind targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer,” Siegel, who was additionally not concerned in the analysis or the senator’s therapy, informed Fox News Digital. “The drug is in the final stages of clinical trials, where it has been shown to double the survival of those previously treated for metastatic pancreatic cancer.”

Sasse, proven above, introduced his prognosis late final yr. An skilled famous that the survival enhance seen from the scientific trial is a “big difference” for a illness that sometimes has a lot shorter survival occasions. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Mukherjee famous that the survival enhance seen in the trial is a “big difference” for a illness that sometimes has a lot shorter survival occasions.

“From my perspective, as somebody who treats pancreatic cancer every single day, daraxonrasib is the first targeted pill in this illness that actually seems like a step change somewhat than a small incremental enchancment,” he stated.

“It opens the door to much more personalized strategies going forward. For a cancer where progress has been painfully slow, it could reshape how we care for patients with advanced disease.”

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While present chemotherapy choices can shrink pancreatic tumors and assist individuals reside longer, they’re “tough,” Mukherjee famous — “and as soon as they cease working, our choices are restricted and survival is usually measured in only a few extra months.”

Early information additionally counsel that when daraxonrasib is mixed with normal chemotherapy as the primary therapy, there may be extra shrinkage of tumors and extra sufferers doing properly at six months than they sometimes would solely with chemotherapy.

Sasse shared in December 2025 that he has metastatic pancreatic cancer, which has unfold to a number of organs, together with his liver and lungs. (Meghan McCarthy/Palm Beach Daily News/USA TODAY NETWORK by way of Imagn Images)

If the drug is authorised, it is going to seemingly turn out to be an vital choice for sufferers when normal chemotherapy stops working, Mukherjee advised.

“Ongoing trials are now asking whether it should also be used as part of the very first treatment plan,” he added.

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Although the drug is described as “well-tolerated” in comparison with chemotherapy, the physician famous that, like several sturdy cancer drug, daraxonrasib has unintended effects.

“The ones we see most frequently embody rash, diarrhea, mouth sores and fatiguewith sufferers needing common blood assessments and shut follow-up whereas on therapy,” Mukherjee stated.

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In the scientific trials, most of those issues have been managed by adjusting the dose or including supportive drugs.

“The limitations are important to be transparent about — it is still not yet FDA-approved, and it is not a cure,” Mukherjee famous.

In addition to the daraxonrasi, Sasse credit his religion for serving to him beat his authentic prognosis. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

“Over time, most cancers will eventually find ways to grow around the drug.”

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In addition to daraxonrasib, which he calls a “miracle” drug, Sasse credits his faith for serving to him beat his authentic prognosis.

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“It’s weird to be in your early 50s and get a terminal diagnosis, and people all of a sudden act like you’re 93 or 94, and you have a lot of wisdom,” he stated.

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“I don’t know that I have a lot of wisdom, but I have a lot of things that I think we should be reflecting on together.”

Fox News Digital reached out to Sasse for additional remark, and to the top of the scientific trial as properly.