New Pancreatic Cancer Drug Shows Breakthrough Results, May Double Survival Rates

A major breakthrough in pancreatic cancer treatment is offering new hope to patients facing one of the deadliest forms of cancer.

Researchers say a new experimental drug called Direxonracib may nearly double survival rates for some patients with advanced pancreatic cancer — and it could eventually help fight several other forms of cancer as well.

The findings come from a new study led by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, where doctors tested the drug on patients whose cancer had already stopped responding to chemotherapy.

Among nearly 500 patients, those treated with standard second-line chemotherapy lived an average of 6.7 months. But patients receiving Direxonracib lived more than 13 months on average, according to researchers.

“This is the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for,” said Dr. Brian Wolpin, who helped lead the study.

The drug works by targeting a mutated gene known as KRAS mutation, which appears in more than 90% of pancreatic cancers. Normally, the KRAS gene helps regulate cell growth, but when mutated, it can become stuck in the “on” position — causing cancer cells to grow uncontrollably.

Researchers say Direxonracib blocks that mutation, helping stop cancer from spreading.

For patients like Debbie Orcutt, who was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer after chemotherapy stopped working, the results have been life-changing. More than a year after starting treatment, her tumors have reportedly shrunk by about 80%.

The treatment’s side effects are also considered less severe than traditional chemotherapy, though some patients report mouth sores and skin rashes.

The drug is already being fast-tracked for approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and researchers are now studying whether it can also help treat cancers linked to the same KRAS mutation, including lung, colon, ovarian, and endometrial cancers.

While doctors caution the treatment is not yet a cure, many believe it marks a significant turning point in pancreatic cancer care — a disease that has long had few effective treatment options.