Andrew L. <\/b>Coveler<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt has been on a lot of people\u2019s radar for a long time,\u201d Andrew L. <\/b>Coveler<\/b>, MD,<\/b> director of the pancreatic cancer specialty clinic at Fred Hutch Cancer Center, told Healio. \u201cThis is the first of what hopefully will be many RAS inhibitors but, because this is the furthest along, many patients have been following it. If they hadn\u2019t found out about it on their own, one of their family members had told them.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can imagine the stress they feel when they know this drug is coming \u2014 even before what amounted to unprecedented results from the phase 3 trial \u2014 but they can\u2019t get it,\u201d Coveler added. \u201cThat is incredibly difficult. To have a mechanism through which people don\u2019t have to wait until FDA approval to receive this medication \u2014 potentially allowing a person who otherwise may be in the last few months of their life live more than a year \u2014 is a fantastic opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, oncologists must ensure the enthusiasm surrounding this treatment is framed through the lens of realistic expectations.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a conversation with a patient [recently] who asked, \u2018Is this a cure?\u2019 It is not,\u201d Coveler said. \u201cHowever, it is amazing to have a medication that we hope most patients will respond to and, even though there are side effects, it\u2019s likely they will be significantly less than the toxicity with chemotherapy. So, it still will be a paradigm shift in treatment, and the ultimate goal is to help our patients buy more time until we identify something that is even more effective and even better tolerated.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018A new era\u2019<\/h2>\n The role of RAS<\/i> genes in cancer, first documented in the early 1980s, has been the subject of intense research since the 1990s.<\/p>\n
The commitment to overcome what has long been an undruggable driver mutation is paying off, Coveler said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis drug is not something people accidentally found could work,\u201d Coveler said. \u201cThis is due to more than 30 years of solid dedication in the science community. I believe this is the beginning of an amazing time for targeted treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Complete data from RASolute 302 will be presented during the plenary session at ASCO Annual Meeting, scheduled for May 29-June 2 in Chicago. Anticipation already is building about how the capacity crowd in McCormick Place\u2019s Hall B1 will respond.<\/p>\n
In 2010, ASCO attendees gave a standing ovation following the presentation of data from a randomized phase 3 trial that showed first-line FOLFIRINOX extended survival by 3.5 months vs. gemcitabine for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can only imagine what it will be like after we hear these data, knowing we are seeing decades of research in this area come to fruition,\u201d Coveler said.<\/p>\n
Kamath has made sure he has no meetings scheduled \u201canywhere close\u201d to the start time of ASCO\u2019s plenary session. Like Coveler, he is optimistic that this is the first step in a broader transformation of pancreatic cancer treatment.<\/p>\n
Multiple trials are underway to further evaluate daraxonrasib for pancreatic cancer, including one evaluating it as first-line treatment of metastatic disease.<\/p>\n
Another agent in Revolution Medicines\u2019 pipeline \u2014 zoldonrasib (RMC-6291), which targets KRAS<\/i> G12D mutations \u2014 is being advanced into pivotal phase 3 trials for metastatic PDAC and non-small cell lung cancer.<\/p>\n
Dozens of other RAS inhibitors are in various stages of clinical development.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo me, this is more like the dawn of a new era and less about celebrating an individual drug,\u201d Kamath said. \u201cIf you look at the way we treated pancreatic cancer in 2000, 2010, 2020 and now, you wouldn\u2019t see a meaningful difference. To finally be at the point where we are able to change that narrative is incredibly powerful.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information:<\/h2>\n Andrew L. <\/b>Coveler<\/b>, MD, <\/b>can be reached at acoveler@uw.edu.<\/p>\n
Suneel Kamath, MD, <\/b>can be reached at kamaths@ccf.org.<\/p>\n\n
\n
Published by:<\/span>\n
Sources\/Disclosures<\/h3>\n Source: <\/h2>\n Healio Interviews<\/p>\n
References:<\/h2>\n\n
Disclosures: <\/strong>
<\/p>\n
\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Ask a clinical question<\/strong> and tap into Healio AI’s knowledge<\/strong> base.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\nPubMed, enrolling\/recruiting trials, guidelines<\/li>\n
<\/p>\n
Clinical Guidance, Healio CME, FDA news<\/li>\n
<\/p>\n
Healio’s exclusive daily news coverage of clinical data<\/li>\n
\n <\/ul>\n
Learn more<\/button>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
![\"hemonc](\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/h5\/feature\/news\/publogos\/hot.svg?la=en&h=24&w=141&hash=2F86D471C8514C0E334E329AA799E8B4\")
\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n