If you or someone you care about has pancreatic cancer, your care team may talk with you about Rasonque (daraxonrasib). It is a newer once-a-day pill approved by the FDA to treat a type of pancreatic cancer called pancreatic adenocarcinoma in adults.
Rasonque is approved for adults whose pancreatic cancer has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic) and who have already had at least one other whole-body (systemic) treatment or are not able to use a combination of chemotherapy medicines.
Below are common questions and answers about Rasonque for pancreatic cancer and what to expect if it is part of your treatment plan.
How Does Rasonque Work for Pancreatic Cancer?
Most types of pancreatic cancer are driven by a change (mutation) in a gene called KRAS, which is part of a family of genes known as RAS. RAS genes make proteins that act like an “on-and-off” switch that tells cells when to grow. When a RAS gene is mutated, the switch can get stuck in the “on” position, and cells continue to grow and multiply out of control.
Rasonque is a type of medicine called a RAS inhibitor. It works by teaming up with a protein inside your cells called cyclophilin A. Together, they attach to active RAS and switch it off. This helps slow cancer growth and can cause some cancer cells to die.
Rasonque targets both normal and mutated forms of several RAS proteins, including KRAS, NRAS, and HRAS. In studies of pancreatic cancer, this action slowed cancer growth and shrank tumors.
How Do I Take Rasonque?
Rasonque comes as 100-milligram (mg) and 150-mg tablets. The usual dose is 300 mg by mouth once a day. You should take it around the same time each day, with or without food.
- Swallow the tablets whole. Do not chew, crush, or split them.
- Keep taking Rasonque for as long as your provider tells you to. This is usually until the cancer stops responding or side effects become too hard to manage.
- If you miss a dose by less than four hours, take it as soon as you remember. If you miss a dose and it has been more than four hours, skip that dose. Take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses at once.
- If you throw up after a dose, do not take an extra dose. Just take your next dose at the regular time.
Rasonque commonly causes skin reactions, so your provider will likely suggest steps to protect your skin when you start treatment. These may include a steroid cream for your face and chest, a moisturizer, sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher), limiting time in the sun, and sometimes a preventive antibiotic. You can read more in the article on managing Rasonque side effects.
Your health care provider may pause treatment or adjust your dose if you have certain side effects or if you take certain medications. Read this article to learn more about Rasonque interactions.
How Was Rasonque Studied for Pancreatic Cancer?
The FDA approved Rasonque based on a large global study called RASolute 302. It included 500 adults with pancreatic adenocarcinoma that had spread and grown after one earlier round of certain systemic treatments.
To join the study, people needed to be relatively active and able to care for themselves, have cancer that could be measured on scans, and have testing to show their RAS mutation status. Most people in the study (about 92%) had a specific KRAS mutation called G12. Here are some traits of the people studied:
- The average (median) age was 66 years, with ages ranging from 30 to 88 years.
- About 45% were women, and the rest were men.
- About 68% were White, 11% were Asian, and 4% were Black or African American.
- About 70% had cancer that had already spread to the liver.
People were randomly assigned to take either Rasonque 300 mg once daily or standard chemotherapy prescribed by their doctor. The main goals were to see how long people lived and how long they went before their cancer grew.
What Benefits of Rasonque Were Seen in the Study?
In RASolute 302, people who took Rasonque lived longer and went longer before their cancer grew than those who received standard chemotherapy. You can see the specific results in the table below.
| Rasonque | Standard Chemotherapy | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall survival | 13.2 months | 6.7 months |
| Progression-free survival (time before cancer grows) | 7.2 months | 3.6 months |
| Response rate (tumor shrinkage) | 30% | 11% |
Keep in mind that these are averages from a study. Your results may be different, and your care team can help you understand what to expect.
How Long Does It Take Rasonque to Work?
Rasonque is absorbed quickly, reaching its highest level in your blood in about two hours after you take it. But you likely will not feel it working right away. In the study, it took an average of about seven months before cancer grew in people taking Rasonque.
Your care team will check whether Rasonque is helping with imaging scans and exams over time, usually every couple of months. Keep taking Rasonque as prescribed, and your provider will let you know what your scans show.
How Do I Get Rasonque, and Who Prescribes It?
Rasonque is available only by prescription. It is usually prescribed by an oncologist (a doctor who specializes in cancer). It is usually filled through a specialty pharmacy that works with you, your provider, and your insurance. The medicine is shipped directly to your home. You should store Rasonque at room temperature (between 68° F and 77° F). Also, make sure to keep it out of the reach of children.
Is There Any Cost Assistance Available for Rasonque?
The cost of Rasonque can vary depending on your insurance. Some plans may cover it and some may not. Financial assistance and savings programs may be available. For example, the drugmaker of Rasonque offers a support program to help you find financial and other types of support. Some people can pay as little as nothing for Rasonque, depending on their insurance and the eligibility requirements. To learn more, you can visit the (ON) Path website or call 844-ONPATH0 or 844-667-2840.
