Erasca’s RAS-Targeting Pill Shrinks Tumors in 40% of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Patients, 62% in Lung Cancer Cases

Erasca announced Tuesday that its experimental pan-RAS pill shrank tumors in 40% of advanced pancreatic cancer patients and 62% of those with non-small cell lung cancer during recent clinical trials. The drug targets multiple RAS gene variants that drive tumor growth, offering a higher response rate than traditional chemotherapy, company officials said.

The drug’s activity was observed in early-stage clinical trial data where nearly half of pancreatic cancer patients treated with the pill alone experienced tumor shrinkage or disappearance. Additionally, 71% of these patients avoided disease progression at six months, according to trial results disclosed by Erasca.

Erasca’s pan-RAS inhibitor demonstrated a 40% unconfirmed overall response rate in patients with KRAS G12X-mutated pancreatic cancer receiving second-line treatment, company officials said.

In patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the experimental pill showed an even higher tumor response rate of 62%, officials said. The drug targets multiple RAS gene variants, mutations that are known drivers of some of the deadliest cancers, including pancreatic and lung cancers. Erasca’s clinical trial data, presented in spring 2026, positions the pan-RAS inhibitor as a novel approach to treating KRAS-driven malignancies across multiple cancer types, sources confirmed.

The response rates reported by Erasca represent a significant improvement over traditional chemotherapy, where tumor shrinkage typically ranges between 23% and 43% for pancreatic cancer, according to company statements. The drug also demonstrated a more favorable safety profile, with fewer side effects compared to conventional chemotherapy. Company officials highlighted that patients experienced better tolerance to the pill, which contrasts with adverse effects reported with some competing RAS inhibitors, including skin rashes and other toxicities documented by former Senator Ben Sasse, who underwent treatment with a different RAS-targeting drug.

Erasca’s pan-RAS pill is competing in a rapidly evolving field alongside Revolution Medicines’ daraxonrasib, which recently showed promising results in metastatic pancreatic cancer. Daraxonrasib, when combined with chemotherapy, achieved a 58% tumor response rate and 84% progression-free survival at six months, according to data released by Revolution Medicines. In comparison, Erasca’s monotherapy approach yielded a 40% response rate and 71% progression-free survival at the same time point. Both companies are pursuing different clinical strategies within the RAS-targeting space, sources said.

Revolution Medicines’ daraxonrasib has also received FDA breakthrough therapy designation and was accepted into the agency’s national priority voucher pilot program, accelerating its regulatory pathway, records show. Erasca’s data, while promising, currently represent early-phase results that require validation in larger, randomized controlled trials, officials noted. Both companies are advancing their pipelines amid increasing competition and regulatory scrutiny in the RAS inhibitor market.

Erasca’s clinical trials enrolled patients with KRAS G12X mutations in the second-line treatment setting for pancreatic cancer, including both monotherapy and combination treatment cohorts. The lung cancer trials included patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer harboring KRAS mutations, with sufficient enrollment to demonstrate tumor response rates across these indications, according to trial protocols. The trial designs benchmarked results against established chemotherapy efficacy to assess comparative benefits.

The companies’ announcements in spring 2026 underscore the growing momentum in developing targeted therapies for KRAS-driven cancers, a historically difficult area in oncology. Both Erasca and Revolution Medicines are planning further clinical studies to extend and confirm early efficacy findings. Future research will focus on larger patient populations and direct comparisons between RAS inhibitors and chemotherapy, sources said.

Validation of these drugs’ clinical benefits depends on successful progression through ongoing and upcoming trials, with the potential to expedite market access if regulatory agencies grant accelerated approvals. The evolving landscape of RAS-targeting therapies reflects a critical advance in addressing mutations that contribute to high mortality rates in pancreatic and lung cancers, officials added.