Published Aug 3, 2026

After Ben & Casey Affleck’s Mom Died From Pancreatic Cancer At 83—A Reminder of Hope: Patients Live Nearly Twice As Long On Landmark Drug Daraxonrasib

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Daraxonrasib: A Potential Game-Changer For Pancreatic Cancer

The death of Ben and Casey Affleck’s mother, Chris Affleck, after her battle with pancreatic cancer is a heartbreaking reminder of how devastating the disease can be—but new research is giving patients and their families fresh reason for hope.
Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the pancreas. It can be challenging to treat because symptoms usually don’t present themselves until the cancer has spread or metastasized. Symptoms may include unexplained weight loss, back pain, jaundice, and pain in the abdomen.
Daraxonrasib, a targeted RAS-inhibiting therapy, has shown significant survival benefits over chemotherapy in late-stage trials for pancreatic cancer.
In a phase 3 clinical trial, daraxonrasib improved overall survival to 13.2 months, nearly double the 6.7 months seen with conventional chemotherapy for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
Daraxonrasib works by targeting common KRAS gene mutations that drive most pancreatic cancers, helping slow or shrink tumors in some patients. The drug is not yet approved, but it’s being tested in ongoing trials. It targets mutations in RAS proteins, which are incredibly common in pancreatic cancer tumors. It is taken in pill form, unlike standard intravenous chemotherapy regimens.
Dr. Anna Berkenblit, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), recently told SurvivorNet. “The news from [drugmaker] Revolution Medicines that their RAS inhibitor, called daraxonrasib, approximately doubles overall survival in patients with previously treated, metastatic pancreatic cancer is huge. This is a truly remarkable result.”
SurvivorNet’s “My Health Questions” AI tool helps patients and caregivers better understand cancer screenings and treatment options by providing clinically grounded answers and personalized questions for upcoming doctor visits.

While the death of Ben and Casey Affleck’s mother, Chris Affleck, is a heartbreaking reminder of pancreatic cancer’s toll, a groundbreaking treatment is giving patients renewed hope by helping them live nearly twice as long.

Chris Affleck passed away on June 2 at the age of 83, roughly six months after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, as per the Hollywood Reporter. While many knew her as the mother of actors Ben and Casey Affleck, she built a remarkable life of her own as a teacher, activist, and community advocate committed to helping others.

According to the grandmother of five’s obituary, “Her greatest wish after her diagnosis, however, was to live to see her grandson graduate high school. She did so, attending with her family on May 31, 2026. She died peacefully, in her sleep, two days later.”

Chris Affleck’s ability to attend such a milestone family event before her death is a touching reminder of the moments that matter most during a cancer journey. But for patients and families facing pancreatic cancer today, another source of encouragement is the progress being made in treatment.

Ben Affleck and his mother Chris pictured in New York (Photo by KMazur/WireImage for Coyne PR)

One promising development is daraxonrasib (RMC-6236), a targeted therapy currently under investigation that could represent an important advance in pancreatic cancer care. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, which affects many rapidly dividing cells throughout the body, daraxonrasib is designed to specifically target RAS protein mutations that can drive tumor growth.

In a phase 3 clinical trial involving patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), daraxonrasib showed a meaningful improvement in overall survival compared with standard chemotherapy, offering hope for people facing this difficult-to-treat cancer.

“The news from [drugmaker] Revolution Medicines that their RAS inhibitor, called daraxonrasib, approximately doubles overall survival in patients with previously treated, metastatic pancreatic cancer is huge,” Dr. Anna Berkenblit, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer at Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), told SurvivorNet in a recent interview. “This is a truly remarkable result.”

In the trial, median overall survival was 13.2 months in patients on daraxonrasib, compared with 6.7 months in those receiving chemotherapy, Revolution Medicines previously reported. This is one of the biggest breakthroughs in the treatment of pancreatic cancer in the era of precise oncology.

Daraxonrasib is an inhibitor of RAS(ON) proteins. In simple terms, the drug inhibits the active RAS protein that helps pancreatic tumor cells grow. Over 90% of all pancreatic cancers have RAS mutations, Dr. Berkenblit explains. Although this fact had long been known, no effective treatment had previously emerged.

Casey Affleck and mother Chris pictured on April 18, 2000 in California (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Additionally, in May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a “safe to proceed” letter to Revolution Medicines, authorizing the drug company to launch an Expanded Access Program (EAP) for daraxonrasib.

“We anticipate the daraxonrasib will move up into earlier lines of therapy and not just daraxonrasib, but RAS inhibitors in general,” Dr. Berkenblit said.

“If it works this well in patients with previously treated metastatic disease, we’re really excited about the potential of it working even better in frontline or untreated metastatic patients, and maybe even in the adjuvant [after surgery] setting for the small percent of patients who are diagnosed with early-stage, localized disease that can be surgically removed.”

As of July 2026, the FDA has accepted a New Drug Application (NDA) for daraxonrasib, as per a news release from Revolution Medicines.

“The FDA’s acceptance of the daraxonrasib NDA is an important step in the regulatory review process and brings us closer to the possibility of offering patients a new targeted medicine for previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer,” Revolution Medicines’ chief executive officer and chairman Mark A. Goldsmith said in a statement, shared on July 22.

“Daraxonrasib is an oral targeted medicine designed to inhibit RAS, the main cause of pancreatic cancer, and the application is supported by unprecedented results from the Phase 3 RASolute 302 trial. These findings underscore the potential for daraxonrasib to become a new standard of care and to help define a new class of RAS‑targeted medicines for this disease. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the FDA as the agency reviews the application, and with other global regulatory authorities as we advance our efforts to bring daraxonrasib to patients as quickly as possible.”

Revolution Medicines’ Expanded Access Criteria

Revolution Medicines’ daraxonrasib EAP is available to U.S. patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) who:

Are not eligible for a Revolution Medicines–sponsored clinical trial or cannot access one
Have no satisfactory alternative treatment options

Revolution Medicines says the investigational drug is provided at no cost, though the company does not reimburse patients for time or participation.

All requests must be submitted by a licensed treating physician; the company cannot accept inquiries directly from patients or caregivers.

Physicians can initiate requests or ask questions by contacting [email protected].

WATCH: Why Pancreatic Cancer Is Difficult to Treat

Daraxonrasib is designed to target the KRAS‑driven biology behind most pancreatic tumors.

KRAS mutations appear in roughly 90% of pancreatic cancer cases, yet until now, no therapy has effectively exploited this vulnerability.

In the Phase 3 RASolute‑302 trial, the drug more than doubled median overall survival—13.2 months compared with 6.7 months on standard chemotherapy—offering new hope for patients who have historically had few effective options.

Following the FDA’s authorization, Revolution Medicines said in a statement it is “moving as quickly as possible to ensure safe and equitable access to daraxonrasib for eligible patients in the United States.”

The company emphasized that expanded access is not a substitute for clinical trial participation and does not generate research data.

Why Daraxonrasib Helps Meet an Unmet Need So Desperately?

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously difficult to detect early, often remaining silent until it has advanced. Its biology also makes it challenging to treat.

“Around eighty percent of pancreatic cancer patients already have advanced disease by the time they’re diagnosed, severely limiting treatment options,” explains Dr. Anirban Maitra, Co-Leader of the Pancreatic Cancer Moon Shot at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

“Just twenty percent of patients have their cancer caught early enough to make them a candidate for surgery, the only way pancreatic cancer can be cured.”

Dr. Allyson Ocean of Weill Cornell explains that pancreatic tumors are surrounded by a dense, protective stroma that blocks chemotherapy and radiation from reaching cancer cells effectively. However, new developments, like daraxonrasib, are shifting what’s possible.

WATCH: A Potential New Era Of Targeted Therapy For Pancreatic Cancer

A drug called daraxonrasib is being hailed as potentially “game‑changing” for patients with Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS)‑mutated pancreatic cancer — a gene mutation present in roughly 90% of cases and historically considered nearly untreatable.

KRAS has long been a difficult target for treatment because its smooth structure lacks the pockets where most drugs typically bind to become effective.

“It’s a very smooth protein. It doesn’t have places for drugs to grab onto,” Dr. Nicholas Hornstein of Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital told SurvivorNet.

Daraxonrasib works differently. Acting as a kind of “molecular glue,” it binds the KRAS gene to another protein, locking it in an inactive state. This mechanism may allow it to work across multiple KRAS mutations, potentially benefiting a wider group of patients who carry the KRAS gene.

The Phase 3 RASolute 302 clinical trial tested daraxonrasib against standard chemotherapy in patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer.

For clinicians, the implications are significant.

“If I have an 81‑year‑old who doesn’t look like a candidate for chemotherapy, now I have an option that isn’t chemo,” Dr. Hornstein said.

Who Can Benefit From Daraxonrasib?

The patients included in the phase 3 study had metastatic PDAC that was refractory (non-responsive) to prior treatment, but Dr. Berkenblit predicts that the drug may have uses in earlier-stage disease as well.

“If the FDA approves the drug after reviewing the efficacy and safety data, the initial population would be patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer. That’s just the beginning,” Dr. Berkenblit explains.

Initially, patients would need to meet certain requirements to get daraxonrasib, including:

Measurable metastatic disease
An acceptable performance status allows them to conduct most daily activities
Well-functioning organs

Again, in the trial, Daraxonrasib was compared to the standard chemotherapy.

Understanding Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the pancreas. It is more challenging to treat because symptoms usually don’t present themselves until the cancer has spread or metastasized. Symptoms may include weight gain, back pain, and jaundice.

Pancreatic cancer often comes with a slim chance of survival due to difficulty detecting it when it is more treatable.

Although pancreatic cancer survival rates have been improving, it’s still considered to be largely incurable. An exception to this is if the tumor is still small enough and localized enough to be operated on.

WATCH: Pancreatic cancer and early detection.

In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Maitra explained what he typically sees when patients develop this disease.

“Because the pancreas is inside the abdomen often doesn’t have symptoms that would tell you that something is wrong with your pancreas,” he saif

“By the time individuals walk into the clinic with symptoms like jaundice, weight loss, back pain or diabetes, it’s often very late in the stage of the disease.”

Meanwhile, parents, siblings and children of someone with pancreatic cancer are considered high risk for developing the disease because they are first-degree relatives of the individual. PGVs (pathogenic germline variants) are changes in reproductive cells (sperm or egg) that become part of the DNA in the cells of the offspring. Germline variants are passed from parents to their children, and are associated with increased risks of several cancer types, including pancreatic, ovarian and breast cancers. Germline mutations in ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, CKDN2A, PALB2, PRSS1, STK11 and TP53 are associated with increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

Jessica Everett, a genetic counselor at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, encourages people in this category to look into possible screening options.

“If you’re concerned about pancreatic cancer in your family, start by talking to a genetic counselor to learn more about your risk and what options you have,” Everett told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview.

Additionally, note that up to ten percent of pancreatic cancer cases are caused by inherited genetic syndromes. So, if two or more members of your family have had pancreatic cancer, or if you have pancreatic cysts, it’s worth asking your doctor to check for pancreatic cancer since you’re at high risk.

The National Cancer Institute identifies pancreatic cancer symptoms to include:

Dark urine
Pain in the abdomen
Unexplained weight loss
Light-colored stools
Loss of appetite and fatigue

Treatment options for pancreatic cancer may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor

If you are facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, you may have questions but are unsure how to get the answers you need. SurvivorNet suggests asking your doctor the following to kickstart your journey to more solid answers.

What type of pancreatic cancer do I have?
Has my cancer spread beyond my pancreas?
If so, where has it spread, and what is the stage of the disease?
What is my prognosis?
What are my treatment options?
What side effects should I expect after undergoing treatment?
Will insurance cover my recommended treatment?

Check out SurvivorNet’s proprietary AI tool “My Health Questions,” designed specifically for patients and caregivers.

This powerful resource is embedded across the SurvivorNet website and delivers structured responses grounded in clinical guidelines and medically reviewed research to help people better understand their treatment options and feel more confident navigating care.

My Health Questions can also help patients come up with useful questions ahead of their next appointment.

WATCH: How One Cancer Survivor and Her Sister Used “My Health Questions” to Navigate Care