Revolution’s pancreatic cancer drug wins speedy FDA approval | CNN

The U.S. FDA has approved Revolution Medicines’ groundbreaking pancreatic cancer drug after it was shown to double the survival rate of patients with advanced disease in a large trial, offering new ​hope to those with the deadly cancer. The once-daily pill, to be called Rasonque, was approved for metastatic ‌pancreatic cancer in patients who have received prior treatment or cannot receive combination chemotherapy. The drug is designed to block several forms of the RAS protein, which helps drive tumor growth in many pancreatic cancers. Revolution said the drug is now available in the U.S. at ​a price of $39,800 for a 30-day supply, with eligible commercially insured patients potentially paying as little as $0 with co-pay assistance. When Revolution ​announced the trial results in April for the drug, it set off a firestorm of demand. ⁠The FDA quickly granted early access to it under its compassionate use program, which allows patients with serious or life-threatening conditions ​to get experimental treatments outside clinical trials prior to authorization by the regulator. The experimental cancer drug extending Ben Sasse’s life The treatment has already offered some p