A new medicine for metastatic pancreatic cancer has moved a step closer to becoming available in the Netherlands. This drug has received a positive recommendation from the European Medicines Evaluation Committee.
The treatment, Rasonque, was assessed in a clinical trial involving around 500 patients. According to the Medicines Evaluation Board, the drug could offer a new treatment option for people with advanced pancreatic cancer, a disease for which targeted therapies are currently unavailable.
Longer survival
Rasonque is intended for patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer who have previously received treatment. The medicine works by blocking processes that help cancer cells grow. Trial results showed that patients treated with Rasonque lived for more than one year on average, compared with nearly seven months for those receiving chemotherapy. The treatment also delayed disease progression and symptom worsening. Patients taking Rasonque experienced worsening symptoms after more than seven months, compared with just over three and a half months for those treated with chemotherapy.
Underway
The recommendation from the European assessment committee will now be reviewed by the European Commission, which will make the final decision on market authorisation. If approved, the Dutch Healthcare Institute can then advise the Health Minister on whether the treatment should be reimbursed.
Rasonque contains the active ingredient daraxonrasib and is developed by the US-based pharmaceutical company Revolution Medicines. The drug was launched in the United States in August.
Each year, around 3,300 people in the Netherlands are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. More than half already have metastases when the disease is detected, leaving many patients with limited treatment options. Chemotherapy is often used but can cause significant side effects and may have limited effectiveness.
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