Health · FDA approves RasonqueNew Pancreatic Cancer Pill Doubles Survival, But Cost Excludes Medicare PatientsAired August 29, 2026 at 8:21 PM UTCWritten September 7, 2026 at 9:22 PM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:00A new pancreatic cancer pill roughly doubles survival.0:03It's the first targeted therapy for a disease that kills nearly 53,000 Americans0:07each year.0:08But the pill costs $477,000 a year, and the patients most likely to need it are the0:13ones pushed out of the discount program.0:14The FDA approved DuraxinRazib on August 26.0:18It's the first pill to target the RAS protein mutated in about 90% of pancreatic0:23cancers.0:23In the 500-patient trial, the pill cut the risk of death by 60%.0:28Overall survival doubled to 13.2 months, and fewer patients stopped treatment due to0:33side effects.0:34The pill latches onto the switched-on form of RAS, which was considered undruggable0:39for 40 years.0:40RAS was considered undruggable for 40 years.0:43Its surface has no pocket for drugs.0:45This approval is the first to target its active state.0:48The drug costs nearly half a million dollars a year.0:51The manufacturer's copay card can't be used by Medicare patients, and about 70% of0:55pancreatic cancer patients are 65 or older.0:58so the people who need it most may face the full price.1:01Under Medicare Part D, patients face about 25% coinsurance until a $2,1001:07annual cap.1:08The cap limits the worst case, but early in the year the bills can be large.1:12For decades, this disease was nearly always fatal.1:16This is the first time a pill has shown such a clear survival benefit.1:20But the approval is not without limits.1:22The label warns of diarrhea, mouth sores, and a risk of lung inflammation.1:26Still, only 1.2% of patients stop the pill due to side effects versus 11.2% on1:31chemotherapy.1:32The FDA granted it breakthrough and orphan drug status and approved it six months1:36early.1:36The science is settled, the economics are not.1:39Will the Medicare patient get the pill that doubles survival?1:41The cap helps, but the coupon doesn't apply.1:44That's the test of this breakthrough.Explore with HeyDexThe shortThe short ↗