Luke O'Neill

But now, pancreatic in particular, a trial has shown a doubling of the survival time, which is a big effect in that kind of cancer.

Sure.

Now, doubling in this case means, sadly, Pat, if you're diagnosed, it's about seven months is your lifespan.

That goes up to almost 14 on this new therapy, and that's a big effect for people.

And, of course, what they say is, well, it's the start of it now.

They've got a drug that they can build on, is the idea.

Okay, now, this particular drug, this is not a complicated treatment to get.

It's a pill.

It's not an infusion or anything that intrusive.

That's right.

It's called Daroxin Razib.

Awful name, Daroxin Razib.

Now, it targets, Pat, a thing called Raz...

Now, anybody listening who knows about cancer research would have heard of RAS.

RAS is a gene often mutated in cancer.

So many cancers have RAS mutated, and it's too active, and it causes the cell to divide out of control.

So RAS inhibitors have been around for a while, especially in pancreatic.

This drug really blocks RAS, and that's why they think it's so effective.

And if you knock RAS down...

The cancer stops growing is the idea.