FDA expands access to pancreatic cancer drug helping patients like Ben Sasse

By Kerry Breen News Editor Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University's Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News' TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use. Read Full Bio Updated on: May 2, 2026 / 6:11 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The Food and Drug Administration said it will allow some pancreatic cancer patients to receive access to a promising drug, even before it is officially approved for use. The medication, daraxonrasib, is a 300 milligram pill taken once a day. The drug blocks a signal that causes cancer cells to grow non-stop. Drugmaker Revolution Medicine reported that in a clinical trial, metastatic pancreatic cancer patients who took the drug survived a median of 13 months, compared to about six months for similar patients who underwent chemotherapy. Former Sen. Ben Sasse, 54, called daraxonrasib "a miracle drug" in a conversation with "60 Minutes" and said it has helped him live longer and with less pain. He was diagnosed with stage-four pancreatic cancer in December."I have much, much less pain than I had four months ago when I