PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — A Port St. Lucie man battling pancreatic cancer is sharing his story after finally gaining access to an experimental treatment his family hopes will give him more time.
For 64-year-old Russell Reed, the past two months have been filled with uncertainty.
Reed spent 62 days waiting to learn whether he would be approved to receive daraxonrasib, an experimental drug his oncologist believed could help after traditional treatments were no longer effective.
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"Chemotherapy isn't going to help me at this point," Reed said.
Daraxonrasib, also known as RMC-6236, is an investigational once-daily oral pill developed by Revolution Medicines. The drug targets mutated KRAS proteins, which drive more than 90% of pancreatic cancers.
While the treatment is not yet FDA-approved, early clinical trial results have generated optimism among some patients and physicians.
According to Reed's family, his oncologist submitted a request through the FDA's Expanded Access Program, which can allow patients with serious or life-threatening illnesses to receive treatments outside of clinical trials when other options are limited.
While waiting for an answer, Reed and his wife, Marnie, focused on making the most of their time together.
"I need someone's attention," Marnie Reed said. "The idea of sitting here and waiting for the phone to ring is not ok with me."
For Marnie, the fight was never just about accessing a drug. It was about more family trips, more memories and more moments together.
"You're still here, and if you don't pay attention, you're going to miss it," she said. "I don't want to miss a minute with him."
Reed said research and clinical trial results gave him hope that daraxonrasib could help slow the progression of his disease.
"There's a lot of anecdotal evidence and a lot of evidence from the clinical trials that show that this is the miracle drug for pancreatic cancer," Reed said. "It is not a cure, but it will give me time."
Then came the call the family had been waiting for.
Just two days after sharing their story with WPTV, Reed learned he had been approved to receive the treatment. The drug is now in his hands, and his family says he is already feeling better and optimistic about what comes next.
While daraxonrasib is not considered a cure for pancreatic cancer, the Reeds say the approval represents something they've been fighting for all along: more time together.
