Research Spotlight: highlights from the ASCO Annual Meeting and beyond. Share Tweet Editor's note: The "Research Spotlight" series is written by Dr. Anna Berkenblit, PanCAN's Chief Scientific and Medical Officer. Each month, Dr. Berkenblit shares her insights into the latest news and research in pancreatic cancer. Follow Dr. Berkenblit on X and LinkedIn. Highlights from the ASCO Annual Meeting and beyond. I will always remember the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting as the moment the tide turned in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. I had the honor of attending this conference in late May through early June, and my PanCAN colleagues and I rose to its feet for a standing ovation alongside an estimated 18,000 oncology healthcare professionals, advocates and other attendees to applaud the stunning overall survival data from the RASolute-302 phase 3 clinical trial. The RASolute-302 trial tested Revolution Medicines' daraxonrasib, a once-daily pill that blocks RAS, compared to standard intravenous chemotherapy in patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer. This was a pivotal moment not only for medicine - a doubling of overall survival and progression-free survival, along with a tripling of response rate and improved quality of life - but also for science. Since the 1980s, researchers have been aware that more than 90% of pancreatic tumors are driven by mutations in a gene called KRAS. Elegant studies have been done to understand the shape of the KRAS protein, how it changes when it's mutated, how it turns on and off and how it interacts with other proteins and drives cellular signaling. And yet, for decades, KRAS and the whole RAS family of proteins were deemed "undruggable." Never backing down from a challenge, PanCAN and its generous donors have funded more than $17 million in research focused on KRAS since 2003. This funding has brought forth new knowledge about how mutant KRAS drives pancreatic cancer growth, metabolism (breakdown of nutrients for energy) and resistance to treatment. PanCAN also convened experts across academic and federal institutions as well as pharmaceutical companies to collaborate and accelerate progress. And Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Inc. will continue to support efforts to identify new strategies to stop KRAS, to find other targets and to develop treatment options to help everybody affected by pancreatic cancer live longer and better lives. An important topic discussed at the ASCO meeting was management of the side effects that result from daraxonrasib. Many people have seen media coverage of the facial rash experienced by former Senator Ben Sasse while receiving daraxonrasib in a clinical trial for pancreatic cancer. For most people, the rash with daraxonrasib is not severe, especially with proactive measures to prevent and manage the rash including sun protection, antibiotics and steroid creams. Similarly, there was discussion around stomatitis, or mouth sores, which was the second most common side effect experienced by patients treated with daraxonrasib. Oral hygiene, mouthwashes and dietary changes can be implemented to help mitigate this side effect. While the results from the RASolute-302 clinical trial are unprecedented for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Inc. know that this is not enough. One potential strategy to improve the efficacy of targeting RAS and further extend patients' lives is to develop combination approaches. Just one week after the ASCO meeting, Tango Therapeutics released data from a phase 1/2 clinical trial testing their investigational drug vopimetostat in combination with daraxonrasib in patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer. Vopimetostat blocks a protein called PRMT5 and is thought to be effective in patients whose tumors have deletion of a gene called MTAP. For this clinical trial, all patients' tumors needed to have an MTAP deletion and a RAS mutation. In this initial look at the data, 11 of 12 patients with pancreatic cancer had an objective tumor response, meaning that their tumors shrank by at least 30%. More work and a larger randomized phase 3 clinical trial will be necessary before Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Inc. can determine whether this combination would be beneficial to patients. Other therapeutic targets with promising data at the ASCO annual meeting included a protein called Claudin18.2 and one called MEK. An oral presentation at the conference described a phase 1b/2 clinical trial testing a bispecific antibody QLS31905 targeting Claudin18.2 and CD3, in development by Qilu Pharmaceutical, in combination with chemotherapy in patients with untreated advanced pancreatic cancer. Another oral presentation in a similar population shared results from a phase 2a trial of chemotherapy with atebimetinib, a small molecule MEK inhibitor being developed by Immuneering. MEK is "downstream" of KRAS, which means its activity is typically reliant on KRAS activation. All these promising advances in targeted therapies for patients with pancreatic cancer serve as a reminder of the importance of biomarker testing. Through biomarker testing, a small sample of the tumor tissue is evaluated for mutations, fusions or other alterations that may influence which treatment options, including clinical trials, may be beneficial for that patient. In addition to novel treatment approaches shared at ASCO, there were also presentations related to early detection and even prevention. Highlights for me were discussions around the role weight loss and diabetes medications known as GLP-1 agonists may play in reducing cancer risk, based on retrospective observational studies, including a comparison of cancer risk in patients with diabetes who received a GLP-1 agonist compared to other treatments for diabetes. More data will be necessary to fully understand the relationship and potential benefit GLP-1 agonists may have on cancer in general, and specifically pancreatic cancer, incidence and progression. Finally, data were presented from the GRAIL Galleri multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test. The large-scale randomized trial testing Galleri did not meet its primary endpoint of reducing the number of late-stage cancers diagnosed. While the concept of blood-based early detection tests, whether MCED or pancreatic cancer-specific, is attractive, more research and fine-tuning will be necessary before these types of tests can be standardly used in the clinic. Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Inc. has entered a new era in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Inc. commend Revolution Medicines and the U.S. FDA for working together to make daraxonrasib available to patients today via an Expanded Access Program and hopefully more widely available in the near future through an anticipated full approval. This is just the beginning. And there is more momentum than ever in devising additional strategies to target RAS and other alterations in pancreatic tumors and find new ways to detect the disease in its early, more treatable stages. Now that Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Inc. has reached this turning point, I invite you to join Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Inc. in continuing to push the needle toward better outcomes for everyone affected by pancreatic cancer. Donate today. Share Tweet You may also be interested in...

Tango Therapeutics has appointed Robert Azelby to its Board of Directors as the clinical-stage biotechnology company advances vopimetostat, its investigational PRMT5 inhibitor, towards potential late-stage development for pancreatic cancer patients. Azelby brings over 30 years of biopharmaceutical industry experience, including deep expertise in oncology commercialisation and corporate strategy. He previously served as CEO of Eliem Therapeutics and Alder BioPharmaceuticals, and held senior commercial leadership roles at Amgen, including Vice President and General Manager of Oncology overseeing a $6 billion portfolio. He currently serves on the boards of ADC Therapeutics, Autolus Therapeutics and Cardinal Health. Tango is developing vopimetostat for MTAP-deleted cancers, which occur in 10–15% of human cancers.

Tango Therapeutics appoints Robert Azelby to Board of Directors. * 2 hrs ago BOSTON, June 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Tango Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: TNGX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to discovering and delivering the next generation of precision cancer medicines, today announced the appointment of Robert Azelby to its Board of Directors. Mr. Azelby brings more than three decades of leadership experience across the biopharmaceutical industry, including deep expertise in oncology commercialization, corporate strategy, company building and board governance. His appointment comes as Tango advances vopimetostat, its investigational PRMT5 inhibitor with first- and best-in-class potential, toward potential late-stage development for patients with pancreatic cancer. "As Tango continues to evolve from a research-led organization into a company positioned to bring vopimetostat to patients, we are thoughtfully strengthening our Board with leaders who have successfully guided innovative medicines through late-stage development, approval and commercialization," said Malte Peters, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Tango Therapeutics. "Bob's extensive operating and board experience across oncology and the broader biopharmaceutical industry will be invaluable as we work to advance vopimetostat towards the market and execute on our mission to transform care for patients with MTAP-deleted cancers." "I am excited to join Tango's Board at such an important time for the company," said Mr. Azelby. "Tango has built a compelling clinical-stage pipeline grounded in synthetic lethality, and vopimetostat represents a significant opportunity to transform care for patients with MTAP-deleted cancers. I look forward to working with Malte, the leadership team and my fellow directors as Tango advances its clinical and strategic priorities." Mr. Azelby is a biopharmaceutical executive and experienced public company director with more than 30 years of industry leadership spanning executive management, commercial strategy, oncology product launches and corporate governance. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Eliem Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on neuronal excitability disorders, from October 2020 to February 2023. Previously, he was Chief Executive Officer of Alder BioPharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on prevention of chronic migraines, from June 2018 through its acquisition by H. Lundbeck in 2019. He also served as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Juno Therapeutics, Inc. from November 2015 through its acquisition by Celgene in 2018. Earlier in his career, Mr. Azelby spent 15 years at Amgen Inc., one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies, where he held progressively senior commercial leadership roles. He concluded his tenure there as Vice President and General Manager of Oncology, overseeing the commercial performance of Amgen's $6 billion oncology portfolio. He currently serves on the Boards of Directors of ADC Therapeutics, Autolus Therapeutics and Cardinal Health, Inc., and previously served on the boards of Terns Pharmaceuticals, Eliem Therapeutics, Alder BioPharmaceuticals, Chinook Therapeutics, Immunomedics, Clovis Oncology and Cascadian Therapeutics. Mr. Azelby earned a B.A. in Economics and Religious Studies from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Harvard Business School. About Vopimetostat Vopimetostat is a potentially best-in-class oral, once-daily, MTA-cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor designed to work selectively in cancer cells with MTAP deletion. MTAP deletions occur in 10-15% of all human cancers, including approximately 40% of pancreatic cancer and 15% of lung cancer. Vopimetostat is being evaluated as a monotherapy and in combination clinical studies. About Tango Therapeutics Tango Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to discovering novel drug targets and delivering the next generation of precision medicine for the treatment of cancer. Using an approach that starts and ends with patients, Tango leverages the genetic principle of synthetic lethality to discover and develop therapies that take aim at critical targets in cancer. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including statements regarding Forward-looking statements are not purely historical and may be accompanied by words such as "may," "should," "expect," "intend," "plan," "will," "goal," "estimate," "anticipate," "believe," "predict," "designed," "potential" or "continue," or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology... For example, implicit or explicit statements concerning the following include or constitute forward-looking statements: Dr. Peters's and Mr. Azelby's statements in this press release and statements regarding: the anticipated benefits and potential of vopimetostat, both as a monotherapy and in combination; the company's ability to advance vopimetostat toward potential regulatory approval and commercialization; the expected contributions of Mr. Azelby to Tango's Board of Directors; and Tango's clinical development and strategic priorities. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Tango's control, and actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by these statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks related to drug development, clinical trials, regulatory review and approval, commercialization, competition, financing and Tango's ability to execute its business strategy. Additional information concerning risks, uncertainties and assumptions can be found in Tango's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the risk factors referenced in Tango's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements in this press release, which speak only as of the date they are made and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the cautionary statements herein. Tango specifically disclaims any duty to update these forward-looking statements. Investors: Elizabeth Hickin