U.S. cancer centers are scrambling to get patients into an expanded access program for a pancreatic cancer drug from Revolution Medicines Inc. (RVMD) after clinical trial results showed the treatment roughly doubled survival for people with advanced disease.

In April, Revolution Medicines reported positive topline results from its Phase 3 RASolute 302 trial of daraxonrasib for metastatic pancreatic cancer. The drug showed statistically significant improvements in both progression-free survival and overall survival — the two big metrics that matter in cancer therapy. Specifically, daraxonrasib delivered a median overall survival of 13.2 months compared to 6.7 months for standard chemotherapy. That's not just a statistical win; it's a meaningful difference for patients who often have few options.

The Food and Drug Administration approved the company's expanded access program in May, and doctors across major cancer institutions say patient demand surged immediately after the announcement. About 67,000 Americans are expected to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year, and roughly 53,000 are projected to die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.

"The public caught wind of the FDA announcement … which has triggered a deluge of patient requests," a medical oncologist told Reuters.

Former Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse recently disclosed that he has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and is currently taking the experimental drug, adding a high-profile face to the growing list of patients seeking access.

But getting the drug isn't simple. The compassionate use process is complex and resource-intensive. Doctors must submit individual patient requests to Revolution Medicines, which the company, the FDA, and institutional review boards then review. Hospitals also have to monitor patients receiving treatment under the program. Revolution Medicines said it expects demand to stay high and that physician requests will get responses within two business days.

CEO Mark Goldsmith told Reuters the company is making a "full-throttle effort" toward a complete FDA submission but didn't provide a timeline for formal approval.

Despite the positive trial data, Revolution Medicines shares were down 3.47% at $144.28 at the time of publication on Friday. Over the past month, RVMD has declined about 5.41% versus a 6.6% rise in the S&P 500, but it's still up roughly 80% year-to-date compared to the index's 8.1% gain. Sometimes the market does its own thing.