Arjin Dursun, Project Manager at Massive Bio, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“If there is one moment from ASCO 2026 that I wish I could have witnessed in person, it would be these 42 seconds.
Forty-two seconds of applause. A room full of researchers, clinicians, and industry professionals standing together to recognize a breakthrough that could change the future of cancer treatment.
If you work in oncology or clinical research, you’ve probably already seen the video. The applause followed the presentation of daraxonrasib, a novel therapy targeting RAS, a protein long considered one of the most difficult targets in cancer drug development. By binding mutant RAS and forming a complex with Cyclophilin A (CyPA), daraxonrasib disrupts signaling pathways that drive tumor growth. The results, particularly in pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest cancers we face today, have given many patients and families something they desperately need: hope.
But what stayed with me most wasn’t the data. It was the final message.
Dr. Wolpin took a moment to thank every patient and family who had participated in clinical trials over the years, including those involved in studies that ultimately did not succeed.
That acknowledgement matters.
Because breakthroughs like this don’t happen overnight. They are built on decades of research, countless unanswered questions, failed trials, and, most importantly, patients who chose to participate even when success was far from guaranteed. The treatments we celebrate today exist because others were willing to contribute to science before us.
Perhaps those 42 seconds of applause were not only for a promising new therapy, but also for every patient, caregiver, researcher, study coordinator, nurse, physician, and healthcare professional who helped make this moment possible.
Clinical trials are about more than advancing treatment options for today’s patients. They are about creating knowledge, opportunity, and hope for future generations.
Every participant leaves behind something far greater than data. They leave a legacy.”
Proceed to the video attached to the post.
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