By: SGPCRI
SAN DIEGO, CA, September 26, 2026 — Kevan M. Shokat, PhD has been named the 2026 Stephenson Global Prize Laureate, receiving $1 million for his pioneering contributions to pancreatic cancer research. His discoveries helped transform decades of scientific thinking about KRAS, one of cancer’s most important and historically difficult-to-target drivers, and usher in a new generation of RAS-targeted therapies. The Stephenson Global Prize is a $1 million award presented to visionary scientific leaders whose body of work has fundamentally changed the trajectory of pancreatic cancer research.
This recognition follows the FDA approved daraxonrasib (Rasonque), developed by Revolution Medicines, for adults with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The drug traces its scientific roots to Shokat’s laboratory. In 2013, Shokat discovered a previously hidden pocket on the surface of the mutated RAS protein, proving for the first time that a target long dismissed as “undruggable” could in fact be bound and disabled by a small molecule. This breakthrough motivated Revolution Medicines, a company Shokat co-founded, and its RAS(ON) platform, which was ultimately engineered into daraxonrasib. It is the first broad RAS-targeted medicine approved for metastatic pancreatic cancer and a major milestone in a scientific journey that once seemed impossible. In the pivotal clinical trial supporting its approval, this new drug improved median overall survival to 13.2 months compared with 6.7 months with standard chemotherapy, providing a new treatment option for patients with one of the most difficult-to-treat cancers.
“This is exactly why we created the Stephenson Global Prize,” said A. Emmet Stephenson Jr., Co–Founder of the Stephenson Global Pancreatic Cancer Research Institute (SGPCRI). “Dr. Shokat took on a challenge many believed could not be solved and proved otherwise. To see his discovery help pave the way for new treatments that can extend lives is the kind of impact we want to accelerate.”
“Dr. Shokat’s perseverance helped overcome a very difficult obstacle in pancreatic cancer treatment. Watching a breakthrough of this scale become a therapy for patients in our lifetime gives us confidence in the power of scientific research,” said Tessa Stephenson Brand, Co-Founder of SGPCRI.
KRAS mutations drive more than 90% of pancreatic cancers, yet for decades the protein was considered elusive. Years ago, Dr. Shokat and his laboratory challenged that assumption by discovering a previously hidden pocket on KRAS and demonstrating that small molecules could bind directly to the protein. The breakthrough provided critical proof that KRAS could be therapeutically targeted and reinvigorated efforts to develop drugs against RAS-driven cancers. Shokat later became an academic co-founder and scientific adviser to Revolution Medicines, whose work ultimately led to daraxonrasib.
“I am deeply honored to receive the Stephenson Global Prize,” said Shokat. “We had just seen clinical results in pancreatic cancer that surpassed what many of us thought possible. When the science translates into meaningful results for patients, you feel like you have traction. I am more optimistic than ever about what comes next and am deeply grateful for this extraordinary recognition.”
Shokat’s contributions have also been recognized by the broader cancer research community. In 2023, he was elected a Fellow of the AACR Academy (FAACR) in recognition of his revolutionary discoveries in chemical genetics, including pioneering work to develop covalent inhibitors capable of therapeutically targeting KRAS G12C.
“Dr. Shokat’s groundbreaking research exemplifies how fundamental science can redefine cancer medicine,” said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR). “As a Fellow of the AACR Academy, he is among an extraordinary group of scientists whose discoveries have fundamentally advanced our understanding and treatment of cancer. His pioneering work targeting KRAS helped catalyze an entirely new area of cancer drug development and has contributed to extraordinary momentum in the pursuit of therapies for RAS-driven cancers. AACR is delighted to join SGPCRI in recognizing his remarkable contributions and the profound impact that innovative cancer research can have on patients.”
Shokat is the second recipient of the Stephenson Global Prize, following Frank McCormick, PhD, FRS, FAACR, the inaugural 2025 laureate. Together, these first two laureates tell an extraordinary story of scientific progress. McCormick’s work helped establish KRAS as a central driver of cancer, and he encouraged Shokat to tackle the longstanding challenge of directly targeting the protein. Shokat was selected from a distinguished pool of nominees put forward by leading cancer centers and research institutions worldwide, with the expert recommendation guided by SGPCRI’s Scientific Advisory Board.
“Kevan Shokat has fundamentally changed the trajectory of KRAS research,” said Daniel D. Von Hoff, MD, FAACR, Chair of the SGPCRI Scientific Advisory Board and a distinguished professor of clinical genomics and therapeutics research at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), which is part of the City of Hope network. “There was a time when many of us believed that directly targeting KRAS might never be achievable. Kevan provided the proof that it could be done, and this discovery energized an entire field. To now see RAS-targeted therapy producing meaningful survival improvements in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer is an extraordinary scientific accomplishment, and an indication that we are entering a very different and exciting era for this disease.”
Despite being the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S. and carrying a five-year survival rate of just 13%, pancreatic cancer has long received disproportionately low levels of federal research funding relative to its mortality burden. With federal support for cancer research facing continued uncertainty, philanthropic investment has become an essential engine for the high-risk, high-reward science needed to change outcomes for patients.
“This story captures exactly why we do this work,” said Jennifer Chun Kim, Executive Director of SGPCRI. “Dr. McCormick’s early insights and Dr. Shokat’s determination to overcome one of the field’s most persistent scientific challenges are now reaching patients through an FDA-approved therapy. That is the kind of transformative progress the Stephenson Global Prize was created to recognize and accelerate, and it strengthens our resolve to keep investing in the most ambitious ideas in this complex field.”
Shokat will be honored during a dedicated Stephenson Global Prize Ceremony at the AACR Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research Special Conference, being held September 25–28, 2026, in San Diego. The meeting brings together world leaders from academia, medicine, industry and patient advocacy to highlight the advances that are shaping the future of pancreatic cancer research.
About the Stephenson Global Pancreatic Cancer Research Institute
The Stephenson Global Pancreatic Cancer Research Institute (SGPCRI) is dedicated to transforming the future of pancreatic cancer research through innovation, global collaboration and strategic funding. Established through a $150 million gift from philanthropists A. Emmet Stephenson Jr. and Tessa Stephenson Brand, in partnership with City of Hope, SGPCRI is committed to advancing early detection, pioneering treatments and high-impact research to improve patient outcomes. Working with leading scientists, clinicians and institutions worldwide, SGPCRI fosters collaboration to accelerate breakthroughs against one of the world’s most challenging cancers.
For more information, visit SGPCRI.global or follow SGPCRI on LinkedIn and X.
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