** Shares of cancer drugmaker Verastem VSTM.O rise 10.5% to $4 in extended trading

** Company says the U.S. FDA has granted fast-track status to VS-7375, its experimental oral drug for certain patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer carrying a KRAS G12D mutation, a common and aggressive driver of tumor growth

** FDA's fast-track tag is meant to speed up development and review of treatments for serious diseases with unmet medical needs

** Company says a mid-stage trial has started in patients with previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer

** Early data from an ongoing early-stage study is expected in H1 2026, with more mature data expected in H2 2026

** VSTM shares down 53.1% YTD