On May 6, Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) and the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy co-hosted a public meeting, “Unlocking Next-Generation Therapies” to explore opportunities to advance next-generation therapies, including innovative approaches in cell therapy development. The oncology landscape has shifted dramatically over the last 30 years, transitioning from chemotherapy-based treatment toward molecularly and immunologically…
As we begin our 30th anniversary year, we’re reflecting on what’s been possible through partnership with advocates like you and sharing some of the progress we’ve made together. In this newsletter, you’ll find updates on our recent work and a preview of what’s ahead. Here’s what you can read more about in this newsletter: What’s…
The Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) allows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to collect fees from drug sponsors that streamline reviews of new drug applications, promoting timely patient access without compromising safety. When the Act is reauthorized every five years, industry and FDA discuss goals to support and improve the drug review process. With PDUFA negotiations for the 2027 reauthorization now…
Friends had an exciting year filled with new projects, impactful collaborations, and continued progress toward advancing innovative cancer research. A heartfelt thank you to our advocate community for your time, insight, and partnership in 2025. Your voices and contributions continue to strengthen our shared mission to advance science, policy, and patient access. We look forward…
On November 17, Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) convened or an advocates-focused webinar to discuss key themes from the 2025 Annual Meeting and examine how patient experience informs evidence generation, trial design, and regulatory decision-making. We were honored to feature advocate panelists, Kristin McJunkins, Misha Mehta, Susan Rouse, Carol Vallett, and Chris white, who drew…
On Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) hosted its 18th Annual Meeting, bringing together experts from industry, academia, regulatory agencies, and patient advocacy. Over the past few months, Friends members Bernat Navarro-Serer, Hillary Andrews, and Mark Stewart hosted biweekly calls with expert working groups to discuss pressing topics in oncology clinical research that led to white papers released before the event. Each session at the Annual Meeting began with a brief presentation by the moderator,…
In this quarter’s issue, we are excited to share updates on some of the innovative work happening at Friends, including our latest efforts in advancing AI in oncology, upcoming events, and important developments in cancer research. What’s Happening at Friends?: Dive into our ai.RECIST Project, a cutting-edge initiative exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for tumor…
In this quarter’s issue, we are excited to share highlights from our latest public meeting and advocate webinar, along with other important developments we’ve been monitoring in oncology. What’s Happening at Friends?: Catch up on highlights from our recent public meeting and watch our advocate webinar, where experts and advocates discussed groundbreaking work in cellular gene…
On May 22, Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) hosted a public webinar exploring next steps for supporting sustainable development and manufacturing models that can expand patient access to genetically modified cell-based therapies. The webinar, “Unlocking Next-Generation Therapies Meeting Recap: Sharing Next Steps and Opportunities with Advocates,” revisited policy discussions from the May 9th public meeting, and proposals from the collaborative white paper developed with the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI).
On May 9th, Friends of Cancer Research (Friends), in collaboration with Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI), hosted a public meeting, “Unlocking Next Generation Therapies: Exploring Innovative Development and Manufacturing Models for Cell Therapies.” This meeting came at a critical inflection point, as the scientific potential of engineered cell-based therapies continue to advance and bring hope for patients. However, regulatory frameworks, manufacturing models, and access mechanisms have not fully evolved to support timely and equitable delivery— particularly for patients with rare cancers and other complex diseases.
