25th Anniversary Impact Report

25th Anniversary Impact Report

Our Transformational Approach

Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) designs unique partnerships to pursue difficult, important scientific endeavors that no single organization could solve alone. In 2021, we collaborated with our partners to advance innovative approaches to research, patient-centered care, and policy priorities.

Our Power of Collaboration

9000+

attendees joined our events in 2021 to share, listen, and advocate

112

number of organizations involved in our research partnerships

400+

breakthrough therapy designations granted

131

publications, white papers, and citations

Leading Groundbreaking Science

  • Friends of Cancer Research launches step 2 of the ctMoniTR partnership to evaluate new response measure in clinical trials
    Find out more
  • Tumor Mutational Burden (TMB) Harmonization Project yields an innovative approach to drug and diagnostic development
    Find out more

  • A unique collaboration launches to harmonize complex biomarkers as a key to new medicines
    Find out more

25 Years of Advancing Cancer Research

Advancing Innovative Policies

  • 14th Annual Meeting: Leaders address critical issues in the development of new innovations in oncology
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  • New initiative explores expediting the development and review of drugs through Breakthrough Therapy designation
    Find out more

  • Expert workgroup lays the groundwork foremerging immunotherapies and cell therapies
    Find out more

  • New Drug Development Dashboard provides evidence for future policy considerations
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Improving Access and Accelerating Progress

  • Empowering black women’s participation in clinical trials through Project TEACH
    Find out more
  • ASCO/Friends initiativeurges broadening eligibility criteria to make clinical trials more representative
    Find out more

  • Evolving the use of real-world evidence through new pilot projects to effectively demonstrate benefit to patients
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  • 21st Century Cures 2.0 listening session brings together thought leaders to discuss harnessing the power of collaboration
    Find out more

Looking to the Future

We are proud to share with you our 2021 highlights and the strides we continue to make on behalf of patients and their loved ones. As we review our accomplishments of the past year and look to the future of what we need to achieve, we would like to thank our Board of Directors, supporters, and partners, without whom our critical work for patients would not be possible.

Our growing research partnerships represent new collaborative models and are catalyzing science in a way that no single organization could achieve alone. Our policy initiatives are leading to meaningful changes that accelerate the development of new medicines for patients. We do this by bringing together diverse partners — even competitors at times — toward collaborative, science-based solutions.

We’re going to keep moving the field forward toward personalized treatments, patient-centered healthcare, and the next generation of breakthrough therapies. We’ll continue to lift up the next generation of scientists and policymakers and help guide science from idea to reality for patients.

Jeff Allen, PhD
President & CEO

Ellen V. Sigal, PhD
Chair & Founder

Marlene A. Malek, RN
Vice Chair & Co-founder

With Your Partnership, We Continue to Drive Progress

We know that science, research, and policy are essential for patients, which is why we empower the next generation of pioneers. We advocate for smarter science and regulations to cultivate progress and discover new paths for innovation to succeed. In the process, we are proud to work alongside leaders in our field, doing whatever we can to advance cancer research and treatment. Your support allows us to continue advancing treatments for patients every day. To donate, please visit www.friendsofcancerresearch.org/donate or reach out to Linda Ostermann at (202) 944-6700 or lostermann@focr.org