Words by Smiley Team
LUNGevity Foundation - the US’s leading lung cancer organization focused on improving outcomes for people with lung cancer through research and patient-led group EGFR Resisters, has launched a new partnership: the EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer Research Award Program which will fund new research.
This year, one award worth up to $200,000 will be funded. The funding will go towards research that is translational and directly related to improvement of patient outcomes and/or lead to a clinical trial.
EGFR Resisters was founded in 2017 and comprises 2,000 EGFR-positive lung cancer patients and caregivers across 70+ countries. In the US, 10%-15% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer are EGFR positive. They work to research questions and fund novel research and clinical trials into their specific mutation that may ultimately save and improve the quality of their lives. The goal of the research is to transform EGFR-positive lung cancer into a manageable chronic disease.
"We are very excited to be part of the scientific process to select and fund innovative research for EGFR-positive lung cancer," says Dr. Ildiko Medve, co-founder of the EGFR Resisters and an EGFR-positive lung cancer patient and advocate. "Patient input in this project will ensure that the research selected will have a meaningful impact on the lives of those in our community. We are thrilled to partner with LUNGevity to bring this project to fruition."
Members from the EGFR Resisters community raised funds for the award program. As a unique aspect of the collaboration, EGFR community members will be able to contribute their own tissue and data directly to the project, if needed.
"We are honored to partner with the EGFR Resisters on such an important program. Using LUNGevity's scientific mechanism to solicit and evaluate research proposals will help ensure that only the most impactful science is funded. The proposals will also be assessed by a medical board of EGFR-positive experts and by members of the EGFR Resisters for their alignment with the priorities of EGFR-positive patients," says Andrea Ferris, President and CEO of LUNGevity Foundation. "The research selected will be that most likely to benefit these patients based on their priorities."
The deadline to submit a letter of intent for the EGFR-Positive Lung Cancer Research Award is Wednesday, July 22, 2020. The award announcement will be made January 2021. For more information about this award, visit www.LUNGevity.org/EGFR-RFA.
