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Lead4Life PPP Call 2026

KWF Dutch Cancer Society

Lead4Life is a newly established Health~Holland public-private partnership (PPP) program in which KWF, NRG PALLAS, FAST and Oncode Institute combine their strengths. The program focuses on making the promising medical isotope lead-212 available at GMP quality, while simultaneously developing the technologies needed to enable its use in new radiopharmaceuticals and, ultimately, in cancer care.

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and for many patients current treatment options are still limited. Radiopharmaceutical therapies already show clear benefits for certain cancers (e.g. Neuro-endocrine tumors or metastasized prostate cancer). Lead-212 is an alpha-emitting isotope with high energy delivered over a very short distance, offering the potential for more effective and precise cancer treatments. However, global availability of lead-212 is extremely limited, which slows down research, innovation, and access for patients.

At the same time, the growing international market for radiopharmaceuticals offers significant economic opportunities for countries with strong nuclear and medical infrastructure. By strengthening production capacity, enabling technologies and collaboration across the value chain, Lead4Life contributes not only to improved patient care but also to innovation, economic development and strengthening the Netherlands’ international competitive position in the radiopharmaceutical field.

Aim of the call

The aim of this call within the Lead4Life program is:

The development of a reliable and scalable production technology for the non-exclusive supply of the medical isotope lead-212
The enabling technologies required for safe and effective application of lead-212-based radiopharmaceuticals in healthcare.

This program aims to generate the knowledge required to address the following key research questions:

1. Lead production and supply chain:

Which production technology is optimal for decentralized production of lead-212 to enable innovation in novel targeted radionuclide therapies (TRTs)?
Which technologies can be developed and implemented for large-scale lead-212 production to ensure its availability for the treatment of rare cancers?
How can production technologies for the precursors thorium-228 and radium-224 be developed to ensure a secure and independent supply of source materials?

2. Enabling technologies for clinical introduction of lead-212:

Which technologies, services, and products can be developed to safely and accurately prepare and administer lead-212 targeted radionuclide therapies for patient treatment?
Which models and methodologies can be developed to deliver optimal, personalized treatment?

Patient perspective

For many patients with cancer, especially those with limited or insufficient treatment options, there is a need for more precise and effective therapies. Lead-212-based radiopharmaceuticals have the potential to deliver high-energy radiation directly to tumor cells over a very short distance, which may enable targeted treatment while limiting damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Improving availability and enabling safe clinical applications are essential steps towards ensuring that patients can ultimately benefit from this innovation.

Scope

KWF invites public-private partnership (PPP) proposals that contribute to the aim of the Lead4Life program: the development of a reliable and scalable production technology for the non-exclusive supply of lead-212 and the enabling technologies required for its clinical application.

Proposals must clearly and directly contribute to strengthening the availability, scalability and/or clinical applicability of lead-212.

Projects may focus on one of the following pillars.

1. Lead-212 production and supply chain

Projects should contribute to strengthening the reliability, scalability and accessibility of lead-212 (Pb-212) supply.

Examples of relevant topics include, but are not limited to:

Production processes for Ra-224 and Th-228 as starting materials for Pb-212 generators;
Development of Pb-212 generators.

2. Enabling technologies for clinical introduction of Pb-212

Projects should contribute to enabling the safe and effective clinical application of lead-212-based radiopharmaceuticals.

Examples of relevant topics include, but are not limited to:

Next generation chelators for Pb-212 (radio-)bioconjugates;
Radiobiology;
Imaging, dosimetry & pharmacokinetic modelling for Pb-212
Quality control, analytical methods & safety framework for Pb-212
Distribution network and ecosystem for Pb-212 Generators;
Hospital infrastructure, radiation Protection & waste management

AI Based Application Success Predictor

1. Direct relevance to cancer research (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

This is the most important success factor.

Competitive proposals should address important questions in:

Cancer biology
Cancer genetics
Tumor immunology
Precision oncology
Early detection
Cancer prevention
Translational oncology
Clinical oncology
Survivorship
Palliative care
Cancer epidemiology
Health services research
Implementation science

Projects without a clear focus on cancer are generally not competitive.

2. Strong potential to improve outcomes for people with cancer (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

KWF's mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through research that benefits patients.

Competitive proposals should demonstrate potential to:

Improve survival
Improve quality of life
Enhance early diagnosis
Improve treatment
Reduce recurrence
Improve supportive care
Strengthen survivorship
Improve healthcare delivery

Applications should clearly explain how the research could ultimately benefit patients and society.

3. Scientific excellence and significance (Highest Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive proposals demonstrate:

Important research questions
High scientific quality
Strong biological or clinical rationale
Original hypotheses
Potential to advance cancer knowledge

Scientific excellence is a core evaluation criterion across KWF funding programs.

4. Innovation and originality (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive projects often investigate:

Novel therapeutic targets
Immunotherapy
AI in oncology
Precision medicine
Biomarker discovery
Early detection technologies
Digital health
Advanced imaging
Innovative implementation strategies

Research that goes beyond incremental advances is strongly encouraged.

5. Strong translational or implementation potential (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

KWF places substantial emphasis on moving research into practice.

Competitive proposals often include:

Translational research
Clinical trials
Biomarker validation
Implementation science
Health services research
Real-world evidence
Precision oncology

Projects should describe a credible pathway from discovery to patient benefit.

6. Rigorous methodology and feasibility (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

Competitive proposals include:

Clearly defined objectives
Appropriate study design
Robust statistical analysis
Realistic milestones
Risk management
Appropriate timeline

Reviewers expect technically sound and achievable research plans.

7. Multidisciplinary collaboration and consortium strength (Very High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐)

KWF strongly encourages collaboration among:

Cancer biologists
Clinicians
Epidemiologists
Data scientists
Engineers
Behavioral scientists
Health economists
Patient organizations

Large collaborative projects that integrate complementary expertise are particularly competitive.

8. Patient involvement and societal relevance (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

A distinctive feature of KWF is its emphasis on involving patients and society.

Competitive proposals may include:

Patient representatives
Patient advisory panels
Co-design of research
Public engagement
Patient-centered outcomes
Stakeholder participation

Meaningful patient involvement strengthens both relevance and impact.

9. Strong investigator and research environment (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

Reviewers assess:

Applicant expertise
Publication record
Leadership potential
Institutional infrastructure
Mentorship (for early-career awards)
Access to research facilities

The research environment should clearly support successful project completion.

10. Open science, FAIR data, and knowledge dissemination (High Predictor ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆)

KWF supports:

Open access publishing
FAIR data principles
Data sharing
Responsible research
Dissemination to scientific and public audiences

Applications should include a clear plan for sharing results and maximizing research impact.

Specialties

Cancer

Oncology

Drug Development

Technology Development

Eligibility Requirements

KWF-PPP 2026 Terms & Conditions Lead4Life apply.
In addition to Lead4Life program specific requirements, all project groups must comply with general PPP program requirements established by Health~Holland. These requirements are described in the Funding Information (for download below)
All project applications must use the mandatory PPP-2026-L4L Project Application Form and the TKI-LSH Budget Form.
A Consortium Agreement between all participants is required (for download below)
It is mandatory for the grant recipients to declare that the private party is not an undertaking/company in difficulty. All projects are required to sign the “Verklaring geen onderneming in moeilijkheden” declaration by the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO).

Eligible Countries:

Netherlands

Sponsor Details

Sponsor Institute/Organizations: KWF Dutch Cancer Society

Sponsor Type: Corporate/Non-Profit

Address: Delflandlaan 17, 1062 EA Amsterdam

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