Friends of Cancer Research

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our 19th Annual Meeting, and to our speakers and panelists for the thoughtful conversations. Watch the meeting on YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=BtfhFNTa… Read the session white papers: friendsofcancerresearch.org/… #FriendsAM26

At our lunch fireside chat, Angelo de Claro, Director of FDA’s Oncology Center of Excellence, joined Jeff Allen to discuss OCE’s recent progress, building on its original vision, and how Operation Trailblazer is working to modernize clinical trials. #FriendsAM26

“A patient’s yes is real and it deserves respect, but it is also shaped by fear and running out of options. That means the oncology team has a responsibility to ensure the consent is truly informed.” - Arnoldo Rodriguez, Friends of Cancer Research Advisory Advocate #FriendsAM26

"The challenge is bringing that flexibility into everyday practice. What residual risk is okay for that patient population? How can this be streamlined with global regulators so sponsors don’t run a study for each country?” – Amy Pointon, @AstraZeneca #FriendsAM26

"The streamlined approach is unrelated to the number of studies or the amount of data generated. It needs to define the safety questions that must be addressed before embarking on a clinical trial." - Carole Harbison, @TakedaPharma #FriendsAM26

Our 19th Annual Meeting is live! Today’s sessions explore risk-based nonclinical strategies, fit-for-purpose first-in-human studies, and model-informed dose optimization. Watch on our YouTube channel: bit.ly/4sQycAd #FriendsAM26

Patient advocates! Join us November 17 for a webinar unpacking key discussions from our Annual Meeting on early-phase #cancer drug development and what they mean for patients. Submit your questions for the live Q&A! #patientadvocacy Register: bit.ly/45Dkcj3.

More than a decade after its creation, the BQP remains unpredictable and underused. With only 12 of the 107 projects reaching full qualification, Congress has the opportunity to help modernize the BQP. Explore our solutions and what it means for patients: friendsofcancerresearch.org/….

Our Annual Meeting white papers take an in-depth look at each session: nonclinical strategies, first-in-human studies, and MIDD and AI for dosing in early-phase oncology development. Read the white papers and register for the meeting on 11/10. bit.ly/464kdfT #FriendsAM26

To close out our Annual Meeting, @RepMGriffith and @RepAuchincloss senior congressional staff will discuss a bipartisan legislative proposal addressing challenges and support a federal approach to improve U.S. clinical trials. Register today: bit.ly/4d4ShfE.

Read the @GoHealio article featuring our landscape assessment of 150+ studies finding that #ctDNA reductions are associated with improved OS across solid cancer types, despite differences in assays, time points, and definitions of molecular response: bit.ly/4yF4vmX.

During the Lunch Fireside at our Annual Meeting, @FDA Oncology Center of Excellence Director Angelo de Claro will join President and CEO Jeff Allen for a conversation on priorities shaping oncology innovation and regulatory policy. Register today: bit.ly/4d4ShfE.

Acting @FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas and @NCIDirector Anthony Letai will join an opening keynote fireside chat at our Annual Meeting on Nov 10, 2026. Discussions will focus on innovation, U.S. competitiveness, and FDA modernization. Register today: bit.ly/4d4ShfE.

For 30 years, Friends of Cancer Research has had a partner and champion in Janet Woodcock—former Acting FDA Commissioner, now a member of our Board. Her perspective from both sides of drug development has helped shape our mission. #Friends30 youtube.com/watch?v=jvzVNlmH…

Panelists announced! Join us for our 19th Annual Meeting on November 10. Experts will explore risk-based nonclinical strategies, first-in-human study expectations, and AI-enabled oncology dosing. Register in-person or virtually: bit.ly/464kdfT. #FriendsAM2026

On Friday, October 23, Jeff Allen will join the "PDUFA VIII Demystified" session at @IAmBiotech's Patient Advocacy Changemakers Event to discuss why PDUFA reauthorization matters to patient advocates and how they can help shape the process. #BIOPACE26 #patientadvocacy

Since Ellen Sigal and Marlene Malek founded Friends of Cancer Research, our mission has stayed the same: making sure every scientific breakthrough reaches the patients who need it. Thank you to our partners, collaborators, and supporters. #Friends30

On October 19, Bernat Navarro will present at @DrugInfoAssn's 2026 Real-World Evidence Conference, sharing lessons from our ECA Pilot on applying a common analytical framework across external data sources and informing future regulatory use. #RWE

Our collaborative work has helped drive everything from breakthrough therapy designation to advances in ctDNA, making clinical development faster and more efficient for patients. Thank you to partners like @susanmgalbraith and @AstraZenecaUS for 30 years of progress. #Friends30