LUNGevity Partners with ALK Positive to Award $1.5 Million in Lung Cancer Research Grants

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LUNGevity Foundation is partnering for the third time with the patient-led registered nonprofit organization ALK Positive to support the ALK-Positive Lung Cancer Research Award Program. This year, the patient oncogene group will potentially fund research projects totaling up to $1.5 million over two years—their largest funding to date. The ultimate goal of the research is to transform ALK-positive lung cancer into a chronic or curable condition.

"ALK Positive is delighted to partner once more with LUNGevity. Our partnership with LUNGevity leverages their rigorous selection process and access to experts to help us choose and support the research most likely to save the lives of patients and improve their quality of life," notes Dr. Colin Barton, ALK-positive patient/survivor since 2016 and chair of ALK Positive's Medical Committee. "This $1.5 million research award program is our biggest to date. The members and supporters of ALK Positive have made amazing efforts to raise the funds for this award program. Currently, there is no known cure for this type of cancer in its advanced stage."

Research to be funded is expected to have a direct impact on the outcomes of patients with advanced ALK-positive lung cancer, but innovative proposals that address other unmet needs in the ALK-positive lung cancer space are also invited for submission. Individual awards up to $750,000 over two years will be funded.

"We are excited to solicit another round of high-quality research proposals that will help to expand treatment options for patients with ALK-positive lung cancer," says Upal Basu Roy, PhD, MPH, LUNGevity's executive director of research. "Members of the ALK Positive group not only have fundraised for this program but will also be integral in the selection of these research projects. Awardees from the 2018 and 2020 programs have already made significant progress."

The deadline to submit a letter of intent for the ALK-positive Lung Cancer Research Award is February 23, 2022. The award announcement will be made in late summer 2022. For more information about this award, visit LUNGevity.org/ALK-RFA.

About ALK Positive

ALK Positive, a 501(c)(3) organization, affiliated with the ALK Positive Support Group, an online worldwide community of 2,500+ highly motivated, passionate, and dedicated ALK-positive patients and their caregivers, wants to drive change in the ALK lung cancer space. ALK Positive is committed to raising funds for research to improve the life expectancy and quality of life for ALK-positive lung cancer patients worldwide. Their specific goal is to fund research proposals that will transform ALK-positive lung cancer into a chronic or curable condition for all patients living with this disease. ALK Positive has raised over $5M to date to fund research and is partnering with LUNGevity to select and support ALK research. ALK Positive Support Group is the world's largest group of ALK-positive patients. ALK Positive continues to expand its influence in accelerating research that will improve the life expectancy and quality of life for ALK-positive lung cancer patients worldwide. For more information about ALK Positive, please visit www.alkpositive.org.

About LUNGevity Foundation

LUNGevity Foundation is the nation's leading lung cancer organization focused on improving outcomes for people with lung cancer through research, education, policy initiatives, and support and engagement for patients, survivors, and caregivers. LUNGevity seeks to make an immediate impact on quality of life and survivorship for everyone touched by the disease—while promoting health equity by addressing disparities throughout the care continuum. LUNGevity works tirelessly to advance research into early detection and more effective treatments, provide information and educational tools to empower patients and their caregivers, promote impactful public policy initiatives, and amplify the patient voice through research and engagement. The organization provides an active community for patients and survivors—and those who help them live longer and better lives. 

Comprehensive resources include a medically vetted and patient-centric website, a toll-free HELPLine for support, the International Lung Cancer Survivorship Conference, and an easy-to-use Clinical Trial Finder, among other tools. All of these programs are to achieve our vision—a world where no one dies of lung cancer. LUNGevity Foundation is proud to be a four-star Charity Navigator organization.

Please visit LUNGevity.org to learn more. 

About Lung Cancer in the US

• About 1 in 16 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer in their lifetime
• More than 235,000 people in the US will be diagnosed with lung cancer this year
• About 65% of all new lung cancer diagnoses are among people who have never smoked or are former smokers
• Lung cancer takes more lives than the next two deadliest cancers (colorectal and pancreatic) combined
• Only 22% of all people diagnosed with lung cancer will survive 5 years or more, BUT if it's caught before it spreads, the chance of 5-year survival improves dramatically

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SOURCE ALK Positive