Friends

Friends of Cancer Research (Friends) is a prominent non-profit think tank and advocacy organization dedicated to accelerating the development and approval of safe and effective cancer therapies. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization acts as a critical bridge between the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), academic researchers, and the pharmaceutical industry. Friends is best known for its role in conceptualizing and advocating for the FDA's Breakthrough Therapy designation and for leading large-scale multi-stakeholder research projects like the Lung-MAP clinical trial. Their work focuses on regulatory science, clinical trial innovation, and the use of real-world evidence to improve patient outcomes in oncology.