Lung Cancer Research Foundation and AstraZeneca Launch $750,000 in Research Awards Targeting Small Cell Lung Cancer
Key Insights
The Lung Cancer Research Foundation (search) and AstraZeneca announced two research awards totaling $750,000 focused on improving outcomes in small cell lung cancer (search) (SCLC), with submissions open through July 15, 2026.
A $500,000 three-year award will support novel therapeutic strategies for SCLC, while a $250,000 two-year award will fund patient advocacy initiatives to improve quality of life and survivorship.
SCLC treatment progress has lagged behind NSCLC due to limited biological understanding and scarce therapeutic options, with patients facing near-universal treatment resistance after initial chemotherapy response.
The Lung Cancer Research Foundation (search) (LCRF), in collaboration with AstraZeneca, announced today that two research awards focused on improving outcomes for people with small cell lung cancer (search) (SCLC) are now open for investigator submissions. The combined $750,000 in funding aims to accelerate discoveries in a disease that has long been one of oncology's most urgent and underserved challenges.
Progress in the treatment of SCLC has lagged considerably behind that of non-small cell lung cancer (search) (NSCLC), reflecting both a limited understanding of SCLC biology and a relative scarcity of effective therapeutic options. Recent efforts have begun to define distinct molecular subtypes of SCLC, each potentially harboring unique therapeutic vulnerabilities. In its untreated state, SCLC typically responds robustly to DNA-damaging chemotherapy; however, resistance invariably develops, and second-line therapies offer only modest benefit. The incorporation of immunotherapy into first-line regimens has yielded incremental gains in extensive-stage disease and a more meaningful improvement in overall survival for patients with limited-stage disease.
"Given how early we remain in unraveling the biology of SCLC, and that existing treatments are rarely curative, there is a pressing need for innovative therapeutic strategies aimed not merely at prolonging survival, but at achieving cure," the organizations stated in their joint announcement.
Two Award Mechanisms Target Distinct Needs
The 2026 LCRF | AstraZeneca Research Award on Strategies Towards Improving the Treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer (search) is a $500,000, three-year award that will focus on furthering the development of novel strategies towards improving the treatment of SCLC. Work supported through this mechanism will address important areas of need across the entire care continuum and have the immediate potential to increase survivorship. It is expected that correlative translational research will be proposed that will enhance the understanding of SCLC.
The 2026 LCRF | AstraZeneca Research Award on Strategies Using Patient Advocacy to Improve Outcomes in Small Cell Lung Cancer (search) is a $250,000, two-year award that will focus on furthering the development of strategies towards improving the outcomes of SCLC patients through patient advocacy. Work supported through this mechanism will address important areas of need across the entire care continuum and have the immediate potential to increase research efforts, quality of life, and survivorship.
Submissions for both mechanisms will be reviewed through a two-step process: Letters of Intent will be accepted until midnight on July 15, 2026; if selected, investigators will then be chosen to submit full proposals, subject to rigorous review by LCRF's Scientific Advisory Board.
The Advocacy Imperative in Lung Cancer
Advances in disease understanding and treatment are frequently shaped and accelerated by patient advocacy. Sustained advocacy efforts have driven meaningful progress across a range of conditions, including HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. Yet despite lung cancer's status as the leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, it carries the lowest advocacy score among major diseases. A primary obstacle has been the persistent stigma surrounding lung cancer, which has historically impeded the mobilization of patients, caregivers, and the broader public. Against this backdrop, given the slow pace of research and clinical development in SCLC specifically, building a robust advocacy infrastructure for this patient population is not merely desirable, but critically overdue.
Expert Perspectives
"A deeper understanding of small cell lung cancer (search) biology is essential to advancing more precise and effective therapies—and ultimately improving care and outcomes for people living with this challenging disease," said Nabil Chehab, US Medical Head, Lung Cancer, AstraZeneca. "We are thrilled to open these awards to the scientific community and look forward to the innovative research proposals investigators will bring forward. Together with the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (search), we are eager to accelerate the next wave of discoveries that will move small cell lung cancer science forward for patients."
Dr. Antoinette Wozniak, Chief Scientific Officer for LCRF, emphasized the timeliness of the initiative: "SCLC has long been one of the most urgent and underserved challenges in oncology, patients still face inevitable treatment resistance and very limited options, yet emerging insights into SCLC subtypes and targets are opening doors that were closed just a few years ago. Patients are our partners in discovery, and with AstraZeneca's support, we are ready to champion both the novel therapeutic research and the patient advocacy strategies that will make a real and lasting difference for this community."
Misty Dawn Shields, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor at Indiana School of Medicine and Indiana University Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, underscored the critical nature of the investment: "SCLC remains one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Patients respond well initially, but resistance is nearly universal and our options at that point are still far too limited. Investments like the 2026 LCRF | AstraZeneca Research Awards are exactly what this field needs right now, when emerging science around SCLC subtypes and novel targets is finally giving us new directions to pursue. This kind of research can be the difference between a promising idea sitting on the shelf and a discovery that actually reaches patients."
About the Lung Cancer Research Foundation (search)
The Lung Cancer Research Foundation (search) is the leading nonprofit organization focused on funding innovative, high-reward research with the potential to extend survival and improve quality of life for people with lung cancer. LCRF's mission is to improve lung cancer outcomes by funding research for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure of lung cancer. To date, LCRF has funded 450 research grants, totaling nearly $53 million, the highest amount provided by a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding lung cancer research. More details about each of the Requests for Proposal, along with eligibility, requirements, and deadlines can be found at LCRF.org/FundingOpportunities.