Lead4Life

Lead4Life is a newly established public-private partnership program in which KWF, NRG PALLAS, FAST and the 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. Lead-212 is an alpha-emitting isotope with high energy delivered over a very short distance, offering the potential for even 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.

Lead4Life addresses these challenges by focusing on two closely connected pillars. First, the program develops scalable and non-exclusive production processes to make lead-212 available at GMP quality. Second, it supports the development of enabling technologies such as dosimetry, imaging, radiation safety and waste management. Together, these activities make it possible for researchers and companies to develop new lead-212-based radiopharmaceuticals and to prepare their safe and effective application in healthcare. By taking a programmatic, chain-oriented approach, Lead4Life accelerates innovation from laboratory research towards future clinical use.

Lead4Life will implement an open call for public-private partnership projects. FAST will organize an online information session on Wednesday 4 March, 15:30–17:00, followed by a matchmaking event on Wednesday afternoon, 8 April 2026, to support consortium formation and thematic alignment. Project proposals will be selected through an evaluation procedure coordinated by KWF. More information and registration links will be communicated via the program partners’ websites and newsletters.