research in action
Projects that bring hope
selection
Rigorous selection
To increase the chances of success of promising oncology projects, we select them through a rigorous and demanding analysis.
This allows us to focus our resources where they can make the biggest difference and maximize each project’s potential impact for patients.
Evaluation
Since our founding in 2007, we have selected 23 scientific projects (out of more than 300 evaluated), to which we have contributed our capital and the generous support of our donors to give them the best chance of success.
Rigor
Each project undergoes an in-depth evaluation based on 14 criteria (scientific, medical, commercial and financial), with a required critical analysis by independent experts.
Commitment
We commit to projects that address an unmet medical need, bring genuine innovation and show strong enough potential to turn a scientific breakthrough into a concrete benefit for patients.
Domino Effect
domino effect
Targeted cancer(s)
patients affected (new diagnoses each year)
Melanoma: worldwide ~338,000 / Europe (EU-27) ~151,000
Colorectal cancer: worldwide ~2,000,000 / Europe (EU-27) ~527,000
Type of therapy
Immunotherapy
Support already allocated
1.125.000 €
To grow rapidly and resist treatment, cancer cells produce certain proteins on a massive scale. An enzyme (ELP3) plays a decisive role in this process. To put it simply, it supplies the oil that keeps the gears of the tumor machine running at full speed and surviving attacks.
This project aims to develop an innovative molecule that blocks the ELP3 enzyme and triggers a double effect: the self-destruction of tumor cells AND the activation of the immune system to eliminate them.
Light the Fire
light the fire
Targeted cancer(s)
patients affected (new diagnoses each year)
Osteosarcoma: worldwide ~35,000 / Europe (EU-27) ~1,500
Triple-negative breast cancer: worldwide ~345,000 / Europe (EU-27) ~56,000
Type of therapy
Immunotherapy
Support already allocated
700.000 €
To escape our immune system, some cancer cells disguise themselves as “cold tumors.” This innovative project is developing a stimulant that turns them into “hot tumors” the immune system can detect. It is a tremendous source of hope for patients with osteosarcoma, a particularly aggressive bone cancer that mainly affects young people aged 12 to 20. Its principle is also showing very promising results against triple-negative breast cancer.
Anticancer Fine Jewelry
anticancer fine jewelry
Targeted cancer(s)
patients affected (new diagnoses each year)
Breast cancer: worldwide ~2,300,000 / Europe (EU-27) ~375,000
Type of therapy
Targeted therapy
Support already allocated
1 125 000 €
Like an exceptional jeweler who sets each stone with meticulous care to bring out its light, our project leader is crafting a new generation of ADCs, targeted cancer therapies designed to eliminate cancer cells while sparing healthy ones. This technology under development will optimize the attachment of toxins to the guided missile (the antibody), making these targeted therapies less toxic and more effective, and opening the door to other innovations.
Tobacco to Treat Cancer
tobacco to treat cancer
Targeted cancer(s)
patients affected (new diagnoses each year)
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: worldwide ~550,000 / Europe (EU-27) ~93,000
Type of therapy
Targeted therapy
Support already allocated
695 000 €
Would you ever have imagined that tobacco could one day treat cancer?
Dr. Bertrand Magy and his team, based near Marche-en-Famenne, have designed a new class of cancer drugs from tobacco plant derivatives. This therapy under development is proving to be highly potent against cancer cells (the toxins are highly concentrated), precisely targeted (particularly at blood cancers) and 2x faster to produce than traditional targeted therapies.
Chasing the Clouds
chasing the clouds
Targeted cancer(s)
patients affected (new diagnoses each year)
Colorectal cancer: worldwide ~2,000,000 / Europe (EU-27) ~527,000
Ovarian cancer: worldwide ~320,000 / Europe (EU-27) ~70,000
Triple-negative breast cancer: worldwide ~345,000 / Europe (EU-27) ~56,000
Type of therapy
Immunotherapy
Support already allocated
2 500 000 €
An innovative immunotherapy helps the immune system track down and eliminate cancer cells. Already validated in preclinical phases, this project is entering the clinical phase this year to be evaluated in the first patients.
Other products are in development, notably to target triple-negative breast cancer (a particularly aggressive form and one of the hardest to treat).
