Lead4Life PPP Call 2026

Lead4Life is a newly established Health~Holland public-private partnership (PPP) program in which KWF, NRG PALLAS, FAST and 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 (e.g. Neuro-endocrine tumors or metastasized prostate cancer). Lead-212 is an alpha-emitting isotope with high energy delivered over a very short distance, offering the potential for 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. By strengthening production capacity, enabling technologies and collaboration across the value chain, Lead4Life contributes not only to improved patient care but also to innovation, economic development and strengthening the Netherlands’ international competitive position in the radiopharmaceutical field.

Aim of the call

The aim of this call within the Lead4Life program is:

1. The development of a reliable and scalable production technology for the non-exclusive supply of the medical isotope lead-212
2. The enabling technologies required for safe and effective application of lead-212-based radiopharmaceuticals in healthcare.

This program aims to generate the knowledge required to address the following key research questions:

1. Lead production and supply chain:

• Which production technology is optimal for decentralized production of lead-212 to enable innovation in novel targeted radionuclide therapies (TRTs)?
• Which technologies can be developed and implemented for large-scale lead-212 production to ensure its availability for the treatment of rare cancers?
• How can production technologies for the precursors thorium-228 and radium-224 be developed to ensure a secure and independent supply of source materials? 

2. Enabling technologies for clinical introduction of lead-212:

• Which technologies, services, and products can be developed to safely and accurately prepare and administer lead-212 targeted radionuclide therapies for patient treatment?
• Which models and methodologies can be developed to deliver optimal, personalized treatment?

Patient perspective

For many patients with cancer, especially those with limited or insufficient treatment options, there is a need for more precise and effective therapies. Lead-212-based radiopharmaceuticals have the potential to deliver high-energy radiation directly to tumor cells over a very short distance, which may enable targeted treatment while limiting damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Improving availability and enabling safe clinical applications are essential steps towards ensuring that patients can ultimately benefit from this innovation.

Scope

KWF invites public-private partnership (PPP) proposals that contribute to the aim of the Lead4Life program: the development of a reliable and scalable production technology for the non-exclusive supply of lead-212 and the enabling technologies required for its clinical application.

Proposals must clearly and directly contribute to strengthening the availability, scalability and/or clinical applicability of lead-212.

Projects may focus on one of the following pillars.

1. Lead-212 production and supply chain

Projects should contribute to strengthening the reliability, scalability and accessibility of lead-212 (Pb-212) supply.

Examples of relevant topics include, but are not limited to:

• Production processes for Ra-224 and Th-228 as starting materials for Pb-212 generators;
• Development of Pb-212 generators.
   

2. Enabling technologies for clinical introduction of Pb-212

Projects should contribute to enabling the safe and effective clinical application of lead-212-based radiopharmaceuticals.

Examples of relevant topics include, but are not limited to:

• Next generation chelators for Pb-212 (radio-)bioconjugates;
• Radiobiology;
• Imaging, dosimetry & pharmacokinetic modeling for Pb-212
• Quality control, analytical methods & safety framework for Pb-212
• Distribution network and ecosystem for Pb-212 Generators;
• Hospital infrastructure, radiation Protection & waste management

Terms and conditions

• KWF-PPP 2026 Terms & Conditions Lead4Life apply.
• In addition to Lead4Life program specific requirements, all project groups must comply with general PPP program requirements established by Health~Holland. These requirements are described in the Funding Information (for download below)
• All project applications must use the mandatory PPP-2026-L4L Project Application Form and the TKI-LSH Budget Form.
• A Consortium Agreement between all participants is required (for download below)
• It is mandatory for the grant recipients to declare that the private party is not an undertaking/company in difficulty. All projects are required to sign the “Verklaring geen onderneming in moeilijkheden” declaration by the Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO).

Recommendations and considerations

• Applicants should be aware that participation in a Lead4Life PPP project implies active engagement within the governance structure and national TRT network that is in development and adherence to the program’s governance, monitoring and collaboration requirements (see below).
• The TKI/LSH budget sheet takes precedence over the budget entered in GMS. The budget sheet can be submitted as an Excel document alongside the project proposal.
• After the call deadline, the 2026-PPP-L4L evaluation committee reviews the applications.
• The Dutch Summary is reviewed by the Patient Advisory Committee (PACO)

Governance structure and national TRT network 

Selected PPP projects will be embedded in the Lead4Life program governance structure, that aims to become part of an integrated national network. Within this structure, projects benefit from active support on valorisation, business development and IP strategy, coordinated by Oncode Institute, as well as guidance on collaboration, ecosystem strengthening and clinical alignment. Projects are expected to actively contribute to knowledge exchange, joint program meetings and alignment across the value chain to ensure optimal synergy between production and enabling technologies. Patient involvement will be structurally embedded within the governance structure, ensuring that developments remain aligned with patient needs.

Indicative budget and duration

Total PPP subsidy budget: €5 mln

1. Lead production and supply chain (1-3 projects), total PPP subsidy budget €3.0 mln
2. Enabling technologies (1-6 projects), total PPP subsidy budget €2.0 mln

Indicative funding budget per proposal (NL: Richtlijn per aanvraag):  

Estimated PPP subsidy per project: €0.5-2 mln
Estimated total budget per project: €0.8-3.3 mln

Duration:  
PPP projects funded through Health~Holland within the Lead4Life program are expected to have a maximum duration of 4 years, in line with the 2026 PPP subsidy guidelines.

Timeline

Apply for funding

The application procedure consists of a matchmaking phase and a full-proposal phase. The full-proposal should be submitted through our Grant Management System (KWF GMS) before their corresponding deadlines (see Timeline above).

PLEASE NOTE: Participating institutes not yet registered must submit a request through KWF-GMS at least 6 weeks prior to the call's closing date.

Patient Advisory Committee
The Patient Advisory Committee (PACO) plays a vital role in evaluating applications from the patient’s perspective. This committee ensures that the needs and experiences of patients are appropriately considered in project proposals. PACO members will base their assessment solely on the Dutch Summary, Therefore, please ensure that this component completed thoroughly and articulated clearly.

Call documents