The Lead4Life research programme has been awarded a €5 million public–private partnership (PPP) grant from Health~Holland for the development of lead-212–based radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer.
The initiative, launched by KWF Kankerbestrijding, NRG PALLAS, FAST and Oncode Institute, will start in 2026. Through this public–private collaboration, the Netherlands is taking an important step towards a strong international position in the development and application of a new generation of radiopharmaceutical cancer therapies. Lead4Life focuses on ensuring the availability of pharmaceutical-grade lead-212 and on developing the technologies required to apply these radiopharmaceuticals safely and effectively in (pre)clinical research and, ultimately, in patient care. Because production, technology development and clinical application are highly interdependent, this ambition requires a coordinated, programmatic and collaborative approach.
Collaborating to accelerate translation to the clinic
Within Lead4Life, academic researchers, companies, healthcare professionals and patient representatives work closely together. By connecting these stakeholders at an early stage, a coherent development pathway is created in which new lead-212 radiopharmaceuticals can move more quickly and efficiently from the laboratory to the patient. The programme contributes to new treatment options for people with cancer and strengthens the Dutch innovation and earning capacity. By accelerating innovation in SMEs, attracting (inter)national business activity and creating high-quality employment, the Netherlands builds on its unique nuclear infrastructure and reinforces its position as a European hub for radiopharmaceutical development and production.
The Lead4Life programme
The Lead4Life programme consists of two components:
• Availability of lead-212
Establishing a reliable, non-exclusive production and supply chain for pharmaceutical-grade lead-212 and the required precursor materials.
• Development of enabling technologies
Technologies required for clinically responsible application, including dosimetry, imaging, radiation protection, waste management and radiobiological substantiation.
By combining these elements, a complete innovation chain is created that enables researchers and companies to accelerate the translation of new lead-212 radiopharmaceuticals towards (pre)clinical application.
Why lead-212?
Radiopharmaceuticals are medicinal products that deliver radioactive radiation very precisely to cancer cells, while minimising damage to healthy tissue. Existing radiopharmaceuticals often use beta emitters, such as lutetium-177, which are already successfully applied in, among others, prostate cancer and neuroendocrine tumours. Lead-212 acts as a source of alpha radiation, delivering high-energy radiation over a very short range. This makes it potentially more effective at killing cancer cells while maintaining a high level of precision. It offers the prospect of improved treatment outcomes, with potential gains in survival and, in some cases, even cure. In particular for hard-to-treat cancers, this could lead to a meaningful expansion of available treatment options.
With the current High Flux Reactor (HFR) and the future PALLAS reactor in Petten, the Netherlands has unique infrastructure and expertise to grow into a leading global producer of innovative and widely applicable radiopharmaceuticals.
Alexander Turkin, Business Development Manager at Oncode Institute
“By participating in this programme as a valorisation partner, we strengthen the bridge between fundamental research and application. We see strong future synergies in jointly developing new treatment strategies, in which our expertise in molecular biology will play an important role.”
Call for proposals and matchmaking
For the implementation of Lead4Life, KWF will open a call for proposals later this year for public–private collaborative projects that contribute to a coherent and competitive production and supply chain for lead-212. To support consortium formation and promote substantive coherence between projects, the independent expertise centre FAST will guide the application process through an information session and a matchmaking trajectory.
• Online information session & Q&A
Wednesday 4 March, 15:30–17:00
Explanation of the Lead4Life programme, funding opportunities and the Health~Holland conditions for public–private collaboration.
Application: Online information session Lead4Life - FAST
• Matchmaking event
Wednesday afternoon, 8 April 2026
Public and private parties will meet to form consortia and share and further develop project ideas.
This will be followed by the Launch of the Strategic Research Agenda for TRT.
Application: Lead4Life matchmaking - FAST
Safety of lead-212 This is a joint announcement by KWF Kankerbestrijding, NRG PALLAS, FAST and Oncode Institute.
Lead-212 is used in extremely small quantities and delivers radioactive radiation in a highly targeted manner to cancer cells. It is an alpha emitter with a range of only a few micrometres, meaning that the radiation is almost entirely confined to the tumour and barely reaches healthy tissue. The amount of lead-212 used is negligible and cannot be compared to stable lead that was historically used in water pipes, paint or petrol. Moreover, lead-212 has a short half-life of approximately 10 hours. As a result, radioactivity decreases rapidly, and the