What Break Through Cancer does

Break Through Cancer is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit cancer research foundation founded in 2021 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It operates as a convener and funder rather than a laboratory, unifying five of the world's leading cancer research centers — Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center — under a shared operating model called Radical Collaboration™. Through TeamLab structures, it convenes cross-institutional teams of researchers and physicians to work simultaneously on specific deadly cancers including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), glioblastoma, pancreatic, ovarian, lung, osteosarcoma, and esophageal cancers, with stated emphasis on real-time data sharing, standardized IP and authorship policies, and shared infrastructure.

The organization's "products" are research programs and, increasingly, multi-site clinical trials such as the December 2025 five-center CD123 AML trial, rather than commercial offerings. Its technology layer centers on the TeamLab methodology and a dedicated Data Science Hub intended to provide shared analytics across disease programs. Revenue is generated through philanthropic donations and grants; the organization has earned a Charity Navigator Four Star rating and in February 2026 co-launched a $12 million multi-nonprofit coalition with the Mark Foundation for Cancer Research, AACR, Lustgarten Foundation, and Tina's Wish to fund early detection research for pancreatic, ovarian, and esophageal cancers.

The business model is grantmaking and program operations: Break Through Cancer raises philanthropic capital, deploys it across TeamLabs and clinical studies at its five founding institutions, and uses the Radical Collaboration framework to remove traditional barriers such as contract negotiations, data sharing, and intellectual property disputes. Its end beneficiaries are patients with poor-prognosis cancers, while its day-to-day "users" are the affiliated researchers and clinicians who participate in the consortium.

Name

Break Through Cancer

Legal name

Break Through Cancer

Website

https://breakthroughcancer.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Break Through Cancer is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation that funds cross-institutional TeamLab research and clinical trials on the deadliest cancers (AML, GBM, pancreatic, ovarian, lung, osteosarcoma, esophageal) across five leading U.S. cancer centers using its Radical Collaboration™ model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Cancer Research Foundation

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical Oncology (HLAKAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Oncology Pathways & Precision Medicine Decision Support (HLACAGAH), Gastrointestinal Oncology (HLAKAFAK)

Keywords

• Cancer research funding
• Collaborative cancer research
• Nonprofit medical research
• Cross-institutional research
• Team science programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Donations: Break Through Cancer raises funds through individual donations, with contact information provided for contributions. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Break Through Cancer is a nonprofit foundation that funds and coordinates multi-institutional collaborative cancer research initiatives (TeamLabs) focused on the deadliest cancers. It convenes researchers and physicians from five top cancer centers under a Radical Collaboration™ model that removes cross-institutional barriers such as contract negotiations, data sharing, intellectual property, and authorship policies. The foundation supports named TeamLab programs spanning Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, Glioblastoma, Lung Cancer, Osteosarcoma, Ovarian Cancer, Pancreatic Cancer, and a cross-cutting Data Science Hub.

Product overview

Break Through Cancer is a nonprofit cancer research foundation that does not offer commercial products or services. The organization facilitates collaborative cancer research initiatives (called TeamLabs) across multiple cancer types (AML, glioblastoma, pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, osteosarcoma) through a partnership model involving five of the top cancer research centers: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The organization's work is structured around research programs and collaborative initiatives rather than commercial product offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) TeamLab A multi-institutional collaborative research program focused on Acute Myelogenous Leukemia, bringing together researchers and clinicians across the five founding cancer centers to identify, understand, and eradicate measurable residual disease in AML patients.
• Data Science Hub A cross-cutting TeamLab supporting high-throughput interdisciplinary data analysis and engineering across the foundation's cancer research programs, including cancer genomics applications.
• Glioblastoma (GBM) TeamLab - Accelerating GBM Therapies Through Serial Biopsies A multi-institutional collaborative research program targeting Glioblastoma by accelerating drug development and therapy evaluation through serial biopsy sampling and longitudinal analyses.
• Lung Cancer TeamLab - PoweRD 2 Cure ALK+ Lung Cancer A multi-institutional TeamLab focused on advancing therapies for ALK-positive lung cancer through pooled cross-institutional expertise and research.
• Osteosarcoma TeamLab - Defying Osteosarcoma A multi-institutional collaborative research program dedicated to advancing treatments and understanding of osteosarcoma.
• Ovarian Cancer TeamLab - Intercepting Ovarian Cancer A multi-institutional TeamLab focused on intercepting ovarian cancer through early detection and intervention strategies aimed at improving patient outcomes.
• Pancreatic Cancer TeamLab - Conquering KRAS in Pancreatic Cancer A multi-institutional TeamLab focused on conquering KRAS-driven pancreatic cancer through collaborative research across the five founding cancer centers.
• Pancreatic Cancer TeamLab - Demystifying Pancreatic Cancer Therapies Through Spatial Technology A multi-institutional TeamLab that leverages spatial technology to demystify pancreatic cancer therapies in patients, integrating broad multi-disciplinary expertise.

Quantifiable outcome

• Coalition investing $12 million across six collaborative research projects for early detection of pancreatic, ovarian, and esophageal cancers

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• The Mark Foundation for Cancer ResearchflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Led the launch of a coalition of nonprofit cancer research organizations dedicated to early detection of deadly cancers, investing $12 million across six collaborative research projects.
• AACR (American Association for Cancer Research)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Part of coalition investing $12 million in early detection research for pancreatic, ovarian, and esophageal cancers through collaborative projects.
• Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer ResearchflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Coalition member focused on accelerating early detection of deadly cancers including pancreatic cancer through shared strategy and pooled expertise.
• Tina's WishflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Coalition partner dedicated to early detection of ovarian and other deadly cancers through collaborative research funding.
• Five Leading Cancer Centers (AML Collaboration)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Multi-site clinical trial led by Break Through Cancer targeting CD123 to eliminate residual leukemia cells in AML patients, combining targeted therapy with existing treatments.
• Dana-Farber Cancer InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five founding cancer research centers in the Break Through Cancer collaboration, contributing researchers and expertise to multiple TeamLab projects.
• The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns HopkinscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five founding cancer research centers, contributing researchers including Bill Nelson (Chairman of BTC Board) to TeamLab projects.
• MIT's Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding institution led by Tyler Jacks (BTC President and Koch Institute Founding Director), contributing researchers and hosting the Jacks Laboratory.
• The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five founding cancer research centers contributing researchers and expertise to pancreatic cancer, AML, and other TeamLab projects.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of five founding cancer research centers, contributing researchers to ovarian cancer, AML, glioblastoma, and other TeamLab projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lustgarten Foundation: Largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research, and active BTC coalition partner. Disease-specific focus mirrors BTC's deadliest-cancer emphasis and competes/donates on overlapping pancreatic cancer research.
• Cancer Research Institute: Long-standing nonprofit funding cancer immunology research across institutions. Closely comparable operating model (research-funding nonprofit) with overlap on translational-cancer donor audience.
• Stand Up To Cancer: Founded 2008 with similar mission: funds collaborative, cross-institutional cancer research teams rather than single labs. Its 'Dream Teams' model is the closest analogue to BTC's TeamLabs and a direct competitor for donor mindshare in collaborative cancer research funding.
• V Foundation for Cancer Research: Major cancer research funding foundation supporting translational and clinical research across U.S. cancer centers. Competitor for cancer-focused philanthropic capital with overlapping center relationships.
• Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN): Major pancreatic-cancer-focused nonprofit combining research funding, advocacy, and patient services. Direct overlap with BTC's pancreatic TeamLab on donor and partner relationships.
• National Foundation for Cancer Research: Nonprofit funding cancer research at academic institutions for over 50 years. Directly comparable operating model and donor pool in cancer research philanthropy.
• Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation: Funds high-risk/high-reward cancer research and early-career investigators at top cancer centers. Overlaps with BTC on elite-center cancer research funding and donor constituency.
• The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research: Private cancer research funder that has partnered with BTC on the $12M early-detection coalition. Comparable in scale and mission, focused on accelerating cancer research through targeted grant programs.

Broad incumbents

• American Association for Cancer Research (AACR): Largest professional organization in cancer research; both funder of cancer science and BTC coalition partner in the $12M early-detection initiative. Operates at broader scale across all oncology.
• American Cancer Society: Largest U.S. cancer nonprofit, funding research at hundreds of institutions. Comparable in nonprofit status and broad cancer research mission, though much larger and not organized around a cross-institutional TeamLab structure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/break_cancer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Break Through Cancer