National Pediatric Cancer Foundation Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

The national pediatric cancer foundation funds pediatric cancer research with the goal of leading to the treatment and elimination of pediatric cancer worldwide.we accomplish our mission through our research initiative, the sunshine project, an innovative collaboration of 40 hospitals nationwide. This collaborative research model is unique and effective in accelerating the development of new treatments against childhood cancer.see schedule o for further program service accomplishments.in developing this collaboration, the foundation has brought together some of the country's leading investigators and institutions to drive the process of finding a cure. Investigators are performing three vital phases of research simultaneously: basic science, translational research and clinical trials. These major research components not only allow doctors to identify new agents in fighting cancer, but also help researchers to understand the cancer cells response to the drug. The national pediatric cancer foundation is making great strides in its mission to find a cure for childhood cancer.current initiatives of the sunshine project are as follows: sarcoma trials (osteosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, ewing sarcoma, non-rhabdomyosarcoma); brain cancer trials (medulloblastoma, high-grade glioma); solid state tumors1. Evolutionary inspired therapy for newly diagnosed, metastatic, fusion positive rhabdomyosarcoma - metastatic, fusion positive rhabdomyosarcoma (rms) have a poor outcome which is worsened with additional risk factors commonly called the oberlin criteria. Patients that meet all 4 oberlin criteria have an event free survival (efs) of less than 20% at 2 years. All therapeutic arms on this study are designed to meet the same primary aim of improving the 3-year event free survival from 6% to 35% for these patients. 2. Blood based biomarkers for minimal residual disease detection in pediatric sarcomas - the purpose of this study is to see if detecting cell-free plasma tumor dna (ptdna) and circulating tumor cells (ctc) can predict recurrence of disease in patients who are in radiographic remission 2-3 weeks after treatment. Plasma tumor dna (ptdna) is free floating dna from the tumor found in the blood stream and circulating tumor cells.3. A multi-institution study of tgfb imprinted, ex vivo expanded universal donor nk cell infusions as adoptive immunotherapy in combination with gemcitabine and docetaxel in patients with relapsed or refractory pediatric bone and soft tissue sarcomas: the tinks trial - the purpose of this trial is to determine the safety of the addition of adoptive transfer of universal donor, tgfb imprinted (tgfbi), expanded nk cells to gemcitabine/docetaxel (gem/dox) for treatment of relapsed and refractory sarcomas and to determine the 6 month progression free survival achieved with this treatment.4. Feasibility of generating novel translational and therapeutic strategies based on a multicenter, pediatric and aya evolutionary tumor board (pedsetb) - pediatric evolutionary tumor board (pedsetb) is a multidisciplinary forum to approach an individual patient's cancer and propose additional ideas for care. The pedsetb will gather disciplines not often engaged in cancer work and use insights from evolution to optimally model, research, and impact pediatric cancer outcomes. Strategies from pedsetb's predecessor have been instrumental in the design of several of npcf's most recent clinical trials5. Evaluation of digoxin for relapsed non-wnt, non-shh medulloblastoma (phase 2 study) - this trial will evaluate the efficacy of digoxin in treating patients with relapsed non-shh, non-wnt medulloblastoma and to determine if digoxin improves progression free survival at 4 months after initiation of study treatment in this patient population. 6. Metastatic ewing's trial testing schedule enhancement to improve outcomes - this trial will test our ability to administer frequently changing chemotherapy regimens, called sequential second strikes,

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 89.5%; rating input score 89
• Fundraising efficiency: $11.85 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Pass
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -28.6%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.08; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.17; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 8.6%; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 9.4% per year; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 6.6% per year; rating input score 100; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5.2% per year; rating input score 100; 36th percentile among comparable filings