Innovative decentralized trial aims to increase patient participation and accelerate research for one of the deadliest, under-researched lung cancers 

SAN CARLOS, CA – June 12, 2025 — GO2 for Lung Cancer (GO2) and the Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute (ALCMI) have launched SUCCEED, a landmark, remote-participation, observational clinical study in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), one of the deadliest and most under-researched cancers. 

Despite comprising up to 15% of all lung cancer cases, SCLC has seen minimal treatment advancements in nearly four decades. Even with the introduction of immunotherapy to standard chemotherapy treatment, survival gains have been modest, extending median overall survival by just two months. With a 5-year survival rate of just 6%, the need for deeper biological understanding and new treatment approaches has never been more urgent.  

One of the key innovations of the SUCCEED study is its remote, decentralized design, allowing patients with SCLC across the United States to enroll and participate from home. This inclusive approach is critical, as many SCLC patients are older, live farther from the center where they receive treatment, and face multiple co-morbidities. These reasons, and the fact that SCLC progresses quickly, have historically limited their participation in clinical research.  

“The SUCCEED study is an important step forward for people with small cell lung cancer, who have long faced limited treatment options and barriers to participating in research,” said GO2 for Lung Cancer President and CEO, Laurie Ambrose. “By bringing the study directly to patients, SUCCEED makes it easier for them to get involved, have their voices heard, and contribute to research that could lead to better treatments and, ultimately, more time with their loved ones.” 

The SUCCEED study will test whether this remote, direct-to-patient approach works well with this population while collecting blood samples from people with SCLC. The samples will be bio-banked and could potentially support future studies aimed at finding new treatments. 

“In order to best serve patients with small cell lung cancer, the SUCCEED study will seek to learn about patient preferences and goals,” said Principal Investigator Christine Lovly, MD, PhD, from Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “We will do so in a unique way, bringing the study to the patient so that patients can join while being close to home, hopefully making it easier for them to take part.” 

“SCLC research has long been left behind,” said ALCMI Board Member and Chief Operating Officer Richard Erwin. “The SUCCEED study is designed to change that by harnessing real-world data and samples from patients often excluded from traditional clinical trials.” 

For information on study eligibility and participation, visit here. 

The SUCCEED study is being conducted thanks to support from Boehringer Ingelheim.