On January 7, 2026 UP Oncolytics, a biotech company in Rosalind Franklin University’s Helix 51 biomedical incubator, reported that it was awarded an Illinois Innovation Voucher grant for $75,000 for its collaboration with Rosalind Franklin University (RFU). UP Oncolytics is developing a novel treatment for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), the most aggressive form of malignant brain cancer.

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GBM is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men under 40 in the United States. Approximately 13,000 new cases of GBM are diagnosed annually. The median survival time for patients is about 14 months, and the five-year survival rate remains at only 7.1%. No new therapeutic agents have received approval in the U.S. in the past 20 years.

Established by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and administered by the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) to support collaborations between Illinois universities and small businesses, the grant will help UP Oncolytics complete Investigational New Drug (IND) experiments at RFU’s research labs for its initial candidate to treat GBM.

"We are grateful to ISTC and Illinois DCEO for this recognition and award, which will provide vital support to the development of a new therapy for this devastating form of brain cancer," said UP Oncolytics CEO Richard Rovin, MD, who is a neurosurgeon. "I am hopeful there will be an effective treatment in the near future for the patients afflicted by this disease."

"ISTC and Illinois DCEO are providing important support to an exciting early-stage cancer biotech company, which promises new therapeutic treatment options," said Joseph DiMario, PhD, RFU’s executive vice president for research. "We are proud to be assisting UP Oncolytics in the development of this novel therapy for this terrible fatal disease."

UP Oncolytics completed an exclusive license agreement for this novel therapy based on an oncolytic virus from Advocate Health in 2025. It was awarded an NIH SBIR Fast Track grant for this technology and FDA Orphan Drug designation for malignant gliomas, a broader group of brain cancers including GBM. The company expanded its oncology expertise with new board members Dr. Gary Gordon, a Johns Hopkins-trained oncologist and former vice president of clinical oncology at AbbVie, and Michael Rosen, a former oncology biotech CEO and executive with Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Searle.

(Press release, UP Oncolytics, JAN 7, 2026, View Source [SID1234661820])

On January 7, 2026 SOPHiA GENETICS (NASDAQ: SOPH), a global leader in AI-driven precision medicine, and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported a strategic collaboration that unites SOPHiA GENETICS’ AI-powered analytics with MD Anderson’s clinical and scientific expertise to accelerate data-driven cancer care through new tools that can accurately analyze, interpret and translate diagnostic results into clinical practice.

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As part of the collaboration, MD Anderson and SOPHiA GENETICS are launching a series of research and development programs and co-developing an advanced next-generation sequencing oncology test. Built on the advanced AI algorithms of the SOPHiA DDM Platform, the new co-developed test aims to translate complex multimodal data into actionable insights with greater speed and scale. MD Anderson researchers will tap SOPHiA GENETICS’ AI technologies to create bioinformatics pipelines that enable clinicians to rapidly interpret complex RNA-sequencing data to guide diagnosis and treatment for patients with cancer.

Donna Hansel, M.D., Ph.D., Division Head of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at MD Anderson, said: "Cancer research has evolved rapidly, and we have more health data available than ever before. Our collaboration with SOPHiA GENETICS reflects how our lab is evolving and integrating advanced analytics and AI to better interpret complex molecular information. This collaboration will expand our ability to translate high-dimensional data into insights that can meaningfully advance research and precision oncology."

In addition, MD Anderson and SOPHiA GENETICS will jointly launch a series of research and development programs to explore new ways to characterize tumor evolution in real time, to strengthen the reliability and reproducibility of complex genomic testing, and to enhance the ability to identify optimal clinical trials or research avenues for individual patients. This multi-layered program is designed to fuel next-generation scientific discovery, empowering clinicians and researchers with tools to better understand the dynamic nature of cancer. The collaborative work at MD Anderson will be led by Shashikant Kulkarni, Ph.D., deputy division head for Molecular Pathology, and J. Bryan, M.D., assistant professor, both in the Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

Philippe Menu, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Product Officer and Chief Medical Officer, SOPHiA GENETICS, said: "This collaboration with MD Anderson amplifies our shared ambition to push the boundaries of what is possible in cancer research. With SOPHiA DDM as a unifying analytical layer, we are enabling new discoveries, accelerating breakthroughs in precision oncology and, most importantly, enabling patients around the globe to benefit from these innovations by bringing leading technologies to all geographies quickly and at scale."

(Press release, MD Anderson, JAN 7, 2026, View Source [SID1234661819])

On January 7, 2026 Sutro Biopharma, Inc. (Sutro or the Company) (NASDAQ: STRO), a clinical-stage oncology company pioneering site-specific and novel-format antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), reported that Jane Chung, Chief Executive Officer, will present at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 11:15 AM PT / 2:15 PM ET in San Francisco, CA.

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A live webcast of the presentation will be accessible through the Events & Presentations page of the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.sutrobio.com. An archived replay will be available for at least 30 days after the event.

(Press release, Sutro Biopharma, JAN 7, 2026, View Source [SID1234661818])

On January 7, 2026 Pacira BioSciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: PCRX), the industry leader in its commitment to deliver innovative, non-opioid pain therapies to transform the lives of patients, reported that it will present at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference at 11:15 AM PST (2:15 PM EST) on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Live audio of the event can be accessed by visiting the "Events" page of the company’s website at investor.pacira.com. A replay of the webcast will also be available for two weeks following the event.

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(Press release, Pacira Pharmaceuticals, JAN 7, 2026, View Source [SID1234661817])

On January 7, 2026 Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ: RARE), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapies for serious rare and ultra-rare genetic diseases, reported that Emil D. Kakkis, M.D., Ph.D., the company’s chief executive officer and president, will present at the 44th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Monday, January 12, 2026, at 10:30 AM PT.

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The live and archived webcast of the presentation will be accessible from the company’s website at View Source The replay of the webcast will be available for 30 days.

(Press release, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, JAN 7, 2026, View Source [SID1234661816])