Welcome to OncoDaily Weekly, your all-in-one roundup of this week’s oncology news, policy shifts, scientific advances, leadership moves and insightful stories from January 26 to 31.
This week’s oncology news moved on two tracks at once: the human stories that shape public priorities, and the systems decisions – policy, funding, regulation, and research infrastructure – that determine who benefits from progress.
In Memoriam: Kirsty Duncan
The world lost a rare bridge between science, policy, and public trust with the passing of Kirsty Duncan (1966–2026). A scientist and five-term Member of Parliament, she became a prominent national advocate for evidence-based decision-making – and, after her diagnosis, turned her public platform toward inequities in cancer access and funding.
OncoThon 2026: 24 Hours to Improve Cancer Care
On World Cancer Day (February 4, 2026), OncoDaily and Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) will run Global OncoThon 2026, a 24-hour digital telethon designed to mobilize leadership and funding for cancer system strengthening worldwide. Participation is virtual, and donations support UICC member organizations to expand diagnostics, registries, workforce training, people-centered care models, and access to essential medicines and technologies. With a stellar speaker lineage, we hope to gather everyone globally around this important message and action.
Global Oncology Policy: WHO–USA rupture and the official response
The U.S. made an official break from the World Health Organization (WHO), a move with broad implications for global health coordination, surveillance, and multilateral response capacity. In response, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a formal statement acknowledging the notification and outlining WHO’s position and next steps.
What the U.S. cancer workforce will need
Anthony Letai highlighted a new President’s Cancer Panel report as essential reading on what the cancer workforce will require in coming years—and what actions are needed now to sustain the people delivering progress.
AACR: Fellows recognized and elections underway
The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) opened voting for its 2026 Annual Election, running through Feb 28, 2026 (11:59 p.m. ET), to select the President-Elect, Board members, and Nominating Committee members. The ballot includes President-Elect candidates Jedd D. Wolchok and Robert H. Vonderheide, with terms beginning at AACR 2026.
FDA & Practice-Changing Science
Ivonescimab enters FDA review in EGFR-mutated NSCLC. The FDA accepted a BLA for ivonescimab + chemotherapy in EGFR-mutated NSCLC after TKI therapy, setting a PDUFA target date of November 14, 2026.
ELLOK Conference Live Now, OncoDaily – On Site
ELLOK’s 10th Annual Conference is taking place February 2–4, 2026 at the Wyndham Grand Athens, under the theme “People at the Centre – Bridging Pathways of Care.” The agenda is explicitly policy-to-delivery: national cancer strategy, prevention, patient-centered advocacy, innovation/digital transformation, and EU cross-border alignment – with in-person or online attendance, livestreaming, and Greek to English simultaneous translation for registered attendees.
Biotech and Markets, Leadership and Funding
South Korea: biologics licensing surge
South Korea’s biopharma sector secured roughly $4.2B in biologics licensing deals, with recent transactions highlighting growing global participation in advanced modalities – including ADCs and cell/gene therapy ecosystems – supported by CDMOs, trial infrastructure, and public investment through 2030.
Australia: pricing, HTA reform, and market growth
Australia’s pharma market is projected to reach $24.5B by 2030, in a context where innovative medicines often require multiple PBAC submissions and where the country is advancing its first major HTA reform in nearly 30 years to modernize evaluation and access decisions.
New CEO at V Foundation for Cancer Research
Brandi Williams Broome was named CEO of the V Foundation, effective March 16, following leadership roles at the American Diabetes Association and two decades at the American Heart Association – joining as the foundation notes more than $458M awarded in research grants to date.
OncoDaily TV: New series premiere
A new OncoDaily TV episode premiered: “Cancer Prevention Starts Earlier Than You Think”, a conversation with Dr. Fawad Khan focused on prevention mindsets and actionable early-life determinants of cancer risk.
OncoDaily Magazine: Systems, trust, and equity
In the latest World Health Voices cover story, Asem Mansour makes a systems-level case that cancer equity is still largely determined by geography and access – and that trust, governance, and delivery infrastructure are as decisive as treatment innovation. Asem Mansour is recognized among the 100 Most Influential CEOs in Oncology in 2025.
Interesting read: The mutant wolves of Chernobyl Exclusion Zone
A science feature explored how wolves living in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone may be adapting to chronic radiation exposure – raising provocative questions about evolution, DNA damage response, and what “cancer resistance” could mean in extreme environments.
Stay tuned as we continue to highlight the “not to miss” in oncology every week.