Medical Research & Technology

United States – October 28, 2026 -- Solid Biosciences has dosed 40 participants with its Duchenne gene therapy SGT-003 and reported positive interim safety and biomarker data from the ongoing Phase 1/2 INSPIRE DUCHENNE trial. The company presented the update at the 2026 MDA Clinical & Scientific Conference.

The therapy delivers a shortened dystrophin protein

SGT-003 delivers microdystrophin, a shortened version of dystrophin designed to help support and protect muscle cells during movement. The data show robust microdystrophin expression. They also show restoration of beta-sarcoglycan and nNOS, proteins that normally work with dystrophin in the dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC), the muscle cell support system.

United States – October 27, 2026 -- Solid Biosciences has expanded its INSPIRE DUCHENNE gene therapy trial to 43 participants and now accepts children aged 4 to under 12, up from the previous range of 4 to under 8.

Three participants dosed with no serious adverse events

INSPIRE DUCHENNE is a first-in-human, multicenter, Phase 1/2 open-label study. It tests the safety, tolerability and efficacy of a single intravenous infusion of SGT-003, a next-generation AAV gene therapy candidate, in ambulant boys with Duchenne.

Three participants have been dosed so far. According to Solid, SGT-003 has been well tolerated to date, and no serious adverse events have been reported. The company plans to share safety, expression and biomarker data from these first three patients, along with a trial update, in the first quarter of 2025.

Global – October 27, 2026 -- Fifty-three boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have now received the investigational gene therapy SGT-003, and a Phase 3 trial is already enrolling patients in Australia and Canada. Solid Biosciences shared the update in a letter to the Duchenne community as the annual Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) conference got under way.

The Phase 1/2 trial spans ages 0 to 10

The count comes from the Phase 1/2 INSPIRE DUCHENNE trial and reflects a June 22, 2026, enrollment cutoff. Participants range from 0 to 10 years old. One of them is a 6-month-old boy who, to the company's knowledge, is the youngest child ever dosed with a microdystrophin gene therapy.

Solid reports no cases of four serious safety conditions

The company describes SGT-003 as generally well tolerated. It reports no observed cases of drug-induced liver injury, myocarditis, thrombotic microangiopathy or atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome.

United States – October 27, 2026 -- Fifteen people with Duchenne muscular dystrophy had received the investigational gene therapy SGT-003 in the INSPIRE DUCHENNE clinical study as of August 12, 2025, according to developer Solid Biosciences.

Ten trial sites span four countries

The multi-center, open-label trial now runs 10 active clinical sites in the United States, Canada, Italy, and the United Kingdom. More sites are expected to open later this year.

Solid Biosciences expects to have treated at least 20 patients aged 0 to under 12 by the end of 2025. It anticipates widening enrollment to older patients in 2026.

Fauquier County – October 15, 2026 -- Virginia Cancer Specialists will open its relocated, larger Fauquier office at 410 Rosedale Court, Suite 270, in Warrenton, VA on November 9, 2026. The move keeps oncology care local for patients in Fauquier County and the surrounding region.

Patients keep their doctors in a bigger space

Patients will continue to see the physicians and care team they already know. The practice says the new facility is designed for a smoother, more compassionate patient experience.

Care under one roof includes medical oncology, hematology, supportive services, care coordination and patient navigation. The larger site is meant to meet growing demand, so patients can be treated without traveling far from family, work and support systems.

Ventura County – October 14, 2026 -- Tickets are available for the St. John's Healthcare Foundation's 2027 gala, Adventure. Seats cost $450 each, and all proceeds go to cancer care in Ventura County. The black-tie evening takes place Saturday, May 1, 2027, at the Four Seasons Hotel Westlake Village.

Every dollar raised supports St. John's Cancer Services

The foundation says 100 percent of gala funds will support St. John's Cancer Services. The money is meant to continue and expand access to advanced imaging technology, infusion treatments and oncology services across the county.

The event starts at 4:30 p.m. with a reception featuring tasting stations. It continues with a multi-course meal, wine, entertainment, and silent and live auctions. This year's Spain-inspired theme is "Beneath the Spanish Sky: Rhythm, Recognition and Rich Tradition."

Baltimore – – October 13, 2026 -- Mercy Medical Center is offering selected prostate cancer patients stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) that can be finished in as few as five sessions, using its upgraded Varian TrueBeam radiotherapy system.

The five treatments take place over about two weeks. The usual alternative is daily radiation spread over many weeks.

TrueBeam targets tumors to less than a millimeter

According to Kelly Orwat, M.D., Director of Radiation Oncology at Mercy, the system can target tumors in increments of less than a millimeter. It combines image guidance with focused radiation designed to spare surrounding healthy tissue. Mercy's unit is configured for image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT), SBRT, volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and other advanced techniques.

Tysons Corner, VA – October 02, 2026 -- Tigerlily Foundation will host its Pajama Glam Party 2026 on Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Tysons Corner, bringing together approximately 150 girls, caregivers and community members for a family health literacy event tied to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The gathering, now part of Tigerlily Foundation's 20-year mission, asks attendees to trade formal wear for pajamas and sparkle, creating a relaxed setting for conversations about body awareness, family health history, prevention and emotional wellness.

Palmetto, Fla. – October 02, 2026 -- Sunmed is donating 1% of all online sales throughout October to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (NBCF), marking the fourth year of its annual partnership with the organization.

Sunmed and its customers have raised more than $34,000 for NBCF since the partnership began.

The campaign, tied to Breast Cancer Awareness Month, centers on NBCF's mission of 'Helping Women Now,' which focuses on early detection, education, and support services for people affected by breast cancer.

Local Your CBD Store locations will host 'Wellness Kit Weekends' to raise additional funds.

Beyond the 1% online sales donation, Sunmed's network of locally owned Your CBD Store retail locations will run special fundraising weekends, giving communities a direct way to contribute to the cause in person.

Eden Prairie, Minn. – October 01, 2026 -- Starkey has launched Omega AI+, a new hearing aid family built around a chip the company says processes sound up to 2.7 times faster than rival devices that advertise deep neural network processing.

A new processor runs four AI systems at once

Omega AI+ is powered by Starkey's G4 Gen AI Neuro Processor, which embeds neural network intelligence directly into the chip's silicon. The device relies on what Starkey calls Quad DNN Architecture, four specialized deep neural networks that work together in real time to handle speech understanding, environmental awareness, sound quality, and listening comfort.