Harnessing a Virus to Fight Brain Cancer: $2.5 Million NIH Award Advances Experimental Glioblastoma Therapy

At Rosalind Franklin University's Helix 51 biomedical incubator, an experimental Zika virus-based therapy for glioblastoma is moving closer to potential human clinical trials.

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Oct. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A virus known for causing serious neurological complications may hold unexpected promise against one of the deadliest forms of brain cancer.

UP Oncolytics, a biotechnology company based at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science's (RFU) Helix 51 biomedical incubator, has received $2.5 million in Phase II funding through a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Fast-Track award to advance an experimental Zika virus-based therapy for glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer

The funding will help move the therapy, which has shown encouraging results in preclinical studies, toward human clinical trials. 

The research is part of an emerging field known as oncolytic virotherapy, which uses viruses to target and destroy cancer cells. For glioblastoma, a disease that has resisted decades of treatment advances, the approach represents a different avenue of investigation.

Glioblastoma is among the most difficult cancers to treat. Despite surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, patients survive a median of approximately 15 months following diagnosis, and only about 5% survive five years. About 13,000 Americans are diagnosed with the disease annually, underscoring the urgent need for new treatment strategies.

One of the greatest challenges in treating glioblastoma is the blood-brain barrier, a protective network that prevents many drugs from reaching the brain. UP Oncolytics is investigating whether the Zika virus, which has the ability to affect cells in the brain, could provide a different way to reach and attack cancer cells. This approach is designed to selectively destroy cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy tissue. Unlike a natural Zika infection, the experimental therapy involves adapting the virus for therapeutic use, with safety and the prevention of unintended infection central to its development.

"This award provides critical support for advancing our oncolytic Zika virus platform toward clinical evaluation," said Parvez Akhtar, PhD, chief scientific officer of UP Oncolytics and principal investigator of the NIH-funded project. "Our preclinical studies have demonstrated encouraging anti-tumor activity, and we look forward to completing the studies needed to move this potential therapy closer to patients with glioblastoma."

The $2.5 million award from the NIH's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke will provide two additional years of research and development funding, building on an earlier $500,000 NIH Small Business Innovation Research Fast-Track award.

The company plans to use the funding to complete the development and testing necessary to pursue an Investigational New Drug application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

For Richard Rovin, MD, a neurosurgeon and CEO of UP Oncolytics, the need for new approaches is particularly urgent.

"I care for a lot of patients and families dealing with GBM, so I understand the need for new and effective treatments," Dr. Rovin said. "This additional funding validates our program and will really accelerate our path to clinical trial."

UP Oncolytics has also received FDA Orphan Drug Designation for one of its oncolytic virus strains for the treatment of malignant gliomas, a category of brain tumors that includes glioblastoma. The designation provides incentives for developing treatments for rare diseases but does not constitute FDA approval of the therapy.

UP Oncolytics is based at Helix 51, part of RFU's Innovation and Research Park, which provides a home for emerging biotechnology companies. The company's work illustrates the potential for early-stage scientific research to advance toward clinical development.

"With this new significant NIH award, UP Oncolytics' pursuit of new therapy for this deadly cancer hopefully will accelerate the developmental work needed to initiate human clinical trials in the near future," said Janice Urban, PhD, RFU interim executive vice president for research. "We are encouraged that there may be an option for glioma patients where many other drugs have failed over the last 20 years."

About UP Oncolytics

UP Oncolytics Inc. was founded in 2022 by Dr. Richard Rovin and Dr. Parvez Akhtar. The company is developing oncolytic virus treatments for rare and resistant cancers like glioblastoma. Learn more at uponc.com.

About Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science is committed to serving the global population through the interprofessional education of health and biomedical professionals and the discovery of knowledge dedicated to improving wellness. Founded in Chicago in 1912, RFU embodies the spirit of inquiry and excellence modeled by its namesake Dr. Rosalind Franklin, whose Photo 51 was crucial to solving the structure of DNA. Recognized for its research in the areas of neuroscience, brain-related diseases, inherited disorders, diabetes, obesity, and gait and balance, the university includes Chicago Medical School, College of Health Professions, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, Dr. William M. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, and the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Learn more at rosalindfranklin.edu.

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