The annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference is once again shaping up to be a must-watch event for industry insiders and the broader public alike. Scheduled for January 12, 2026, the 44th edition of this influential gathering will see a host of major players—AstraZeneca, Moderna, and Waystar among them—taking the stage to share their visions, unveil new investments, and showcase innovations that could reshape the future of medicine and healthcare technology.
While the conference has long been a bellwether for the direction of the health sector, this year’s lineup is particularly notable for the scale of ambition on display. With billions of dollars in investments, regulatory milestones, and a push for technological transformation, the 2026 event underscores how the sector’s biggest names are jockeying for leadership in a rapidly evolving landscape.
According to Pharmaceutical Executive, AstraZeneca is set to participate in the conference, though as of December 29, 2025, it has yet to reveal the specifics of its presentation. That hasn’t stopped the company from making headlines; just this past January, AstraZeneca announced a massive $570 million investment to expand its clinical studies in Toronto, Canada. The move, backed by C$16.1 million from the Ontario government via Invest Ontario, signals a strong belief in Canada’s potential as a global hub for life sciences.
As AstraZeneca’s CEO Pascal Soriot put it in a press release, “This investment is a reflection of our growing clinical pipeline, our strong belief in Canada’s potential as a global hub for life sciences innovation, and the value of public-private collaboration with the Ontario government. We believe the diverse talent pool together with the network of world-class universities, hospitals, and research centers will help us bring new medicines to Canadians and patients worldwide.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford echoed this optimism, stating, “Today’s announcement is fantastic news for Ontario and another testament to the incredible talent, innovation and opportunities our province has to offer. Our government, through Invest Ontario, is proud to support AstraZeneca with C$16.1 million to help bring these hundreds of new, highly-skilled jobs to Ontario, strengthening Ontario’s position as a global leader in life sciences and innovation.”
Gaby Bourbara, president of AstraZeneca Canada, highlighted the broader impact: “AstraZeneca’s continued investment in Ontario is crucial to advancing innovative medicines that treat, prevent, and may one day cure complex diseases like prostate, lung, and breast cancer, as well as rare diseases. AstraZeneca’s investment of C$820 million (US$570m), alongside the Government of Ontario’s contribution through Invest Ontario, will strengthen the Province’s life sciences strategy, driving economic growth, and foster innovation that benefits patients in Canada and around the world.”
The company’s recent track record backs up its ambitions. In 2024, AstraZeneca received FDA priority review for Enhertu, a treatment for metastatic HER2-positive solid tumors. If approved, Enhertu could become the first tumor-agnostic HER2-targeted medicine—a significant leap in cancer care. Susan Galbraith, executive vice president of oncology R&D at AstraZeneca, stated, “Today’s Priority Review for the first tumor-agnostic submission for Enhertu reflects the potential of this medicine to redefine the treatment of HER2-expressing cancers. Biomarkers for HER2 expression are already established in breast and gastric cancers, but we must now define them across tumor types. We will continue working closely with the FDA to bring this potential first tumor-agnostic HER2-targeted medicine and biomarker to patients as quickly as possible.”
Ken Takeshita, MD, global head of R&D at Daiichi Sankyo, weighed in as well: “The clinical benefit seen across HER2-expressing metastatic solid tumors in the DESTINY-PanTumor02 trial and ongoing data from the Enhertu clinical development program continues to demonstrate the potential of this medicine beyond its approved indications. If approved, Enhertu could become the first HER2-directed therapy and antibody drug conjugate with a tumor-agnostic indication, providing patients with a potential new treatment option.”
Not to be overlooked, AstraZeneca also secured regulatory approval in Japan for Voydeya, a treatment for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Alexion CEO Marc Donoyer said at the time, “More than 20 years of PNH research has cemented the role of C5 inhibition in effectively treating this rare disease, and we continue to innovate for this community. Voydeya, as add-on to standard-of-care, is a testament to our determination to address the needs of those impacted by clinically significant EVH without disruption to proven therapy. We look forward to bringing this important advancement to the subset of PNH patients in Japan who are living with this condition.”
While AstraZeneca is focused on expanding its clinical footprint and advancing new therapies, other industry leaders are leveraging technology to transform the healthcare experience from the ground up. Waystar Holding Corp., a provider of healthcare payment software, has announced that CEO Matt Hawkins will present at the conference on January 12, 2026, at 11:15 a.m. PT. According to a PR Newswire release, Waystar will provide a live webcast of the presentation on its Investor Relations website, with a recording available afterward.
Waystar’s platform is no small operation. The company serves approximately 30,000 clients—including 16 of the 20 institutions on the U.S. News Best Hospitals list—and processes over 6 billion healthcare payment transactions each year, representing more than $1.8 trillion in annual gross claims. That’s roughly half of all U.S. patients. Waystar’s mission, as described in their release, is to “simplify healthcare payments so providers can prioritize patient care and optimize their financial performance.”
Meanwhile, Moderna, Inc.—a name that became synonymous with mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic—will also take the stage on January 12, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT. Moderna has announced that a live webcast of its presentation will be available on its Investors website, with a replay archived for at least 30 days. According to Moderna, the company continues to push the boundaries of mRNA medicine, developing vaccines and therapeutics across infectious diseases, cancer, rare diseases, and more. Moderna’s stated mission is “to deliver the greatest possible impact to people through mRNA medicines.”
The convergence of these industry titans at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference is more than just a showcase of new drugs and digital platforms—it’s a snapshot of an industry in flux. On one hand, companies like AstraZeneca are betting big on clinical research and international collaboration, aiming to bring novel therapies to market and address unmet medical needs. On the other, technology leaders like Waystar are tackling the labyrinthine world of healthcare payments, striving to free up resources for patient care. And then there’s Moderna, which continues to ride the wave of mRNA innovation into new therapeutic frontiers.
For investors, policymakers, and patients alike, the 2026 conference will offer a front-row seat to the strategies and breakthroughs shaping the next era of healthcare. Whether it’s the promise of tumor-agnostic cancer therapies, the streamlining of payment systems, or the next leap in mRNA science, the stakes—and the opportunities—have rarely been higher.
As the curtain rises on the 44th J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, all eyes will be on these companies and the future they’re working to build—one investment, one innovation, and one patient at a time.
