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Glioblastoma surgery using the Hemerion therapeutic solution

Hemerion Announces Completion of Patient Enrollment in HTX-GBM01 Trial and Accelerates Clinical Development of its Lead Therapy

The latest Independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (iDSMB) meeting confirmed that Hemerion completed patient enrollment in its HTX-GBM-01 clinical trial of the Pentalafen/Heliance therapy for the treatment of glioblastoma. This major milestone validates Hemerion’s clinical roadmap, which aims for a U.S. market launch in 2030.

On April 16, 2026, the Independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (iDSMB) confirmed the enrollment of the last patient in its HTX-GBM-01 clinical trial. This multicenter, Phase 1/2 interventional study aims to investigate and confirm the safety and feasibility of intraoperative Pentalafen® / Heliance® therapy in patients aged 18 to 75 with newly diagnosed glioblastoma.

Led by Jan Drappatz, MD (UMPC in Pittsburgh, USA) and Enora Vauleon, MD (Lille University Hospital, France), the trial included 9 patients and will determine the safety and tolerability of various doses of light added to standard temozolomide-based chemotherapy.

The initial clinical results will be published in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Preparation of the Hemerion therapeutic solution in the operating room

Marketing Authorization Expected in 2030

As a Fast Track designation holder, Hemerion has received the FDA’s preliminary endorsement of its clinical development strategy. Specifically, the U.S. regulatory agency has confirmed that its Pentalafen/Heliance therapy is eligible for Accelerated Approval.

This pathway allows therapies targeting serious or life-threatening conditions with unmet medical needs to obtain marketing authorization more rapidly, based on surrogate endpoints.  

Thanks to this designation, Hemerion now anticipates receiving marketing authorization for the U.S. market in 2030.

Significant Clinical Advance Offers New Hope Against Glioblastoma, One of the Most Aggressive and Treatment-Resistant Brain Cancers

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and most aggressive primary brain tumor in adults, with approximately 160,000 new cases diagnosed worldwide each year, including 33,000 in the European Union and the United States.

The successful completion of Hemerion’s HTX-GBM01 clinical trial represents a major step toward transforming this outdated standard of care, which has seen virtually no meaningful progress in over two decades.


“Both oncologists and neurosurgeons are very enthusiastic about the potential of Pentalafen®/Heliance® therapy in the treatment of brain cancers. This novel intraoperative approach, administered very early in the standard of care, targets residual glioblastoma cells — precisely where current treatments often fail. It truly changes the game. I am very much looking forward to seeing the safety and efficacy of this treatment confirmed!”

Dr. Jan Drappatz

Jan Drappatz, MD,
Principal Investigator, UPMC, Pittsburgh, USA


“With this final patient inclusion, Hemerion has demonstrated its ability to successfully conduct the clinical development of its therapy, both in Europe and the United States. Our team has met the combined requirements of the FDA and the EMA. This is clear proof of our maturity and expertise in both operational and regulatory matters.”

Antoine Méquignon

Antoine Mequignon,
Director of Clinical Operations, Hemerion Therapeutics

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