One year after the first round of funding, Hemerion’s new €3.55 million financing will accelerate the implementation of international clinical trials for the treatment of glioblastoma, the most aggressive brain cancer.
Hemerion Therapeutics has already initiated its clinical program with a successful first study in glioblastoma patients. Ultimately, the therapeutic solutions developed by Hemerion could be integrated into the standard of care and significantly improve the survival and quality of life of patients, without impacting the work methods of neurosurgeons.
A high level of seed funding that directly contributes to international clinical development
The funds FIRA NORD EST 2 (Finovam gestion), CapTech Santé Nutrition, Nord France Amorçage and several business angels contributed to this cumulative investment of €2.55 million. These equity or quasi-equity operations are complemented by a seed loan from Bpifrance for an amount of €1 million.
This new financing follows the first round provided by Hemerion’s founders, the University of Lille Foundation, Bpifrance and a business angel.
Acceleration of clinical development, particularly in the United States
This round of financing aims to fund an international Phase I/II clinical trial in the USA and Europe as early as 2023.
Hemerion is currently working with the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to obtain the Investigational New Drug (IND) label. This label will allow the implementation of a phase I/II clinical trial in the first half of 2023, in collaboration with Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. The trial, involving 10 to 15 patients, is designed to confirm the safety of the new Heliance technology platform and heralds a new phase of clinical trials, which is a prerequisite for bringing the Hemerion solution to market.
Resources for new therapeutic applications
This new funding also allows Hemerion to develop the portfolio of therapeutic applications for its technology. Several preclinical evaluations are already underway to validate the efficacy of the therapeutic solution in the treatment of other types of cancers.