Alpheus Medical Raises $52M for Innovative Brain Tumor Treatment

Alpheus Medical, a company developing a novel ultrasound-activated therapy for brain tumors, has secured $52 million in venture capital funding to advance its clinical trials. This significant investment marks a crucial step forward in the development of non-invasive treatments for glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer.

Groundbreaking Sonodynamic Therapy

Alpheus Medical's approach combines an FDA-approved drug, 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), with low-intensity ultrasound to target and destroy tumor cells. The treatment process is remarkably patient-friendly:

1. Patients drink the 5-ALA solution, which accumulates in tumor cells.
2. Low-intensity ultrasound is applied non-invasively, without the need for sedation.
3. The ultrasound activates the drug, causing it to release oxygen molecules that destroy the tumor.

This technique offers a potential breakthrough in treating glioblastoma, a condition that has long challenged the medical community due to its complex and diffuse nature.

Promising Clinical Results

Early clinical data from Alpheus Medical's trials have shown encouraging results:

• A phase 1/2 open-label trial demonstrated an improvement in median overall survival to 15.7 months, compared to historical averages of 6 to 8 months for glioblastoma patients.
• Progression-free survival increased to 5.5 months, versus the typical 1.8 months.
• A study published in the Journal of Neuro-Oncology in February reported on three glioblastoma patients who were not candidates for complete tumor removal. Following a single dose of the ultrasound therapy, imaging results confirmed signs of cancer cell death without adverse effects on healthy tissue.

Advancing to Phase 2b Trial

With the new funding, Alpheus Medical plans to initiate a phase 2b trial enrolling patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. This randomized trial aims to generate pivotal evidence that could potentially establish sonodynamic therapy as a new standard of care for newly diagnosed brain tumors.

Vijay Agarwal, President and CEO of Alpheus Medical, stated, "This investment is a key inflection point for Alpheus and the glioblastoma community—advancing sonodynamic therapy from promise to clinical validation. With this support, we are poised to generate pivotal evidence that could help establish a new standard of care for newly diagnosed brain tumors."

The $52 million series B round was co-led by HealthQuest Capital and Samsara BioCapital, with participation from returning investors OrbiMed and Action Potential Venture Capital. Additional backers included BrightEdge (the investment arm of the American Cancer Society), the Brain Tumor Investment Fund (a subsidiary of the National Brain Tumor Society), and the Sontag Innovation Fund.

Conrad Wang, a partner at HealthQuest Capital, emphasized the potential impact of this technology: "The complex and diffuse nature of glioblastomas has long hindered therapeutic innovation. Alpheus' sonodynamic therapy represents a novel, non-invasive whole brain approach with compelling early data."