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GLIOBLASTOMA Carthera® is a clinical-stage medtech company focused on developing innovative ultrasound-based medical devices to treat a wide range of severe brain disorders
CARTHERA
In a few figures
29 full-time specialists, 4 VC funds, presence in France and USA
Glioblastoma, Brain Metastases, Alzheimer’s Disease, SLA
NO BRAIN DISEASE
beyond reach
Carthera® designs innovative therapeutic ultrasound-based medical devices to treat brain tumors and other severe brain disorders.
Carthera® has developed SonoCloud®, a groundbreaking medical device that emits ultrasound to temporarily increase the permeability of the blood vessels in the brain.
SonoCloud® is an intracranial implant that opens the blood-brain barrier (BBB) before or after the injection of chemotherapy or other therapeutic agents (e.g. immunotherapy). Four minutes of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPU) opens the BBB for several hours thereby increasing the concentration of therapeutic molecules in the brain.
The SonoCloud® technology is being developed for a wide range of brain diseases. Oncology indications (glioblastoma, brain metastasis) are the company’s primary target, with investigations ongoing into other conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, in particular Alzheimer’s Disease.
CLINICAL NEED AND SOLUTION
Overcoming the BBB
Brain cancer and more generally diseases affecting the brain currently have limited treatments options. The impermeable blood-brain barrier (BBB) hinders therapeutic agent delivery. Finding a new and effective strategy to increase the delivery of existing and novel agents to the brain would revolutionize treatment of these diseases.
The BBB is an impermeable cellular structure that protects the brain from pathogens circulating in the blood but also prevents therapeutic agents from reaching their target (e.g. disseminated tumor cells in normal brain tissue). As a consequence, the BBB limits the efficacy of traditional chemotherapies and of other newer classes of agents such as immunotherapies, which have shown significant clinical efficacy for a broad range of other solid tumors.
The SonoCloud® device uses Low Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound (LIPU) energy to temporarily disrupt the BBB in a controlled manner. The pulsed ultrasound generated by the device (sonication) creates oscillation of concomitantly infused gas microbubbles (ultrasound resonator). This physical effect induces local and reversible opening of the BBB. Administration of the drug close to the sonication procedure allows for enhanced drug diffusion in the targeted areas of the brain.
Prof. Roger Stupp
Chief of Neuro-Oncology – Department of Neurology at Northwestern University – Feinberg School of Medicine
Our latest
news
22 april 2025 - First 100 participants enrolled across Europe and US in largest trial ever performed on glioblastoma patients using ultrasound-based blood-brain barrier opening.
Elsevier - February 2025
28 january 2025 - Dr Adam Sonobend, from Northwerstern Medicine, discuss the use of the SonoCloud-9 technology for drug delivery for malignant gliomas.
JCL insight - December 2024
Neuro-Oncology - July 2024
The Lancet - July 2024
1 july 2024 - Following positive opinion, ultrasound-based medical device company will obtain temporary funding to conduct first registrational trial of SonoCloud® device in France.
Nature Communications - June 2024
14 may 2024 - Orphan designation shows recognition of enhanced therapeutic potential of carboplatin when used with Carthera’s SonoCloud® technology.
Clinical Cancer Research - April 2024
9 april 2024 - World-first trial could change standard of care for unmethylated glioblastoma patients.
5 march 2024 - Results demonstrate safety and potential efficacy of SonoCloud-9® in treating recurrent glioblastoma.
Nature Communications - February 2024
February 5, 2024 - Registrational study aims to enroll 560 US and EU patients over next two years, with view to obtaining marketing authorization.
December 11, 2023 - Carthera announces an additional €4.5M in funding to complement its Series B financing round, bringing the total raised to €42M ($45M).
November 6, 2023 - Carthera announces the signing of a strategic collaboration with Accord Healthcare Limited, a leading pharmaceutical company, for the supply of carboplatin.
Lancet Oncology - May 2023
Lancet Oncology - May 2023
Advances in Oncology - May 2023
September 18, 2023 – Medical device industry executive with 30+ years expertise brings wealth of experience in product development and commercial launches to support Carthera’s future growth.
Cancers - January 2023
Pharmaceutics - January 2023
June 27, 2023 - New funds will help launch pivotal multicenter trial in patients with recurrent glioblastoma and advance clinical pipeline.
May 3, 2023 - Four-to six-fold increase in drug concentrations measured in human brain after blood-brain barrier opening with SonoCloud-9 System
March 13, 2023 - Carthera and FDA aligned on key aspects of proposed pivotal trial design.
June 22, 2022 - Breakthrough Status allows for enhanced interaction with FDA and recognizes SonoCloud® as innovative and promising approach for treatment of recurrent glioblastoma.
Alzheimer’s Research & Therapy - March 2022
Clinical Cancer Research - August 2021
June 9, 2021 - SonoCloud® device can enhance delivery of CAR-T therapies and penetration of checkpoint inhibitors into the brain of preclinical glioma models.
December 16, 2020 - The trial will recruit up to 39 patients with recurrent glioblastoma to test the SonoCloud-9 device in combination with Abraxane®.
September 14, 2020 - Carthera announces that it has been selected by the EIC (European Innovation Council) pilot gas pedal program for the development of its DOMEUS project.
June 8, 2020 - The SoniMel study aims to demonstrate safety of using the SonoCloud® technology with checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of brain metastases from melanoma.
Cancer Letters - June 2020
Journal of Neuro-Oncology - February 2020
Clinical Cancer Research - January 2020
Neurosurg Focus - January 2020
PhD Thesis from Université de Lyon - December 2019
December 9, 2019 - Carthera enters into a strategic collaboration agreement with U.S.-based Lantheus to provide microbubbles for use with the SonoCloud device.
Carthera will present at this conference an update on its on-going work to develop the SonoCloud for treatment of brain tumors.
November 18, 2019 - KIYATEC and Carthera announce that they have entered into a clinical collaboration for the purpose of advancing innovation and improving treatments for patients with glioblastoma.
July 9, 2019 - Carthera receives FDA approval to launch a Phase 1/2a clinical trial in the US with its SonoCloud-9 device in patients with recurrent glioblastoma.
June 25, 2019 - Carthera appoints Pascal Girin as chairman of Board of Directors
Journal of Neuro-Oncology - June 2019
April 2, 2019 - Carthera publishes complete results of PhaseI/IIa clinical trial using its SonoCloud-1 ultrasound implant for treatment of glioblastoma
Clinical Cancer Research - March 2019
Journal of NeuroSurgery - February 2019
January 15, 2019 - Carthera obtains ANSM approval to launch its Phase I-II clinical trial for the SonoCloud-9 device in the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma
PhD Thesis from Université Paris-Saclay prepared at Université Paris-Sud - May 2018
IEEE transactions on ultrasonics, ferroelectrics, and frequency control - May 2017
Expert review of neurotherapeutics - October 2016
Journal of NeuroSurgery - June 2016
Science Translational Medicine - June 2016
Cancer Chemotherapy Pharmacology - 2016
Journal of NeuroSurgery - November 2015
Journal of the Acoustic Society of America - October 2013
Journal of Neurosurgery - June 2013
AGENDA
Our events
November 21, 2024
Houston (United States)
October 17, 2024
Glasgow (Scotland)
September 27, 2024
Bologna (Italy)
September 22, 2024
Tarpei (Taiwan)
September 19, 2024
Tarpei (Taiwan)
September 13, 2024
Barcelona (Spain)
July 24, 2024
Live virtual
June 14, 2024
Saint Etienne (France)
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