Herantis Pharma Plc has completed the final patient visit in its Phase 1b clinical trial of HER-096, marking a significant milestone for what could become the first disease-modifying treatment for Parkinson's disease. The Finnish clinical-stage biotechnology company announced on August 14, 2025, that all patient dosing and follow-up visits have been completed on schedule, with topline results expected within six to nine weeks.
Trial Design and Patient Population
The Phase 1b study consisted of two parts, with the recently completed portion focusing on Parkinson's disease patients. In the final cohort, patients received 300 mg doses of HER-096 or placebo twice weekly over a four-week period through subcutaneous administration. The trial's primary objective was to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of repeated subcutaneous doses of HER-096.
The study also evaluated selected biomarkers and aimed to identify novel treatment-response biomarkers in patients with Parkinson's disease. Symptoms were monitored using both the Movement Disorder Society - Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) and wearable monitoring devices.
Earlier phases of the trial included eight healthy volunteers who received a single 300 mg subcutaneous dose, followed by two patient cohorts. The first cohort consisted of 12 patients, with eight receiving 200 mg of HER-096 and four receiving placebo twice weekly over four weeks.
Novel Mechanism of Action
HER-096 represents a first-in-class small peptide molecule based on the active site of cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor (CDNF), a protein known to promote neuronal cell survival and functional recovery. The drug candidate's multimodal mechanism of action targets key drivers of neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease by modulating the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) pathway, reducing aggregation of the neurotoxic protein α-synuclein, and modulating neuroinflammation.
Combined with its demonstrated brain penetration capability, HER-096 is designed to protect dopamine neurons from further degeneration while supporting their functional restoration. This approach could address the fundamental disease process rather than merely managing symptoms.
Addressing Unmet Medical Need
Parkinson's disease affects over 10 million people worldwide as a chronic, progressive, and debilitating neurological disorder. Currently, no approved disease-modifying therapies exist that can stop or slow the disease's progression. Existing treatments only address symptoms, offering limited and often inconsistent relief while frequently causing significant side effects.
"We are pleased to have completed all patient dosing and follow-up visits in our Phase 1b study of HER-096," said Antti Vuolanto, CEO of Herantis Pharma. "With this milestone reached, we will now concentrate on completing the data analysis and interpretation. We look forward to updating the market with the topline data as we explore HER-096's potential to become the first disease-modifying and neurorestorative treatment for Parkinson's disease."
Trial Funding and Timeline
The Phase 1b trial received funding from The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF) and Parkinson's UK. The study was conducted in Turku and Helsinki, Finland, by Clinical Research Services Turku - CRST Oy.
While topline Phase 1b results are expected within six to nine weeks following data unblinding, analysis, and interpretation, the complete dataset including biomarker data is anticipated before the end of 2025. The trial builds on positive results from the Phase 1a trial, which demonstrated good safety and tolerability profiles along with effective blood-brain barrier penetration of subcutaneously administered single doses of HER-096 in healthy volunteers.
