Sound waves and a drug team up to attack deadly brain tumors

NCT ID NCT06039709

First seen Apr 30, 2026 · Last updated Jun 22, 2026 · Updated 11 times

Summary

This pilot study tests a new approach called sonodynamic therapy for people with recurrent glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer that has come back. The treatment combines an investigational drug (5-ALA) with low-intensity focused ultrasound to target and damage tumor cells before surgery. The study will enroll 11 participants to check if the procedure is safe and feasible, not yet whether it works.

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This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • University of Virginia

    RECRUITING

    Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903, United States

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

5-ALA (a drug that makes tumor cells sensitive to ultrasound) combined with low-intensity focused ultrasound

What this could lead to

If it works, this could point toward a new, non-invasive way to damage glioblastoma cells and improve treatment options for this aggressive brain cancer.

What could go wrong

This is a very early (Phase 1) pilot study with only 11 participants. It focuses on safety, not effectiveness, and the treatment is limited to part of the tumor. Risks include bleeding, brain swelling, and the therapy may not shrink the tumor.

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

brain cancer glioblastoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.