13G Filing: Perceptive Advisors and Histogenics Corp (HSGX)

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.     )*

Histogenics Corporation

(Name of Issuer)

Common
Stock, $0.01 par value per share

(Title of Class of Securities)

43358V 10 9

(CUSIP Number)

January 17, 2018

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the
appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:

☐ Rule
13d-1(b)

☒ Rule 13d-1(c)

☐ Rule 13d-1(d)

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be filed for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Act) or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act
(however, see the Notes).

CUSIP No. 43358V 10 9

CUSIP No. 43358V 10 9

CUSIP No. 43358V 10 9

Histogenics Corporation (the Issuer)

830 Winter
Street, 3rd Floor, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451

The names of the persons filing this
report (collectively, the Reporting Persons) are:

Perceptive Advisors LLC (Perceptive Advisors)

Joseph Edelman (Mr. Edelman)

Perceptive Life Sciences Master Fund, Ltd. (the Master Fund)

The
address of the principal business office of each of the Reporting Persons is:

51 Astor Place, 10th Floor

New York, NY 10003

Perceptive Advisors is a Delaware limited liability
company

Mr. Edelman is a United States citizen

The Master Fund is a Cayman Islands corporation

Common Stock,
$0.01 par value per share (Common Stock)

43358V 10 9

Not applicable.

The information required by this item with respect to each Reporting
Person is set forth in Rows 5 through 9 and 11 of the cover page to this Schedule 13G. The ownership percentages reported are based on 25,131,496 outstanding shares of Common Stock, as reported in the Issuers prospectus filed on
January 24, 2018.

Neither Perceptive Advisors nor Mr. Edelman directly holds any shares of Common Stock. The Master Fund directly holds 2,203,277 shares of Common Stock. Perceptive Advisors serves as the
investment manager to the Master Fund and may be deemed to beneficially own the securities directly held by the Master Fund. Mr. Edelman is the managing member of Perceptive Advisors and may be deemed to beneficially own the securities directly
held by the Master Fund.

If this statement is being filed
to report the fact that as of the date hereof the Reporting Persons have ceased to be the beneficial owner of more than five percent of the class of securities, check the following ☐.

Not applicable.

Not applicable.

Not
applicable.

Not applicable.

By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as
a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect, other than activities solely in connection with a nomination under § 240.14a-11.

SIGNATURE

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of its knowledge and belief, each of the undersigned certifies that the information set forth in this
statement is true, complete and correct.

Date: January 26, 2018

EXHIBIT 1

AGREEMENT

The persons below hereby agree that
the Schedule 13G to which this agreement is attached as an exhibit, as well as all future amendments to such Schedule 13G, shall be filed on behalf of each of them. This agreement is intended to satisfy the requirements of Rule 13d-1(k)(1)(iii) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Date: January 26, 2018