German Biotech Exciva Raises €51M In Series B Round

The round was co-led by Gimv and EQT Life Sciences, with participation from new investors Fountain Healthcare Partners, LifeArc Ventures, Carma Fund, Modi Ventures, and existing investors Andera Partners and LBBW.

“We are delighted that we could attract funding from both existing and new investors. This confirms that our product is highly promising,” said François Conquet, CEO of Exciva. “If the results of the phase 2 trial are positive, it will be a significant step forward in symptomatic treatment options for patients with Alzheimer’s disease.”

In the European Alzheimer’s and neurodegeneration funding landscape, Exciva’s €51 million Series B follows several notable financings.

Earlier this year Leuven-based Augustine Therapeutics raised €77.7 million in a Series A to advance brain-penetrant HDAC6 inhibitors for neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s.

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Dublin-based Aerska secured €17 million in Seed funding to develop RNA-interference therapies targeting brain disorders, with Alzheimer’s among its priorities.

“Exciva’s therapy for agitation in Alzheimer’s disease is highly differentiated, addressing significant shortcomings in the current standard of care and other products under development,” said Andreas Jurgeit, PhD, partner at Gimv. “We are pleased to collaborate with the Exciva team backed by decades of expertise in neuropsychiatry drug development, including approved therapies to transform care for this challenging aspect of dementia.”

Exciva, founded in 2016 by Drs. Anton Bespalov, Hans Moebius, and Rao Vepachedu, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on addressing neuropsychiatric symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia and other brain disorders. The company combines two CNS-active compounds to treat agitation in patients living with AD dementia.

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of AD such as agitation, aggression, sleep disturbances, irritability, depression, anxiety, and hallucinations pose significant challenges for caregivers. With aging populations, the prevalence of AD and its associated symptoms is rising.

If no action is taken, the global dementia population is projected to grow from ~50 million today to over 150 million by 2050. Epidemiological data indicate that around 40% of AD patient admissions report agitation, and over 70% of patients develop agitation at some point.

“This investment illustrates the potential of Exciva to bring an exciting innovation into a therapeutic area where Alzheimer’s patients have limited or no treatment options,” added Philip Scheltens, MD, PhD, partner at EQT Life Sciences. “We are delighted to co-lead this financing to realise Exciva’s potential, which stands out for both the quality of its science and the expertise of the team. We look forward to bringing this new therapy to patients.”

The new funding will primarily support a Phase 2 study evaluating Deraphan’s potential to treat agitation in Alzheimer’s disease patients. Deraphan combines two clinically validated compounds, including one novel chemical entity (NCE), showing CNS activity with the potential for improved efficacy and a better risk/benefit profile than existing therapies. The trial will take place across Europe, the UK, the US, and Canada.

A Phase 1 trial with Deraphan has already been completed successfully, demonstrating that the combination is safe and well-tolerated.

Following the Series B, Exciva’s board will include Raphaël Wisniewski (Andera Partners), Philip Scheltens (EQT Life Sciences), Andreas Jurgeit (Gimv), Aidan King (Fountain Healthcare), Vikram Sudarsan (independent member), and François Conquet (CEO).

About EXCIVA GmbH

Exciva GmbH is a biopharmaceutical company developing therapies to improve the quality of life for patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Focusing on neuropsychiatric symptoms such as agitation and behavioral challenges the company combines innovative CNS-active compounds to create safer, more effective treatments for individuals living with dementia.