Exciva secures USD59M in Series B funding to advance Alzheimer’s agitation treatment

GERMANY— Exciva GmbH, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative therapeutic compounds for neuropsychiatric conditions, has successfully closed a €51 million (USD59 million) Series B financing round.

The investment marks a significant milestone for the company as it advances its lead candidate through clinical development.

Gimv and EQT Life Sciences jointly led the financing round, bringing together a diverse group of investors.

New participants in this round included Fountain Healthcare Partners, LifeArc Ventures, Carma Fund, and Modi Ventures. Existing investors Andera Partners and LBBW also continued their support by participating in the round.

The company plans to use the funding primarily to support a phase 2 clinical study evaluating Deraphan, its experimental treatment for agitation in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

Agitation represents one of the most challenging behavioral symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease, affecting both patients and their caregivers.

The clinical trial will span multiple regions, including Europe, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, allowing for a comprehensive assessment of the therapy’s potential.

Deraphan combines two clinically validated products, one of which is a novel chemical entity that has demonstrated activity in the central nervous system field.

This unique combination approach aims to deliver better efficacy and an improved risk-benefit profile compared to existing treatment options.

Exciva has already completed a Phase 1 trial with Deraphan, demonstrating that the combination is both safe and well-tolerated in human subjects.

Following the completion of the Series B financing, Exciva’s board of directors has been reconstituted to reflect the new investor base.

The board now includes Raphaël Wisniewski from Andera Partners, Philip Scheltens from EQT Life Sciences, Andreas Jurgeit from Gimv, Aidan King from Fountain Healthcare, Vikram Sudarsan serving as an independent board member, and François Conquet, who serves as the company’s chief executive officer.

François Conquet expressed enthusiasm about the successful fundraising, noting that the company’s ability to attract both existing and new investors validates the promise of their product candidate.

He emphasized that positive results from the upcoming phase 2 trial would represent a significant advancement in symptomatic treatment options for patients living with Alzheimer’s disease.

Andreas Jurgeit, a partner at Gimv, highlighted the differentiated nature of Exciva’s therapy, explaining that it addresses significant shortcomings in both the current standard of care and other products currently under development.

He expressed pleasure in collaborating with the Exciva team, which brings decades of expertise in neuropsychiatry drug development, including experience with approved therapies, to transform care for this challenging aspect of dementia.

Philip Scheltens, a partner at EQT Life Sciences, emphasized that the investment demonstrates Exciva’s potential to deliver meaningful innovation in a therapeutic area where Alzheimer’s patients face limited or no treatment options.

He praised both the quality of the company’s science and the expertise of its team, expressing enthusiasm about bringing this new therapy to patients who need it.

Baker McKenzie, led by Julia Braun and her team, provided legal advice to the new investors on the financing transaction.