Exciva

Exciva GmbH is a privately held biotechnology company established in 2016 in Heidelberg, Germany, focused on developing therapeutics for neuropsychiatric indications. The company was co-founded by Hans Moebius, Anton Bespalov, and Sreenivasarao Vepachedu. Exciva's core strategy is 'Targeted Drug Rescue,' which involves repurposing and reusing previously approved or clinically tested drugs for new applications, particularly for behavioral and psychological symptoms associated with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.

The company's business model centers on identifying and developing novel treatments by combining existing, clinically validated compounds. This approach aims to leverage the known safety and efficacy profiles of these components to expedite the development timeline. Its lead candidate, Deraphan®, is a combination of two such compounds designed to treat agitation and aggression in Alzheimer's patients. By focusing on drug repurposing, Exciva aims to address significant unmet medical needs in the central nervous system (CNS) field.

Exciva is venture-backed and secured €9 million in a Series A financing round in October 2021, led by Andera Partners with participation from LBBW Venture Capital and Cure8. This funding was intended to advance Deraphan® through Phase I clinical trials. The management team, led by CEO François Conquet, and its co-founders possess extensive experience in CNS research and the pharmaceutical industry.

Keywords: drug repurposing, neuropsychiatry, Alzheimer's disease, central nervous system, CNS therapeutics, drug rescue, clinical-stage biotech, behavioral symptoms, dementia treatment, agitation therapy, aggression therapy, Deraphan, combination therapy, clinical trials, pharmaceutical development, neurotherapeutics, venture-backed biotech, life sciences, molecular technologies