What Knopp Biosciences does

Knopp Biosciences LLC is a privately held company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that was founded in 2004 and built an 18-year track record in drug discovery targeting challenging immunological and neurological diseases. Its technology base centered on an oral small molecule discovery platform, which produced two clinical-stage assets: dexpramipexole, an oral small molecule for eosinophilic asthma, and the Kv7 platform, a set of small-molecule candidates for epilepsy and other hyperexcitability disorders.

The company has since wound down internal discovery operations and transitioned to managing a portfolio of equity securities and future product royalties. Its clinical-stage assets have been transferred to external partners: dexpramipexole is being advanced by Areteia Therapeutics, Inc., a portfolio company of Bain Capital Life Sciences, and the Kv7 platform has been acquired by Biohaven Pharmaceuticals. Knopp retains equity and royalty interests in both programs and communicates with stakeholders through a private investor portal and direct email contact.

The business model is therefore not a commercial product sale model but rather a royalty/equity participation model, with future revenue contingent on the clinical, regulatory, and commercial progress of the two partnered programs. Knopp operates with 1-10 employees and raises capital periodically, including a $14 million round led by Solas BioVentures in November 2020.

Name

Knopp Biosciences

Legal name

Knopp Biosciences LLC

Website

https://knoppbio.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Knopp Biosciences LLC is a privately held Pittsburgh-based company, founded in 2004, that operated an oral small molecule drug discovery platform for 18 years before transitioning to managing equity securities and future product royalties from two out-licensed clinical-stage assets in eosinophilic asthma and epilepsy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical-Stage Biopharmaceuticals

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC)

Keywords

• Drug discovery services
• Small molecule therapeutics
• Clinical-stage drug development
• Neurological disease treatments
• Immunological disease treatments

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Knopp Biosciences is a clinical-stage drug discovery and development company that has created oral small-molecule therapeutics for immunological and neurological diseases. Following out-licensing and asset sales of its clinical-stage programs (Dexpramipexole to Areteia Therapeutics and the Kv7 Platform to Biohaven Pharmaceuticals), the company now primarily manages equity securities and future product royalties from these partnered assets.

Product overview

Knopp Biosciences LLC is a privately held pharmaceutical company managing a portfolio of equity securities and future product royalties. Founded in 2004, the company pursued an 18-year record of drug discovery in challenging immunological and neurological diseases. The company's current portfolio includes two clinical-stage assets: dexpramipexole (an oral small molecule for eosinophilic asthma, licensed to Areteia Therapeutics) and the Kv7 platform (small-molecule treatments for epilepsy and hyperexcitability disorders, acquired by Biohaven Pharmaceuticals).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dexpramipexole
• Kv7 Platform

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Areteia TherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAreteia Therapeutics, a portfolio company of Bain Capital Life Sciences, is developing dexpramipexole, Knopp's clinical-stage oral small molecule for eosinophilic asthma. Knopp retains equity and royalty interests in this asset.
• Biohaven PharmaceuticalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBiohaven Pharmaceuticals acquired Knopp's clinical-stage Kv7 platform consisting of small-molecule treatments for epilepsy and other hyperexcitability disorders. Knopp receives consideration through equity and royalty arrangements from this transaction.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Sage Therapeutics: CNS-focused specialty pharma with approved and clinical-stage therapies for epilepsy and depression; comparable to Knopp in CNS mechanism-driven small-molecule development.
• Marinus Pharmaceuticals: Specialty pharma focused on epilepsy and rare neurological disorders with an oral small-molecule asset (ganaxolone); closely comparable to Knopp's Kv7 epilepsy platform in therapeutic area and modality.
• Areteia Therapeutics: Direct partner developing Knopp's dexpramipexole in eosinophilic asthma; comparable as a clinical-stage respiratory specialty developer advancing an oral small molecule in a high-unmet-need indication.
• Xenon Pharmaceuticals: Clinical-stage neurology company with a Kv7-targeted epilepsy program (XEN1101), directly overlapping Knopp's Kv7 platform mechanism and indication focus.
• Biohaven Pharmaceuticals: Direct partner that acquired Knopp's Kv7 platform; a CNS-focused specialty pharma developing treatments for epilepsy, migraine, and other neurological disorders, making it a directly comparable CNS specialty peer.

Others

• HealthCare Royalty Partners: Specialist in healthcare royalty and milestone-based financing; comparable in business model as an entity that monetizes future cash flows from biopharma assets similar to what Knopp now holds.
• Royalty Pharma: Leading acquirer of biopharmaceutical royalties and milestone interests; comparable to Knopp's emerging royalty-management business model following the transition of its clinical assets.

Broad incumbents

• GSK (GlaxoSmithKline): Large pharma with approved eosinophilic asthma biologics (e.g., Nucala) and competing respiratory franchises; relevant incumbent that contextualizes the competitive environment for dexpramipexole.
• Acadia Pharmaceuticals: Established CNS specialty pharma with multiple approved neurology products; comparable as a broader incumbent in the same CNS small-molecule commercial landscape Knopp's Kv7 platform targets.
• UCB Pharma: Major pharma with a leading franchise in epilepsy treatments (e.g., Keppra, Vimpat, Briviact); comparable as a broad incumbent competing in the same anti-epileptic market as Knopp's Kv7 platform.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds10 records

Investors6 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Knopp Biosciences