What Umecrine Cognition does

Umecrine Cognition AB is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Solna, Sweden, and operating as a portfolio company of Karolinska Development AB (now KDventures AB). The company is developing a single drug candidate, golexanolone (also known as GR3027), a first-in-class small-molecule GABAA receptor-modulating steroid antagonist (GAMSA) designed to treat cognitive and central fatigue symptoms caused by overactivation of GABA-A receptors by endogenous neurosteroids such as allopregnanolone. The lead clinical program targets primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), where golexanolone is being evaluated in a Phase 1b/2a study (UCAB-CT-05) enrolling 84 evaluable patients across more than 30 European sites in eight countries, following earlier Phase 2 work in hepatic encephalopathy and idiopathic hypersomnia. Preclinical work, including studies funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation, is extending the platform into Parkinson's disease non-motor symptoms.

The company's core technology rests on its proprietary GAMSA mechanism, which antagonizes GABAA receptor activation driven by elevated neurosteroids in chronic neuroinflammation. Intellectual property includes a European patent for golexanolone in hepatic encephalopathy expiring in 2035 and a US formulation patent expiring in 2038. Patient-reported data presented at EASL 2026 showed central fatigue as the single most burdensome symptom for 60% of surveyed PBC patients and 92% prevalence of central fatigue, while UK-PBC national cohort data on 1,964 patients indicated 57% experienced clinically significant fatigue. These data position golexanolone in an unmet-need space with no approved therapies currently targeting PBC-related central fatigue or cognitive symptoms.

Umecrine Cognition is pre-revenue with no approved products. Its revenue model is characterized as future one-time licensing and pharmaceutical product commercialization, with golexanolone expected to be distributed through traditional specialty pharma channels upon approval, targeting hepatologists, gastroenterologists, and neurologists. The company is funded by a mix of Swedish institutional and private investors (Fort Knox Förvaring, Partnerinvest Övre Norrland, Norrlandsfonden), Karolinska Development as founding investor, and recent convertible loans and a June 2026 SEK 64M directed share issue to complete the ongoing Phase 1b/2a study, with results expected in the second half of 2026.

Name

Umecrine Cognition

Legal name

Umecrine Cognition AB

Website

https://umecrinecognition.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Umecrine Cognition AB is a clinical-stage Swedish biopharmaceutical company developing golexanolone, a first-in-class GABAA receptor-modulating steroid antagonist, for treating central fatigue and cognitive symptoms in primary biliary cholangitis, hepatic encephalopathy, and Parkinson's disease.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neurology Pharmaceuticals

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

akta.pro primary industry

Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAF)

Keywords

• Clinical-stage biopharmaceuticals
• GABA receptor antagonists
• Hepatic encephalopathy therapy
• Primary biliary cholangitis drugs
• Neuroinflammation treatments

Headquarters

HQ city

Solna

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Pharmaceutical product commercialization: Pre-revenue clinical stage company. No approved products yet. Future revenue will come from commercialization of golexanolone and potentially other GABAA receptor-modulating steroid antagonists for neurological disorders. The company is developing treatments for hepatic encephalopathy, primary biliary cholangitis, and Parkinson's disease.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Umecrine Cognition is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing golexanolone (GR3027), a first-in-class GABAA receptor-modulating steroid antagonist (GAMSA) small molecule for treating neurological disorders caused by neurosteroid-mediated over-activation of GABAergic transmission. The lead compound is being advanced through Phase 1b/2a clinical trials targeting primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) with central fatigue and cognitive symptoms, hepatic encephalopathy in liver cirrhosis, with preclinical exploration in Parkinson's disease.

Product overview

Umecrine Cognition is developing a single drug candidate, golexanolone (also known as GR3027), which is a first-in-class GABAA receptor-modulating steroid antagonist. The company focuses exclusively on this lead compound, which is in Phase 1b/2a clinical development targeting multiple neurological disorders caused by neurosteroid-mediated over-activation of GABAergic transmission. The primary indications being pursued are primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) with central fatigue and cognitive symptoms, hepatic encephalopathy in liver cirrhosis patients, and preclinical investigation in Parkinson's disease.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Golexanolone (GR3027) A novel small molecule GABAA receptor-modulating steroid antagonist (GAMSA) in clinical development for treating neurological disorders caused by overactivation of GABA-A receptors by the neurosteroid allopregnanolone. Target indications include primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) with fatigue and cognitive symptoms, hepatic encephalopathy (HE), and potential expansion into Parkinson's disease. The drug candidate has demonstrated ability to normalize brain signaling and improve cognition and alertness in patients.

Quantifiable outcome

• Phase 2a study results showed golexanolone normalizes brain signaling and improves cognition and alertness in hepatic encephalopathy patients
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

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 and minor.

• PBC Foundation UKcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026Collaboration with PBC Foundation UK for patient symptom survey capturing the lived symptom experience of 250 adults with primary biliary cholangitis through the PBC Foundation app. Data presented at EASL 2026 confirming central fatigue as the most burdensome symptom.
• Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Valencia, SpainminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 September 2025Academic collaboration for preclinical Parkinson's disease research study published in Frontiers in Immunology. Study demonstrated sustained therapeutic effect of golexanolone in preclinical animal model of Parkinson's disease.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sage Therapeutics: Clinical-stage CNS biopharmaceutical company focused on neurosteroid-based therapies (e.g., zuranolone), pursuing a similar GABA-receptor modulation strategy. Sage is the most direct mechanistic comparator for Umecrine's GAMSA platform in CNS indications.
• Marinus Pharmaceuticals: Specialty pharma developing CNS neurosteroid-based therapies (ganaxolone) for epilepsy and related disorders. Marinus is a direct peer in mechanism class (neurosteroid/GABA modulation) and clinical-stage CNS development profile.
• Intercept Pharmaceuticals: Developed obeticholic acid (Ocaliva) for primary biliary cholangitis, making it the most direct competitor in the PBC indication where Umecrine is pursuing golexanolone for central fatigue and cognitive symptoms.
• CymaBay Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biopharma that advanced seladelpar for primary biliary cholangitis, positioning it as a direct indication-overlap competitor. CymaBay exemplifies the PBC competitive landscape that Umecrine is entering.
• Genfit: Late-stage hepatology-focused biopharma developing elafibranor for PBC and other chronic liver diseases. Direct comparator in PBC clinical development and overlapping hepatology scientific community.
• Axsome Therapeutics: Clinical-stage and commercial CNS biopharma focused on neurological and psychiatric conditions. Comparable as a peer CNS clinical-stage company advancing differentiated therapies targeting underserved CNS symptoms.
• Karuna Therapeutics: CNS-focused clinical-stage biopharma (xanomeline-trospium for schizophrenia and psychosis). Comparable as a small-cap, clinical-stage CNS biopharma pursuing a novel CNS mechanism in underserved indications.

Broad incumbents

• Cerevel Therapeutics: Clinical-stage CNS biopharma with a broad pipeline across neuroscience indications. Comparable as a larger, well-funded CNS clinical-stage peer pursuing multiple CNS programs in parallel.
• Acadia Pharmaceuticals: Specialty CNS biopharma with commercial products in Parkinson's disease psychosis and Rett syndrome. Comparable as a CNS-focused specialty pharma and as a relevant Parkinson-disease indication peer for Umecrine's preclinical work.
• Salix Pharmaceuticals: Established specialty pharma (Bausch Health) commercializing rifaximin (Xifaxan) for hepatic encephalopathy and other GI conditions. Comparable as a competitor in the hepatic encephalopathy indication where golexanolone has Phase 2a proof-of-concept data.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umecrine-cognition-ab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors7 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 Umecrine Cognition