What Actimed Therapeutics does

Actimed Therapeutics is a privately held, UK-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2017 by Professors Stefan Anker and Andrew Coats, both world-leading authorities in cachexia and muscle wasting research. The company is developing a proprietary class of small molecules termed Anabolic Catabolic Transforming Agents (ACTAs) that simultaneously target β1-receptor antagonism (anti-catabolic), partial β2-receptor agonism (pro-anabolic), and central 5-HT1a antagonism (appetite and fatigue) for the treatment of muscle wasting disorders. Its lead asset is S-pindolol benzoate (ACM-001.1), a new salt of S-pindolol, being advanced under the FDA IND-approved Phase 2b/3 IMPACT programme in cancer cachexia (NSCLC and CRC) and under the Phase 2a PROACT programme for muscle preservation during and after GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy in obesity. A second ACTA-class candidate, S-oxprenolol (ACM-002), has been granted FDA Orphan Drug Designation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), in which Actimed retains global rights; rights for all other indications have been licensed to Faraday Pharmaceuticals.

The company operates an asset-out-licensing business model as a pre-revenue clinical-stage developer with no commercial products on the market. Cumulative disclosed equity financing totals approximately £19.75m across Seed A, extended Seed B, and a 2023 Series A with extension, with a Series B currently being raised (advised by WG Partners LLP) to fund the IMPACT Phase 2b/3 trial. Revenue mechanics rely on milestone payments and royalties from licensing partners: Mankind Pharma holds exclusive territorial rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize the cachexia portfolio in India and South Asia (November 2025 deal, commercial terms undisclosed), and Faraday Pharmaceuticals holds global ex-ALS rights to S-oxprenolol ($550,000 upfront, $2.7m near-term milestone, up to $123.5m in total milestones, plus royalties). The product is protected by a global composition-of-matter patent estate for S-pindolol benzoate covering the US, Europe, Japan, Canada, and the UK, with expiry through 2041.

Name

Actimed Therapeutics

Legal name

Actimed Therapeutics Ltd

Website

https://actimedtherapeutics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Actimed Therapeutics is a UK-based, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing proprietary ACTA-class small molecules (lead: S-pindolol benzoate) for cancer cachexia, obesity-related muscle loss, and ALS, generating revenue through out-licensing deals and milestone payments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Clinical-Stage Specialty Biopharmaceuticals

NAICS

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

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Care Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC), Rare Endocrine & Growth Disorder Therapies (HLAIAIAJ), Specialty Injectable & Infusion Therapies (Cross-therapeutic) (HLAIACAO)

Keywords

• Cachexia therapeutics
• Muscle wasting drugs
• Cancer cachexia treatment
• ALS drug development
• GLP-1 muscle preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Ascot

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Out-licensing of S-oxprenolol to Faraday Pharmaceuticals: Out-licensed global rights for cancer cachexia and all indications outside of ALS; Actimed received $550,000 upfront (cash + equity), $2.7M near-term milestone eligibility, and up to $123.5M in total potential milestones plus royalties on future sales.
2. Regional out-licensing of cachexia products to Mankind Pharma: Exclusive territorial licensing agreement covering India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar for cachexia treatment/prevention; Mankind responsible for development, manufacturing, and sales/marketing costs and pays Actimed (commercial terms not disclosed). Includes S-pindolol benzoate (ACM-001.1) and related Actimed IP/know-how.
3. Equity financing (pre-revenue): Pre-revenue clinical-stage company funded through successive equity rounds: ~£1.25m Seed A (2018), ~£10m seed financing (final tranche Jan 2023), £2.5m extended Seed B (June 2021), £5m Series A (June 2023) plus £4.75m Series A extension (Aug 2023) bringing Series A proceeds to £9.75m; Series B financing being raised to fund IMPACT Phase 2b/3 programme.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Actimed Therapeutics is a clinical-stage specialty biopharmaceutical company developing the proprietary Anabolic Catabolic Transforming Agent (ACTA) class of small-molecule therapeutics for cachexia and muscle wasting disorders. Its lead asset, S-pindolol benzoate (ACM-001.1), is being advanced in cancer cachexia (IMPACT Phase 2b/3 programme) and in muscle preservation during/post-GLP-1RA therapy (PROACT Phase 2a), while a second ACTA compound, S-oxprenolol (ACM-002), is retained globally for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with US FDA Orphan Drug Designation.

Product overview

Actimed Therapeutics is a UK-based clinical-stage specialty pharmaceutical company with a focused two-asset pipeline rather than a platform-plus-modules software architecture. Its core offering is the Anabolic Catabolic Transforming Agent (ACTA) class of small molecules, comprising the lead candidate S-pindolol benzoate (ACM-001.1) and the second asset S-oxprenolol (ACM-002). S-pindolol benzoate is the centrepiece, advanced through the planned Phase 2b/3 IMPACT clinical programme for cancer cachexia (NSCLC and CRC) under FDA IND approval, and through the Phase 2a PROACT programme evaluating muscle preservation during and after GLP-1RA therapy in obesity. S-oxprenolol is retained by Actimed globally for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — where it holds US FDA Orphan Drug Designation — while rights for all other indications (including cancer cachexia) are licensed to Faraday Pharmaceuticals. Geographic expansion is supported by a 2025 licensing agreement granting Mankind Pharma exclusive rights to develop and commercialise Actimed's cachexia products in India and other South Asian territories.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• S-pindolol benzoate (ACM-001.1) New benzoate salt of S-pindolol and Actimed's lead clinical asset. An Anabolic Catabolic Transforming Agent (ACTA) that simultaneously targets β1 receptor antagonism (anti-catabolic), partial β2 receptor agonism (pro-anabolic/muscle growth), and central 5-HT1a antagonism (appetite/fatigue improvement). Being developed for cancer cachexia in NSCLC and CRC and for muscle preservation during/post-GLP-1RA therapy in obesity.
• S-oxprenolol (ACM-002) Second ACTA-class compound with similar multi-modal pharmacology to S-pindolol. Actimed retains global rights in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where pre-clinical data demonstrated slowed disease progression, improved survival, motor neuron protection, attenuated muscle loss, and increased lean body mass. US FDA Orphan Drug Designation granted in 2024 for ALS. Global rights for cancer cachexia and other indications outside ALS licensed to Faraday Pharmaceuticals.
• IMPACT Programme (Phase 2b/3 clinical development programme) Planned Phase 2b/3 clinical development programme evaluating S-pindolol benzoate in cancer cachexia. Consists of two trials of identical design — IMPACT-NSCLC (non-small cell lung cancer) and IMPACT-CRC (colorectal cancer) — in patients with a diagnosis of cachexia. US IND application approved by FDA in August 2023. First patient dosing planned on completion of financing.
• PROACT Programme (Phase 2a clinical development programme) Preserving, Restoring, and Optimising (lean mass and muscle) with ACTAs — a two-part Phase 2a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial assessing S-pindolol benzoate in obese patients 1) during and 2) post-GLP-1 receptor agonist (semaglutide) therapy. Up to 48 patients. First patients enrolled June 2025; initial results expected H2 2026. Supported by a preclinical programme in diet-induced obesity models which has completed the in-vivo phase.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.74 kg median weight gain vs 1.09 kg median weight loss in placebo over 4 months in ACT-ONE Phase 2a trial (NSCLC/CRC patients, 10 mg BID)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / core, tactical / financial advisor, core / flagship and important / ip enabling.

• Mankind Pharma Limitedflagship / coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 21 November 2025Strategic licensing agreement granting Mankind Pharma exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise Actimed's cachexia products (including S-pindolol benzoate / ACM-001.1) in India and South Asian territories (India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar). The licence covers Actimed's patents, know-how and future related patents; Mankind is responsible for all associated development, manufacturing and sales/marketing costs and will commercialise under its own trademarks. The agreement is limited to the field of use in treatment and/or prevention of cachexia. Commercial terms not disclosed.
• WG Partners LLPtactical / financial advisorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 7 September 2023London-based Life Sciences specialist advisory firm assisting Actimed with its Series B financing. Partners Nigel Barnes, Satheesh Nadarajah, Robin Stürken involved in advisory role. Series B designed to fund the IMPACT Phase 2b/3 clinical programme to completion.
• Faraday Pharmaceuticals, Inc.core / flagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 13 April 2021License agreement for S-oxprenolol granting Faraday global rights to develop and commercialise for cancer cachexia and any other indications outside of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); Actimed retains global rights to S-oxprenolol in ALS. Deal value: $550,000 upfront (cash + equity), $2.7M near-term milestone eligibility, up to $123.5M in total potential milestones, plus royalties on future sales. S-oxprenolol adds to Faraday's portfolio alongside FDY-5301.
• Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlinimportant / ip enablingOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 23 November 2020Licensing of additional European patent rights to S-oxprenolol in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin via BIH Innovations. Covers patent rights in all major European markets including Germany, France, UK, Italy and Spain for treatment of ALS, giving Actimed global rights in this indication.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Faraday Pharmaceuticals: Licensee of Actimed's S-oxprenolol for cancer cachexia and all non-ALS indications. Develops redox-modulating small molecules for ischemic and muscle-wasting conditions, including FDY-5301; closely comparable in mechanism class and target indication.
• Cytokinetics: Clinical-stage US specialty pharma focused on muscle biology and contractility, with programmes in ALS (reldesemtiv, tirasemtiv) and cardiac muscle dysfunction. Comparable in therapeutic focus on muscle performance and small-molecule modality.
• PsiOxus Therapeutics: UK-based clinical-stage oncology biotech previously known as Myotec and co-founded by Actimed's co-founders Stefan Anker and Andrew Coats. Closely comparable in founding lineage, UK clinical-stage focus and gene therapy/immuno-oncology platform.
• Verona Pharma: UK-listed clinical-stage specialty pharma developing ensifentrine for respiratory diseases. Comparable as a UK clinical-stage specialty pharma with similar late-stage clinical profile and direct board overlap (Actimed Executive Chairman David Ebsworth also serves as Verona Pharma Chairman).

Broad incumbents

• Helsinn Group: Swiss specialty pharma that developed anamorelin (Adlumiz/ONO-7643), the only approved pharmaceutical for cancer cachexia in the EU, Japan and Switzerland. Direct overlap with Actimed's lead indication but at a larger, commercial-stage scale.
• Madrigal Pharmaceuticals: US specialty pharma that recently commercialised resmetirom (Rezdiffra) for MASH. Comparable as a clinical-to-commercial specialty pharma with a focused small-molecule pipeline targeting a high-unmet-need specialty indication.
• Biogen: Global biopharma with a leadership position in ALS through Qalsody (tofersen) for SOD1-ALS and an active ALS pipeline. Broad incumbent relevant to Actimed's retained S-oxprenolol ALS programme and to the wider neurodegenerative space.

Emerging players

• Endevica Bio: US-based clinical-stage biotech developing TCMCB07, a melanocortin-3/4 receptor antagonist for cancer cachexia and GLP-1-related muscle preservation. Direct competitor in both cancer cachexia and GLP-1 lean-mass preservation.
• Epirium Bio: Clinical-stage biotech focused on muscle wasting disorders, including programmes targeting neuromuscular and metabolic indications. Comparable in therapeutic area (muscle wasting) and clinical-stage profile.
• Axoltis Pharma: French clinical-stage biotech developing NX210c and other programmes targeting sarcopenia, cachexia and muscle wasting disorders. Direct overlap with Actimed's core muscle-wasting focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors1 record

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 Actimed Therapeutics