KeifeRx
KeifeRx is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing orally delivered, second-generation kinase inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS, and frontotemporal dementia, with plans to monetize via licensing and co-development partnerships with larger pharmaceutical companies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersMclean, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What KeifeRx does
KeifeRx is a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing orally delivered, second-generation kinase inhibitors as disease-modifying treatments for neurodegenerative illnesses. Its pipeline centers on four drug candidates — KFRX03 (lead asset for Alzheimer's disease, entering Phase 1 enrollment in 2026), KFRX04 (ALS, IND-enabling), KFRX05 (Parkinson's disease, co-development), and KFRX06 (Parkinson's disease via LRRK2 inhibition, preclinical) — designed for high blood-brain-barrier penetration and selective inhibition of validated kinases including c-ABL, c-KIT (mutants), DDR-1, LRRK2, and PIKfyve. The therapeutic hypothesis is that restoring autophagy while simultaneously reducing microglial-mediated neuroinflammation, clearing toxic proteins (alpha-synuclein, tau, amyloid), and repairing vascular damage can slow or reverse cognitive and motor decline. The company's intellectual property is grounded in an exclusive licensing agreement with Georgetown University, originally built on the clinical research of co-founder Charbel Moussa (MBBS, PhD), whose nilotinib Phase 2 trials demonstrated blood-brain-barrier penetration and biomarker effects in Alzheimer's and Lewy Body Dementia.
The company does not currently generate revenue and has no commercial products; its economic model is licensing and co-development partnerships with larger pharmaceutical companies. The lead example is the January 2026 research collaboration and option agreement with Amneal Pharmaceuticals for KFRX06. The company was founded in 2017 (corporate records) / 2019 (firmographic data) in McLean, Virginia, USA, completed a $6 million Series A financing in December 2021, and operates with 1–10 employees. Leadership comprises CEO Chris Hoyt, co-founders Charbel Moussa (Chair, Scientific Advisory Board) and Fernando L. Pagan (MD, FAAN, Director), with a Scientific Advisory Board of internationally recognized neurologists and dementia researchers. The company markets itself primarily through scientific conferences (Sachs Neuroscience Forum, Biotech Showcase, J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference Week), peer-reviewed publications (notably the Journal of Clinical Medicine), and PR distribution via Business Wire and EIN Presswire.
KeifeRx firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KeifeRx
- Legal name
- KeifeRx, LLC
- Website
- https://keiferx.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- KeifeRx is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing orally delivered, second-generation kinase inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, ALS, and frontotemporal dementia, with plans to monetize via licensing and co-development partnerships with larger pharmaceutical companies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KeifeRx industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Neurodegenerative Disease Therapeutics
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC)
Keywords
Where KeifeRx is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mclean
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
KeifeRx business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Pharmaceutical Development and Licensing: As a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, KeifeRx does not currently generate revenue. The company is developing a pipeline of drug candidates for neurodegenerative diseases and plans to commercialize through licensing agreements or co-development partnerships with larger pharmaceutical companies. The Amneal partnership for KFRX06 represents an example of this licensing/collaboration strategy.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Marketing channels4 records
KeifeRx product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KeifeRx develops a pipeline of orally delivered, second-generation small-molecule kinase inhibitors targeting neurodegenerative diseases, with lead asset KFRX03 in Phase 1 for Alzheimer's disease and additional preclinical candidates for Parkinson's disease (KFRX05, KFRX06), ALS (KFRX04), and frontotemporal dementia. The drug candidates are designed to cross the blood-brain barrier, restore autophagy, and simultaneously address neuroinflammation, toxic protein accumulation, and vascular damage. The company intends to commercialize its candidates through licensing or co-development agreements with larger pharmaceutical partners rather than direct sales.
Product overview
KeifeRx is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of orally delivered, second-generation kinase inhibitors for neurodegenerative diseases. The company's product portfolio centers on four drug candidates: KFRX03 (lead asset for Alzheimer's disease, Phase 1), KFRX04 (for ALS, IND-enabling), KFRX05 (for Parkinson's disease, co-development), and KFRX06 (for Parkinson's disease and frontotemporal dementia, preclinical). These drug candidates are designed for superior brain penetration and selective kinase inhibition to restore autophagy, clear toxic proteins, reduce neuroinflammation, and repair vascular damage. KFRX03, KFRX04, KFRX05, and KFRX06 represent a next-generation approach to treating dementia and neurodegenerative diseases by targeting c-ABL, c-KIT, LRRK2, DDR-1, and PIKfyve.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- KFRX03 KeifeRx's lead asset and first-in-class small molecule kinase inhibitor for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. It is highly brain penetrant with strong target engagement and a dose-dependent PD/PK relationship. KFRX03 targets c-ABL, c-KIT, and DDR-1, and has demonstrated a compelling safety profile with strong therapeutic benefit in mouse models of dementia.
- KFRX04 A kinase inhibitor candidate for the treatment of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). KFRX04 targets c-KIT and PIKfyve and is currently in the IND-enabling stage of development.
- KFRX05 A kinase inhibitor candidate for Parkinson's disease. KFRX05 targets c-ABL and c-KIT (mutants) and is currently in the co-development opportunity stage.
- KFRX06 A brain-penetrant LRRK2 inhibitor program for Parkinson's disease, also targeting c-ABL and c-KIT. KFRX06 is in preclinical development and is the subject of a research collaboration and option agreement with Amneal Pharmaceuticals announced in January 2026.
Quantifiable outcome
- Phase 2 trial of nilotinib in Dementia with Lewy Bodies published in Journal of Clinical Medicine (June 2025), demonstrating safety and efficacy
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use KeifeRx
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
KeifeRx technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
KeifeRx partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Amneal PharmaceuticalscoreKeifeRx entered into a research collaboration and option agreement with Amneal Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AMRX) to advance KFRX06, a preclinical candidate targeting Parkinson's disease through KeifeRx's LRRK2 inhibitor technology. Financial terms were not disclosed. Amneal, with approximately $4.1-4.2 billion market capitalization and $2.93 billion trailing twelve-month revenue, will lead research to generate pre-IND data. The collaboration establishes a structured path for potential next-stage development and commercialization pending promising results.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
KeifeRx competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Anavex Life Sciences: Clinical-stage biotech developing small molecules for Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and other neurodegenerative diseases, with a similar mechanism-focused approach and comparable pipeline stage.
- Sage Therapeutics: CNS-focused biotech with FDA-approved neurology product and pipeline targeting brain disorders, comparable in scale and clinical stage to KeifeRx's neurodegenerative focus.
- Prothena: Biotech developing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, sharing a similar target-patient population and protein-clearance therapeutic thesis.
- Cognition Therapeutics: Clinical-stage neurodegenerative disease company developing small molecules targeting toxic protein aggregation in Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, overlapping directly with KeifeRx's indication focus.
- Denali Therapeutics: Clinical-stage company developing therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's and ALS, with kinase and LRRK2 programs that overlap directly with KeifeRx's mechanism focus.
- Cassava Sciences: Clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on Alzheimer's disease, with a small-molecule pipeline that addresses neurodegeneration through a similar mechanism-driven approach.
Broad incumbents
- Biogen: Established large-cap biopharmaceutical company with multiple approved and late-stage Alzheimer's therapies (e.g., lecanemab partnership with Eisai), representing the dominant incumbent in the neurodegenerative space KeifeRx targets.
- Cerevel Therapeutics: Larger CNS-focused biopharma developing therapies across multiple neurological indications, representing an established CNS pipeline competitor with broader resources.
Emerging players
- AC Immune: Clinical-stage biotech developing therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, with a complementary but partially overlapping pipeline approach.
Others
- Bristol Myers Squibb: Markets nilotinib (the drug KeifeRx's chemistry builds upon) and is active in neurodegeneration R&D, making it both a potential comparator and a future competitor or partner in the kinase-inhibitor neurodegeneration space.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
KeifeRx social profiles
Digital presenceKeifeRx financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KeifeRx leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
KeifeRx funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KeifeRx M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KeifeRx
What does KeifeRx do?
KeifeRx develops a pipeline of orally delivered, second-generation small-molecule kinase inhibitors targeting neurodegenerative diseases, with lead asset KFRX03 in Phase 1 for Alzheimer's disease and additional preclinical candidates for Parkinson's disease (KFRX05, KFRX06), ALS (KFRX04), and frontotemporal dementia. The drug candidates are designed to cross the blood-brain barrier, restore autophagy, and simultaneously address neuroinflammation, toxic protein accumulation, and vascular damage. The company intends to commercialize its candidates through licensing or co-development agreements with larger pharmaceutical partners rather than direct sales.
Is KeifeRx a public or private company?
KeifeRx is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was KeifeRx founded?
KeifeRx was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is KeifeRx based?
KeifeRx is headquartered in Mclean, United States, in the North America region.
How does KeifeRx make money?
One revenue line is on record: pharmaceutical Development and Licensing.
Who are KeifeRx's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Anavex Life Sciences, Sage Therapeutics, Prothena, Cognition Therapeutics, Denali Therapeutics and Cassava Sciences. Broad incumbents are Biogen and Cerevel Therapeutics. AC Immune is listed as an emerging player. Bristol Myers Squibb is listed as an others.
Does KeifeRx have an API?
No public API is recorded for KeifeRx.
What industry is KeifeRx in?
KeifeRx's product category is Neurodegenerative Disease Therapeutics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIAAAF, Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals, with a secondary code of HLAIACAC, Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals. Its NAICS code is 3254 and its SIC code is 2834.