Kannalife
Kannalife Sciences is a Doylestown, Pennsylvania-based biopharmaceutical company developing synthetic CBD-inspired new chemical entities led by KLS-13019, targeting chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, Parkinson's disease, hepatic encephalopathy, and other neurological disorders, with additional OTC skincare products Atopidine™ in its pipeline.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersDoylestown, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Kannalife does
Kannalife Sciences, Inc. is a Doylestown, Pennsylvania-based biopharmaceutical company founded in 2010 by Dean Petkanas and Thoma Kikis, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Neuropathix, Inc. (publicly listed on OTCQB as KLFE). The company develops a proprietary pipeline of synthetic, CBD-inspired New Chemical Entities (NCEs) for neurological and inflammatory indications. Its lead candidate, KLS-13019, is a first-in-class synthetic CBD analogue positioned for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, hepatic encephalopathy, Parkinson's disease, and opioid use disorder, claiming up to 200X potency, 10X bioavailability, and 5X safety advantages versus CBD via a dual GPR55 antagonism and mitochondrial NCX-1 mechanism. Additional pipeline assets include KLS-13023 (oral gelcap for hepatic encephalopathy), KLS-13022 (topical OTC formulation), and the Atopidine™ (LEA) consumer skincare product.
The company's technology platform sits on an exclusive license to U.S. Patent #6630507 (NIH Office of Technology Transfer) covering cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants, supplemented by composition-of-matter and method-of-treatment patents granted in the US, Japan, Russia, China, and EU with applications pending in additional jurisdictions. Scientific operations are anchored by research collaborations with Temple University's Lewis Katz School of Medicine, University of Würzburg, and Atuka, Inc., and a Scientific Advisory Board drawn from Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, and Purdue Pharma alumni.
Kannalife is pre-commercial and currently funds operations through non-dilutive grants (NIH NIDA, NIH NINDS HEAL Initiative, Michael J. Fox Foundation totaling ~$4.76M), a forward capital commitment from life-sciences VC Prevail Partners, and OTCQB market access. The company has 1-10 employees and an IND filing for KLS-13019 is anticipated in 2026. The go-to-market strategy targets pharmaceutical partnership and licensing for the drug assets and OTC consumer distribution for Atopidine™, with no commercial products or pricing in market today.
Kannalife firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kannalife
- Legal name
- Kannalife Sciences, Inc.
- Website
- https://kannalife.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Kannalife Sciences is a Doylestown, Pennsylvania-based biopharmaceutical company developing synthetic CBD-inspired new chemical entities led by KLS-13019, targeting chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, Parkinson's disease, hepatic encephalopathy, and other neurological disorders, with additional OTC skincare products Atopidine™ in its pipeline.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kannalife industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Biopharmaceuticals
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Neurogenetics & Rare Neurologic Diseases (HLAKAIAO), Neurology & Psychiatry (CNS) Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAF)
Keywords
Where Kannalife is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Doylestown
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Kannalife business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Grant Funding: Pre-commercial revenue derived entirely from NIH, NINDS, HEAL Initiative, and Michael J. Fox Foundation grants supporting preclinical research and IND-enabling studies.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Kannalife product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kannalife Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of a pipeline of synthetic CBD-inspired New Chemical Entities (NCEs) targeting neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Its lead drug candidate KLS-13019 is being advanced for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), Parkinson's disease, opioid use disorder, and hepatic encephalopathy, while Atopidine™ is being prepared as an OTC topical skin care product.
Product overview
Kannalife Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company developing a pipeline of synthetic CBD-like therapeutic molecules. The core portfolio consists of KLS-13019 as the lead drug candidate for multiple indications including CIPN, Parkinson's disease, and opioid use disorder; KLS-13023 as an oral formulation for Hepatic Encephalopathy; and KLS-13022 as a topical cream for skin disorders. Additionally, Atopidine™ represents a consumer-facing topical product for anti-inflammatory skin care applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Atopidine™: A proprietary, investigational, novel monotherapeutic product for potential treatment of skin care, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and personal care needs. A CBD-inspired molecule shown to outperform CBD in preventing inflammatory responses relevant to UVB-radiation.
Products and services
- KLS-13019 First-in-class synthetic CBD-like New Chemical Entity (NCE) and lead drug candidate targeting chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), Parkinson's disease, opioid use disorder, and refractory colon cancer. Features a dual mechanism of action: GPR55 antagonism (anti-inflammatory) and mitochondrial NCX-1 regulation (neuroprotection). Demonstrated 67% oral bioavailability and blood-brain barrier penetration.
- KLS-13023 Oral gelcap therapeutic candidate in the KLS family designed to target neurotoxicity caused by ammonia and ethanol in the brain for potential treatment of Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE). Shown to be 50x more potent than CBD in protecting hippocampal neurons from oxidative stress associated with liver failure.
- KLS-13022 Topical cream formulation in early discovery/optimization stage targeting OTC skin disorders including pain, itch, and burn indications, with a target to be OTC ready by late 2026.
- Atopidine™ (LEA) Proprietary, investigational topical formulation (Limonenyldihydroxybenzyl Ethoxycarbonyl Azetidine / LEA) intended for skin care and anti-inflammatory consumer applications. Shown in pre-clinical testing to have protective and anti-inflammatory properties, outperforming CBD in preventing inflammatory responses relevant to UVB-radiation including TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 release from human epidermal cells. Planned for OTC launch.
Quantifiable outcome
- KLS-13019 is up to 200X more potent than CBD
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Kannalife
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Kannalife technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Kannalife partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, strategic and supporting.
- Universitätsklinikum Würzburg (University of Würzburg)majorResearch partnership with Prof. Dr. Med. Chi Wang Ip for Parkinson's disease research program. Collaboration as part of MJFF-funded preclinical studies on KLS-13019 targeting neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction.
- Atuka, Inc.majorResearch partnership with Tom H. Johnston, PhD and James P. Koprich, MA, PhD for Parkinson's disease research program. Collaboration on preclinical efficacy studies of KLS-13019 for PD treatment.
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple UniversitycoreCollaborative research with Dr. Sara Jane Ward's laboratory for KLS-13019 studies in animal models of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Research performed under NIH-NIDA Phase 1 grant (1R41DA044898-01) to assess KLS-13019 as non-opioid treatment for neuropathic pain.
- PurisysstrategicPartnership for Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) services. Partners in proprietary, scaled-up CMC for KLS-13019 drug substance and drug product manufacturing for IND-enabling studies and clinical trials.
- Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC)supportingNonprofit life sciences incubator-accelerator providing state-of-the-art laboratory and office space to Kannalife. Located near Doylestown in the Philadelphia-New Jersey pharma belt. Supports nearly 80 member companies.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kannalife competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Pfizer: Major biopharma with historic leadership in neuropathic pain and CIPN therapeutics. Relevant as the archetypal acquirer/partner for late-stage cannabinoid or non-opioid pain assets.
- Tilray Brands: Large, publicly traded cannabis company with pharmaceutical division pursuing cannabinoid-derived therapeutics. Comparable in cannabinoid therapeutic pipeline but operates at significantly larger scale and broader commercial footprint.
- Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Acquired GW Pharmaceuticals, the global leader in approved cannabinoid therapeutics (Sativex, Epidiolex), making it the most directly comparable large pharma counterpart in cannabinoid CNS drug development. Competes for the same physician and patient pools that Kannalife's KLS-13019 targets in neuropathic pain and neurology.
Direct peers
- Axsome Therapeutics: CNS-focused biopharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for migraine, depression, and CNS disorders. Highly relevant non-opioid neuropathic pain and CNS comparator with similar small-cap, R&D-intensive profile.
- Corbus Pharmaceuticals: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing cannabinoid-derived and related small molecules for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases. Closely comparable in stage, therapeutic philosophy (synthetic cannabinoid-inspired NCEs), and CNS/inflammation pipeline focus.
- Tetra Bio-Pharma: Canadian cannabinoid-based drug development company focused on pain, inflammation, and oncology-supportive care. Overlaps with Kannalife on cannabinoid-derived molecules for neuropathic pain and CIPN-like indications.
- AXIM Biotechnologies: Cannabinoid-focused biotech with overlapping board and investor connections to Kannalife. Pursues cannabinoid therapeutics in pain and CNS indications, making it a closely comparable small-cap peer.
- InMed Pharmaceuticals: Clinical-stage company developing cannabinoid-based therapeutics for diseases with high unmet medical need. Comparable in being a small-cap, R&D-focused cannabinoid pharma pursuing CNS and rare-disease indications.
Others
Emerging players
- PureTech Health: Clinical-stage biotherapeutics company developing CNS and inflammation programs. Comparable as a small, R&D-heavy platform developing CNS-focused novel mechanisms toward partnership with larger pharma.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kannalife social profiles
Digital presenceKannalife financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kannalife leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Kannalife funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Kannalife 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 Kannalife
What does Kannalife do?
Kannalife Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the research and development of a pipeline of synthetic CBD-inspired New Chemical Entities (NCEs) targeting neuroinflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Its lead drug candidate KLS-13019 is being advanced for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN), Parkinson's disease, opioid use disorder, and hepatic encephalopathy, while Atopidine™ is being prepared as an OTC topical skin care product.
Is Kannalife a public or private company?
Kannalife is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Kannalife founded?
Kannalife was founded in 2010. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Kannalife based?
Kannalife is headquartered in Doylestown, United States, in the North America region.
How does Kannalife make money?
One revenue line is on record: grant Funding.
Who are Kannalife's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Pfizer, Tilray Brands and Jazz Pharmaceuticals. Direct peers are Axsome Therapeutics, Corbus Pharmaceuticals, Tetra Bio-Pharma, AXIM Biotechnologies and InMed Pharmaceuticals. AstraZeneca is listed as an others. PureTech Health is listed as an emerging player.
Does Kannalife have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kannalife.
What industry is Kannalife in?
Kannalife's product category is Biopharmaceuticals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIACAC, Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals, with a secondary code of HLAKAIAO, Neurogenetics & Rare Neurologic Diseases. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 2834.