Axcella

What Axcella does

Axcella Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that develops endogenous metabolic modulators (EMMs) — multi-targeted compositions derived from natural metabolites — to treat serious metabolic and hepatic diseases. The company's pipeline has historically focused on Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy (OHE), with later clinical programs extending into Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) and Long COVID, positioning it alongside established therapies such as lactulose and Bausch Health/Salix's Xifaxan (rifaximin) and against other emerging competitors including Mallinckrodt Therapeutics and Umecrine Cognition. The EMM platform is the central technological asset, with a dedicated Chief Intellectual Property Officer (Paul Fehlner) overseeing patent estate development, and clinical execution has been led by senior staff including Chief Development Officer Shreeram Aradhye and Chief Scientific Officer Tony Tramontin.

The company operated with 51–100 employees and was previously publicly listed on NASDAQ under ticker AXLA before being delisted. Across its history, Axcella raised approximately $185 million across six disclosed funding rounds between 2013 and 2022, anchored by Flagship Pioneering (lead investor from inception through 2018), Fidelity, and Nestlé Health Science, the last of which signaled early strategic intent to bridge the metabolic/nutrition–pharma interface. Its most recent capital event was a $34.2 million registered direct offering in October 2022, executed alongside the appointment of new board members Robert Rosiello and Torben Straight Nissen. No product revenue, pricing model, or commercial sales channel is disclosed, consistent with a pre-commercial biotech business model dependent on equity capital to fund clinical development rather than product sales. The company's own website (axcellatx.com) currently appears to host unrelated third-party content, indicating operational inactivity.

Name

Axcella

Legal name

Axcella Therapeutics

Website

https://axcellatx.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Axcella Therapeutics is a clinical-stage Cambridge, MA biotechnology company developing endogenous metabolic modulator (EMM) therapeutics for Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy, NASH, and Long COVID, with no commercial product or revenue and no current disclosed operating activity following its 2022 delisting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biopharmaceuticals

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Gastroenterology & Hepatology Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Gastroenterology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAE)

Keywords

• Endogenous metabolic modulators
• Hepatic encephalopathy therapy
• NASH drug development
• Long COVID treatment
• Clinical-stage biopharmaceuticals

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Core offering

Axcella Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing drug candidates based on endogenous metabolic modulators (EMMs) for chronic liver and metabolic diseases. Its lead clinical programs target Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy (OHE), Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), and Long COVID sequelae. The company was founded in 2010 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Product overview

Axcella Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel therapies for chronic liver diseases. The company has been developing clinical programs for Long COVID and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH). In October 2022, the company announced a registered direct offering raising $34.2 million to support its clinical programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy (OHE) pipeline candidate Clinical-stage drug candidate based on Axcella's endogenous metabolic modulator (EMM) platform for the treatment of Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy, intended for patients with cirrhosis-related hepatic encephalopathy and developed for hepatology and gastroenterology specialty use.
• Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH) clinical program Clinical-stage drug development program for Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), based on Axcella's endogenous metabolic modulator (EMM) platform, targeting an underserved chronic liver disease indication with no broadly approved disease-modifying therapies.
• Long COVID clinical program Clinical-stage drug development program addressing Long COVID sequelae, built on Axcella's endogenous metabolic modulator (EMM) platform, intended for patients with persistent post-viral symptoms and supported by the company's 2022 capital raise.
• Endogenous Metabolic Modulator (EMM) drug-discovery platform Proprietary discovery and development platform built on compositions of endogenous human metabolites, used to generate multiple disease-specific drug candidates for Axcella's pipeline in chronic liver and metabolic disease.

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Bausch Health / Salix PharmaceuticalsminorOthersAxcella Health competes with Bausch Health and its subsidiary Salix Pharmaceuticals in the Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy market. Salix announced new clinical data for Xifaxan (rifaximin) in May 2025 demonstrating reduced risk of OHE-related rehospitalization. This is competitive landscape positioning rather than a formal partnership.
• Umecrine CognitionminorOthersAxcella Health is identified alongside Umecrine Cognition as emerging pipeline candidates in the Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy competitive landscape across the seven major markets.
• Mallinckrodt TherapeuticsminorOthersAxcella Health competes with Mallinckrodt Therapeutics in the Overt Hepatic Encephalopathy market alongside established therapies like lactulose and Xifaxan.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Intercept Pharmaceuticals: Specialty biopharmaceutical company historically focused on liver diseases including NASH and primary biliary cholangitis. Directly comparable to Axcella as a small-cap liver-disease biotech pursuing novel mechanisms in overlapping indications.
• Genfit: French biotech developing therapies for liver diseases including NASH (elafibranor program and follow-ons). Directly comparable to Axcella as a clinical-stage liver-disease specialist targeting similar patient populations.
• Akero Therapeutics: Clinical-stage NASH biotech developing efruxifermin (an FGF21 analog) with strong Phase 2b data. Direct competitor in NASH with similar stage of development and patient targeting as Axcella's NASH program.
• Galmed Pharmaceuticals: Clinical-stage biotech focused on liver diseases (aramchol for NASH). Direct comparable to Axcella as a sub-scale, clinical-stage NASH/liver specialist with similar capital constraints.
• Madrigal Pharmaceuticals: Developer of resmetirom (Rezdiffra), an approved therapy for NASH. Most relevant direct competitor in NASH; demonstrates the regulatory and commercial pathway Axcella would need to navigate in the same indication.

Emerging players

• Viking Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech with metabolic and liver programs (including VK2809 for NASH). Comparable to Axcella as a small-cap biotech pursuing liver/metabolic indications, though Viking is better-capitalized and has broader metabolic focus.
• Terns Pharmaceuticals: Clinical-stage biotech developing therapies for NASH and obesity. Comparable to Axcella as a small-cap liver-disease competitor advancing differentiated oral mechanisms in NASH.
• HighTide Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing therapies for NASH, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and other liver/gastrointestinal disorders. Direct overlap with Axcella's hepatology focus and clinical-stage profile.

Broad incumbents

• Bausch Health / Salix Pharmaceuticals: Established specialty pharma with Xifaxan (rifaximin), the standard-of-care therapy in OHE where Axcella is developing pipeline candidates. Comparable as the dominant incumbent whose market Axcella would need to disrupt.
• Mallinckrodt Therapeutics: Specialty pharma with hepatology and OHE-related products. Comparable as an established player in the OHE competitive landscape where Axcella's candidates are positioned.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/782992355136261

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds6 records

Investors4 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 Axcella