What Cerveau Technologies does

Cerveau Technologies Inc. is a private radiopharmaceutical company founded in 2016 and headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, that developed tau PET imaging agents for the diagnostic evaluation of Alzheimer's disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. The company's core technology centered on proprietary radiodiagnostic agents targeting tau tangles, a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, enabling positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of tau pathology in the brain. Prior to its acquisition, Cerveau operated with a small team of 11-50 employees under President & CEO Rick Hiatt, focused on late-stage R&D and clinical development of its imaging agent portfolio.

The company served the neurology and diagnostic imaging ecosystem, targeting healthcare providers, academic research centers, and PET imaging facilities involved in Alzheimer's disease diagnosis and clinical research. Its business model was pre-commercial, with value creation driven by development of proprietary imaging agents intended for licensing or commercialization through partnerships with larger radiopharmaceutical players. The company's strategic value was anchored in addressing an underserved diagnostic gap in tau pathology imaging, complementing existing amyloid PET diagnostics.

In February 2023, Cerveau Technologies was acquired by Lantheus Holdings Inc., a strategic move that integrated Cerveau's tau PET imaging agent pipeline into Lantheus's broader radiopharmaceutical portfolio. The acquisition provided Cerveau with access to Lantheus's established distribution infrastructure and commercial capabilities, while enabling Lantheus to expand its neurology diagnostics footprint within a PET nuclear medicine market projected to reach $25.7B by 2030 at a 14.3% CAGR.

Name

Cerveau Technologies

Legal name

Cerveau Technologies Inc.

Website

https://cerveautechnologies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cerveau Technologies is a Knoxville-based radiopharmaceutical company that developed tau PET imaging agents for Alzheimer's disease diagnostics. Acquired by Lantheus Holdings in February 2023, it serves neurology and diagnostic imaging providers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Radiopharmaceutical Diagnostics

SIC

In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)

akta.pro primary industry

Diagnostic Radiopharmaceuticals (SPECT/PET Tracers) (HLAIAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nuclear Medicine & Molecular Imaging (SPECT/PET) (HLAHABAE), Advanced Imaging & Specialty Radiology Centers (PET/CT, Nuclear Medicine, Interventional Radiology) (HLAFAKAB), Cognitive & Behavioral Neurology (Dementia/Memory Disorders) (HLAKAIAH)

Keywords

• Tau PET imaging
• Alzheimer's diagnostics
• Radiopharmaceutical agents
• Neurological imaging
• Brain biomarkers

Headquarters

HQ city

Knoxville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Core offering

Cerveau Technologies develops and supplies Tau PET imaging agents—radiodiagnostic tools that target tau tangles, a key biomarker of Alzheimer's disease. Used together with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging modalities, these radiopharmaceuticals enable healthcare providers and researchers to identify disease biomarkers with precision, supporting earlier detection and intervention in neurological disorders.

Product overview

Cerveau Technologies operates as a subsidiary of Lantheus Holdings following its acquisition in February 2023. The company specializes in Tau PET imaging agents designed for Alzheimer's disease diagnostics. These radiopharmaceutical products function as radiodiagnostic tools that, when used in conjunction with PET imaging modalities, enable clinicians to identify tau protein tangles and beta-amyloid plaques—key biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease. The technology supports earlier detection and intervention in neurological disorders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Eli Lilly and Company: Eli Lilly markets Tauvid (flortaucipir F18), an FDA-approved tau PET imaging agent for Alzheimer's disease — the closest direct competitor to Cerveau's tau PET tracer, targeting the same biomarker and same neurology imaging customers.
• Blue Earth Diagnostics: Blue Earth Diagnostics (a Bracco subsidiary) develops and commercializes PET radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic imaging, including Axumin — a directly comparable specialty radiodiagnostic company serving oncology and neurology imaging centers.
• Life Molecular Imaging: Life Molecular Imaging (formerly Piramal Imaging) markets Neuraceq (florbetaben F18), a beta-amyloid PET imaging tracer used in Alzheimer's disease diagnostics — a directly comparable radiodiagnostic imaging agent serving the same neurology diagnostic workflow.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals: Telix Pharmaceuticals develops and commercializes diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, including Illuccix (PSMA-PET imaging), and is expanding into neurology — a directly comparable specialty radiopharma player using PET imaging agents to address disease biomarkers.
• Curium: Curium is one of the largest nuclear medicine companies globally, manufacturing and distributing PET and SPECT radiopharmaceuticals across multiple therapeutic areas — a directly comparable specialty radiopharmaceutical manufacturer with overlapping customers and distribution channels.

Broad incumbents

• Bayer AG: Bayer operates a radiopharmaceuticals franchise (including Xofigo and broader oncology imaging) through its pharmaceutical division — a broad incumbent with overlapping radiopharmaceutical manufacturing and distribution capabilities adjacent to Cerveau's diagnostic imaging focus.
• GE HealthCare: GE HealthCare markets Vizamyl (flutemetamol F18), an amyloid PET imaging tracer for Alzheimer's disease, and operates broadly across medical imaging, radiopharmaceuticals, and PET equipment — a broad incumbent whose neurology PET franchise directly overlaps Cerveau's diagnostic imaging focus.
• Bracco Imaging: Bracco Imaging is a global diagnostic imaging company with a portfolio spanning contrast agents and radiopharmaceuticals, and is the parent of Blue Earth Diagnostics — a broad incumbent competing in the same diagnostic imaging space as Cerveau.
• Siemens Healthineers: Siemens Healthineers is a major medical imaging equipment and diagnostics company, including PET/CT scanners and imaging informatics — a broad incumbent whose installed base of PET scanners and imaging ecosystem directly enables Cerveau's diagnostic imaging use cases.

Emerging players

• Navidea Biopharmaceuticals: Navidea Biopharmaceuticals develops diagnostic imaging agents, including Lymphoseek and pipeline macrophage-targeted products, focused on molecular imaging biomarkers — an emerging specialty player with a comparable diagnostic radiopharmaceutical development model.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CerveauBio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Cerveau Technologies