Levicept
Levicept is a UK clinical-stage biotech developing LEVI-04, a first-in-class neurotrophin-3 inhibitor Fc-fusion biologic for chronic pain due to osteoarthritis, with positive Phase II data published in The Lancet and FDA IND acceptance secured in 2026.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSandwich, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Levicept does
Levicept Limited is a privately held, UK-based clinical-stage biotechnology company developing LEVI-04, a first-in-class neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) inhibitor formulated as a fully human chimeric Fc-fusion protein that combines the Fc fragment of human IgG1 with the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). The mechanism is designed to restore neurotrophin homeostasis by scavenging excess neurotrophins in chronic pain states, providing analgesia while retaining joint re-modelling effects and avoiding the rapid disease progression associated with anti-NGF antibodies. The asset was originally acquired from Pfizer's Sandwich site in 2013 and advanced through a virtual, outsourced development model with CDMO partner Lonza.
The company's lead indication is chronic pain due to osteoarthritis, particularly of the knee. Phase II (NCT05618782) enrolled over 510 patients and reported statistically significant improvements in WOMAC pain and function at Week 17, with more than 50% of treated patients achieving 50% pain reduction and significant reduction in bone marrow lesions — supporting a dual disease-modification-plus-analgesia positioning. Results were published in The Lancet in March 2026. The FDA accepted the IND application in January 2026, enabling U.S. clinical development, and Phase III is being prepared with a shift to subcutaneous self-administration.
Levicept is pre-revenue, headquartered at Innovation House, Discovery Park in Sandwich, Kent, with 11-50 employees, and is backed by life-sciences-focused institutional investors including Medicxi, Advent Life Sciences, Gilde Healthcare, and Pfizer Ventures, having raised approximately £45 million in equity (£10m Series A in 2014, £35m Series B in 2021) plus £2.4m in Innovate UK grant funding. The revenue model is one-time licence / pharmaceutical commercialisation contingent on regulatory approval, with future distribution expected through pharmaceutical partnerships rather than direct sales infrastructure.
Levicept firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Levicept
- Legal name
- Levicept Limited
- Website
- https://levicept.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Levicept is a UK clinical-stage biotech developing LEVI-04, a first-in-class neurotrophin-3 inhibitor Fc-fusion biologic for chronic pain due to osteoarthritis, with positive Phase II data published in The Lancet and FDA IND acceptance secured in 2026.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Levicept industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Osteoarthritis Biologics
- NAICS
- Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)
- SIC
- Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Type 1 Diabetes Care (HLAKADAB)
Keywords
Where Levicept is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sandwich
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Levicept business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Pharmaceutical Drug Development and Commercialization: Levicept is a clinical-stage biotech developing LEVI-04 for osteoarthritis pain treatment. As a pre-revenue company, it operates through an outsourced development model with investor backing. Revenue will be generated upon regulatory approval and commercialization of LEVI-04.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Levicept product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Levicept is developing LEVI-04, a first-in-class neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) inhibitor formulated as a fully human chimeric fusion protein combining the Fc fragment of human IgG1 with the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75 NTR). The drug candidate is administered as a monthly intravenous infusion and is being advanced through Phase II/III clinical trials for the treatment of chronic pain due to knee osteoarthritis, with potential disease-modifying properties. The company operates through an outsourced, virtual development model.
Product overview
Levicept is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a single product pipeline centered on LEVI-04, a first-in-class neurotrophin-3 inhibitor in an Fc-fusion biologic format. LEVI-04 is designed for the treatment of chronic pain, particularly osteoarthritis of the knee. The drug candidate is administered via monthly intravenous infusion and is being developed for subcutaneous self-administration in later phases. The company operates through an outsourced development model with investor backing from Medicxi, Advent Life Sciences, Gilde Healthcare, and Pfizer Ventures.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LEVI-04 LEVI-04 is a first-in-class neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) inhibitor built as a fully human chimeric fusion protein combining the Fc fragment of human immunoglobulin G1 with the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75 NTR). It is being developed as a monthly intravenous infusion for the treatment of chronic pain due to osteoarthritis of the knee, with the dual objective of providing analgesia and potential disease modification. Phase III development is in planning following FDA IND acceptance in January 2026.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 50% reduction in pain reported by treated patients in Phase II trial
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Levicept
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Levicept technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Levicept partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- LonzaminorLonza served as CDMO partner for Levicept's virtual company operations. Case study interview with Simon Westbrook in Bioprocess Online discussed the value Lonza brought to the small biotech-CDMO relationship.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Levicept competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Pfizer: Originator of the p75NTR-Fc asset that became LEVI-04 and current board-level investor (Pfizer Ventures). Pfizer also co-developed tanezumab, the leading anti-NGF for OA pain, making it the most directly comparable large-pharma peer.
- AbbVie: Operates a significant pain/neuroscience franchise and has historically pursued OA and chronic pain indications. Relevant broad incumbent peer with the commercial scale and development capability to compete in OA pain.
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Building a non-opioid pain franchise with selective NaV1.8 inhibitors (e.g., VX-548). Comparable as a high-profile developer of non-opioid chronic pain therapeutics targeting a similar prescriber and payer audience.
- Regeneron: Developer of fasinumab, a key anti-NGF antibody for OA pain. Directly comparable because Regeneron is competing in the same neurotrophin-pathway pain space Levicept targets.
- Eli Lilly: Pfizer's partner on tanezumab and a leading developer of analgesics, including in OA and chronic pain. Operates in the same chronic pain regulatory and commercial landscape as Levicept.
Direct peers
- Centrexion Therapeutics: Late-stage clinical biotech developing CNTX-4975 (intra-articular capsaicin) for moderate-to-severe knee OA pain. Closest direct clinical-stage competitor to Levicept in the non-opioid OA pain space.
- Pacira BioSciences (Flexion Therapeutics): Acquired Flexion Therapeutics and markets Zilretta, an intra-articular extended-release corticosteroid for knee OA pain. Directly comparable as a marketed, OA-knee-pain-focused therapy competing for the same prescriber base.
- Biosplice Therapeutics: Developer of lorecivivint, a novel intra-articular Wnt pathway inhibitor being studied as a potential disease-modifying OA drug (DMOAD). Direct competitor pursuing disease modification in OA, mirroring LEVI-04's dual-mechanism positioning.
Emerging players
- Mesoblast: Developing MPC-06 ID, a cell-therapy candidate for chronic inflammatory discogenic low back pain, and has explored OA pain. Comparable as a late-stage clinical biotech pursuing novel mechanisms in chronic pain.
- Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals: Clinical-stage biotech developing EP-104IAR, an intra-articular sustained-release formulation for knee OA pain. Direct clinical-stage peer pursuing novel OA pain delivery approaches.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Levicept social profiles
Digital presenceLevicept financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Levicept leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Levicept funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors6 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Levicept 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 Levicept
What does Levicept do?
Levicept is developing LEVI-04, a first-in-class neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) inhibitor formulated as a fully human chimeric fusion protein combining the Fc fragment of human IgG1 with the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75 NTR). The drug candidate is administered as a monthly intravenous infusion and is being advanced through Phase II/III clinical trials for the treatment of chronic pain due to knee osteoarthritis, with potential disease-modifying properties. The company operates through an outsourced, virtual development model.
Is Levicept a public or private company?
Levicept is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Levicept founded?
Levicept was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Levicept based?
Levicept is headquartered in Sandwich, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Levicept make money?
One revenue line is on record: pharmaceutical Drug Development and Commercialization.
Who are Levicept's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Pfizer, AbbVie, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Regeneron and Eli Lilly. Direct peers are Centrexion Therapeutics, Pacira BioSciences (Flexion Therapeutics) and Biosplice Therapeutics. Emerging players are Mesoblast and Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals.
Does Levicept have an API?
No public API is recorded for Levicept.
What industry is Levicept in?
Levicept's product category is Osteoarthritis Biologics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKADAB, Type 1 Diabetes Care. Its NAICS code is 5417 and its SIC code is 8731.