What CERES BRAIN Therapeutics does

CERES BRAIN Therapeutics is a privately held, clinical-stage French biotechnology company founded in 2019 by researchers and engineers from the French Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (CEA). The company is developing a proprietary Nose-to-Neurons drug delivery platform that uses intranasally administered creatine prodrugs to bypass the blood-brain barrier and deliver creatine directly to cerebral neurons, addressing the fundamental limitation of standard creatine (which cannot reach neurons due to the blood-brain barrier and the creatine transporter). Its lead asset, CBT101 (a dodecyl creatine ester incorporated into a patented particulate emulsion formulation), has received Orphan Drug Designation from both the U.S. FDA and the European EMA for Creatine Transporter Deficiency (CrTD) and other creatine deficiencies, a rare X-linked disorder with an estimated prevalence of 1/50,000 and no current treatment options. The pipeline is being extended to additional indications, with CBT102 in development for Parkinson's disease and programs targeting Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

The company's core technology combines medicinal chemistry (the prodrug structure that enables passive diffusion across cell membranes and bypasses the defective creatine transporter), a specialized particulate emulsion formulation engineered for nasal sprayability and stability (with GMP batches already manufactured), and the intranasal Nose-to-Brain delivery route. Operations are anchored at the Paris Brain Institute (ICM) within the Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, with laboratory activities conducted under a collaborative agreement at the CEA Paris-Saclay center. The company has built a network of CRO/CDMO partners including Aptar, Chemineau, ERBC Group, Eurofins, and Roowin, and has established patient advocacy and academic collaborations including the Association for Creatine Deficiencies, Association X-traordinaire, and the Hospices Civils de Lyon.

CERES BRAIN Therapeutics is pre-revenue and currently monetizes only through capital raises and grant funding rather than product sales. The capital structure is venture-backed, with institutional investors including Bpifrance (which provided the 2020 i-Lab Innovation Grant), ANJAC SAS (which led a €6.5M round in January 2024), family offices, and business angels. The board includes representation from ANJAC, Sanofi, and Thales, providing external pharma and industrial governance. The go-to-market model is expected to combine eventual product sales of CBT101 and follow-on candidates (likely through hospital and specialty pharmacy channels given the rare disease focus) with potential licensing deals, co-development partnerships, and strategic collaborations with larger pharmaceutical companies upon clinical advancement.

Name

CERES BRAIN Therapeutics

Legal name

CERES BRAIN THERAPEUTICS

Website

https://ceres-brain.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CERES BRAIN Therapeutics is a Paris-based, pre-revenue clinical-stage biotech developing intranasal creatine prodrugs to treat rare neurological diseases. Its lead asset, CBT101, targets Creatine Transporter Deficiency and has received Orphan Drug Designation from both the FDA and EMA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Drug Development and Commercialization: Pre-revenue biotech developing pharmaceutical products. Revenue will be generated through eventual product sales of CBT101 and future drug candidates for neurological diseases. Potential for licensing deals, co-development partnerships, and strategic collaborations with larger pharmaceutical companies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CERES BRAIN Therapeutics develops intranasal drug candidates that deliver creatine to brain neurons to treat rare neurological diseases. Its lead product CBT101 is a creatine prodrug (dodecyl creatine ester) incorporated into a patented particulate emulsion for nasal administration, addressing Creatine Transporter Deficiency and other bioenergetic deficiency disorders. A second candidate, CBT102, is in development for Parkinson's disease, leveraging the same Nose-to-Neurons delivery platform.

Product overview

CERES BRAIN Therapeutics is a single-product-focus biotech company with a pipeline centered on its Nose-to-Neurons platform technology. The company's primary drug candidate is CBT101, a creatine prodrug nasal spray for Creatine Transporter Deficiency, while CBT102 is in development for Parkinson's Disease. The platform enables targeted delivery of creatine to brain neurons via the nose-to-brain pathway, addressing bioenergetic deficiencies in neurological diseases.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CBT101 A creatine prodrug (dodecyl creatine ester, DCE) incorporated into a patented particulate emulsion formulation for intranasal administration. CBT101 is designed to deliver creatine to neurons via the Nose-to-Neurons pathway, bypassing the blood-brain barrier and the defective creatine transporter. It is being developed for Creatine Transporter Deficiency and other creatine deficiencies, addressing severe global developmental delay, intellectual disability, speech/language delay, autistic behavior, movement disorders, and seizures. It has received Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) from both EMA and FDA.
• CBT102 A drug candidate in preclinical development for Parkinson's disease. CBT102 is designed to enhance creatine delivery to dopaminergic neurons, aiming to slow down or halt mitochondrial dysfunction and mitophagy to impede disease progression and improve motor symptoms and cognition. It targets the chronic neurodegenerative disorder affecting motor control through degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra.
• Nose-to-Neurons Platform A proprietary drug delivery platform that combines creatine prodrug chemistry, an innovative particulate emulsion formulation for stability and sprayability, and intranasal delivery via the nose-to-brain pathway. It enables the transition from hit compound to drug candidate by demonstrating that therapeutic compounds can reach the brain, particularly neurons, in preclinical models. The platform includes chemical optimization for nasal administration, a unique adaptable formulation, and protocols in rodent and non-rodent models to demonstrate nose-to-brain passage.

Quantifiable outcome

• Demonstrated efficacy in CrTD preclinical models with successful delivery of creatine to the brain, enhanced brain plasticity, elevated brain metabolism, and improved cognition and behavior
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CEA (Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative agreement with CEA Paris-Saclay center for laboratory operations. Founders originated from CEA. Strategic R&D collaboration involving the Frederic Joliot Institute for Life Sciences. Aloïse Mabondzo serves as Research Director at CEA.
• Paris Brain Institute (ICM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMain office located within the Paris Brain Institute at Pitié-Salpêtriere University Hospital. Strategic positioning provides access to neuroscientific research excellence and clinical collaboration opportunities.
• Association X-traordinaireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic collaborator for patient advocacy and support in rare neurological diseases. Company presented at Xtraordinaire Symposium 2023.
• Association for Creatine DeficienciesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPatient advocacy organization supporting individuals with creatine transporter deficiency and other creatine deficiencies.
• Neurology Pediatric Neurologic Unit of the Hospices Civils de LyonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic medical center collaboration for pediatric neurology research in neurological diseases.
• AptarminorOthersCRO/CDMO partner providing drug delivery technology expertise for nasal spray formulation development.
• ChemineauminorOthersCRO/CDMO manufacturing partner for drug substance and drug product production.
• ERBC GroupminorOthersCRO/CDMO partner providing drug development services.
• Eurofins (Optimed)minorOthersCRO/CDMO partner providing biopharma testing and optimization services.
• RoowinminorOthersCRO/CDMO partner for contract development and manufacturing.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• AB Science: French clinical/commercial-stage pharmaceutical company developing tyrosine kinase inhibitors for neurodegenerative and orphan neurological conditions (ALS, progressive forms of MS). Comparable to CERES in French regional origin and CNS/neurology therapeutic focus.

Direct peers

• Theranexus: French clinical-stage biotech developing CNS therapeutics for rare and orphan neurological indications. Directly comparable to CERES as a small French CNS-focused company advancing drug candidates for underserved neurological diseases.
• Lysogene: French clinical-stage biotech focused on CNS diseases using innovative delivery approaches. Comparable to CERES as a French CNS biotech developing therapies for rare neurological disorders with novel delivery technologies.
• Minoryx Therapeutics: Belgium/Spain-based biotech developing treatments for rare CNS disorders and orphan metabolic diseases. Comparable to CERES in target indication profile (rare neurological), development stage, and European biotech positioning.
• IntraBio: Clinical-stage biotech developing treatments for rare and common neurological diseases (e.g., GM1 gangliosidosis, Niemann-Pick disease). Comparable to CERES in orphan neurological disease focus and clinical-stage positioning.
• Cyclo Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing therapies for rare neurological diseases including Niemann-Pick disease type C and Alzheimer's. Comparable to CERES in orphan neurological indication focus and clinical-stage biotech profile.
• Annovis Bio: Clinical-stage biotech developing neurodegenerative disease therapeutics targeting toxic protein aggregates and mitochondrial dysfunction. Comparable to CERES in pipeline focus on Parkinson's and ALS and the bioenergetic/mitochondrial mechanism of action.

Broad incumbents

• BioXcel Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging AI for CNS and immuno-oncology drug development. Comparable to CERES in CNS therapeutic focus and clinical-stage status, with broader pipeline and platform reach.
• Denali Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing broad portfolio of therapeutics for neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's and ALS. Comparable to CERES in CNS/ALS/Parkinson's therapeutic area but operating at much larger scale and broader scope.
• Sage Therapeutics: Established CNS specialty pharmaceutical company developing therapies for CNS disorders. Comparable to CERES in neurology specialty pharma positioning, though operating at significantly larger commercial and pipeline scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 CERES BRAIN Therapeutics