ab cernelle
AB Cernelle is a Swedish pharmaceutical manufacturer, founded in 1953 and now a subsidiary of Dermapharm AG, that develops proprietary pollen-extract APIs (Cernitin T60 and GBX) used in registered drugs such as Cernilton and Cernitol for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia and chronic prostatitis in men, distributed through pharmacies across six countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1953
- HeadquartersÄngelholm, Sweden
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ab cernelle does
AB Cernelle is a Swedish pharmaceutical company founded in 1953 in Ängelholm, specializing in pollen-based pharmaceutical products for male urological conditions, specifically benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). The company's core technology is the proprietary Cernitin pollen extraction platform developed in 1956, which produces two active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs): Cernitin T60 (water-soluble dry extract) and Cernitin GBX (fat-soluble soft extract), derived from machine-harvested pollens from organically grown, specially selected plants. These APIs are the active ingredients in a portfolio of branded products including Cernitol (sold in Sweden since 1959), Cernilton (registered in Japan since 1969), Cernitol Novum, Cernilton A, Shenitong, and Pollstimol, with over 2 billion daily doses administered since 1964 and over 40 published clinical trials supporting clinical use. The products are registered as prescription or OTC medicines in Sweden, Japan, Germany, Hungary, Korea, and China, and target urologists and healthcare professionals who treat men over 50 with BPH and men with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis.
Cernelle operates a single GMP-certified manufacturing facility in Ängelholm, Sweden, certified by the Swedish Medical Products Agency and holding Foreign Manufacturer Accreditation from Japanese Health Authorities. Revenue is generated through pharmaceutical product sales via traditional pharmacy and medical provider distribution channels; pricing is not publicly disclosed. Since December 2021, AB Cernelle has operated as a subsidiary of Dermapharm AG, a German diversified pharmaceutical group, which provides access to broader distribution and pharmaceutical expertise while Cernelle retains its own management team and dedicated Swedish operations. The company employs senior leadership drawn from major pharmaceutical firms including AstraZeneca, Pharmacia, Johnson & Johnson, Recipharm, and Kenvue, reflecting deep GMP and regulatory expertise rather than technology or data science capabilities.
The business model is a niche specialty pharma play built on a single proprietary API platform with multi-decade regulatory standing across multiple jurisdictions. There is no public funding history, no disclosed revenue or ARR, and no SaaS or technology component to the offering; the moat is regulatory and process-based rather than data- or AI-driven. Customer concentration risk is moderate given distribution across six country markets with Japan as the historically largest single market.
ab cernelle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ab cernelle
- Legal name
- AB Cernelle
- Website
- https://cernelle.se
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1953
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- AB Cernelle is a Swedish pharmaceutical manufacturer, founded in 1953 and now a subsidiary of Dermapharm AG, that develops proprietary pollen-extract APIs (Cernitin T60 and GBX) used in registered drugs such as Cernilton and Cernitol for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia and chronic prostatitis in men, distributed through pharmacies across six countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ab cernelle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Urological Pharmaceuticals
- NAICS
- Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Nephrology & Urology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAH)
Keywords
Where ab cernelle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ängelholm
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
ab cernelle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Pharmaceutical Products Sales: Cernelle generates revenue through the sale of registered pharmaceutical products Cernilton® and Cernitol® containing Cernitin™ pollen extracts as active pharmaceutical ingredients. Products are sold as prescription and OTC medicines through pharmacies and medical providers worldwide.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
ab cernelle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AB Cernelle develops and manufactures pollen-based pharmaceutical products for the treatment of male urological conditions, specifically benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). The company's core offering centers on proprietary Cernitin™ pollen extracts (Cernitin™ T60 water-soluble and Cernitin™ GBX fat-soluble), which serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients in finished dosage-form products such as Cernilton® and Cernitol® sold globally through pharmacy and medical provider channels.
Product overview
AB Cernelle is a pharmaceutical company specializing in pollen extract-based pharmaceuticals. The core product portfolio centers on Cernitin™ pollen extracts, two active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs): Cernitin™ T60 (water-soluble, dry extract) and Cernitin™ GBX (fat-soluble, soft extract). These APIs serve as active ingredients in multiple registered pharmaceutical products including Cernilton® (tablet formulation, registered 1969), Cernitol® (sold in Sweden since 1959), Cernitol® Novum, Shenitong®, Cernilton A®, and Pollstimol®. All products are used for treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) caused by benign prostate diseases including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). The company operates GMP-certified manufacturing facilities in Sweden.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cernitin™: Cernitin™ pollen extracts are the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) manufactured by Cernelle, including Cernitin™ T60 (water soluble dry extract) and Cernitin™ GBX (fat soluble soft extract). These are worldwide registered trademarks belonging to AB Cernelle.
- Cernilton®
- Cernitol®
Products and services
- Cernitin™ T60 Water-soluble, dry pollen extract classified as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Produced from machine-harvested pollens from organically grown, specially selected plants. Used as an API in pharmaceutical products for treating lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostate diseases.
- Cernitin™ GBX Fat-soluble, soft pollen extract classified as an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API). Produced from machine-harvested pollens from organically grown, specially selected plants. Used as an API in pharmaceutical products for treating lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostate diseases.
- Cernilton® Tablet formulation pharmaceutical product containing Cernitin™ pollen extracts as active ingredients. Registered in Japan since 1969 for treatment of chronic prostatitis, chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), and benign prostate hyperplasia. One of only two pharmaceutical drugs registered worldwide to treat chronic prostatitis and CP/CPPS effectively.
- Cernitol® Pharmaceutical product containing Cernitin™ pollen extracts as active ingredients. Sold in Sweden since 1959 for treatment of chronic prostatitis, chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), and benign prostate hyperplasia. The Swedish market brand name for the Cernitin™ pollen extract-based product.
- Cernitol® Novum Cernitin™ pollen extract-based pharmaceutical product for treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostate diseases. Backed by over 40 clinical studies showing good efficacy and tolerability, positioning it as the best-documented plant-based medicine for prostate problems.
- Shenitong® Registered pharmaceutical product containing Cernitin™ pollen extracts as the active ingredient, sold in markets where approved by national health authorities.
- Cernilton A® Registered pharmaceutical product containing Cernitin™ pollen extracts as the active ingredient, sold in markets where approved by national health authorities.
- Pollstimol® Registered pharmaceutical product containing Cernitin™ pollen extracts as the active ingredient, sold in markets where approved by national health authorities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 40 clinical published trials confirming clinical relevance and efficacy
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use ab cernelle
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ab cernelle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
ab cernelle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ab cernelle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Rottapharm Biotech: Italian pharmaceutical company with a strong phytopharmaceutical urology portfolio, including Serenoa repens-based products for BPH. Directly competes with Cernelle as a plant-based BPH specialist in European markets.
- Apogepha Arzneimittel: German specialty pharmaceutical company focused on urology, marketing both herbal (pumpkin seed extract) and synthetic BPH treatments. Competes with Cernelle in the German-speaking BPH market through similar phytopharmaceutical positioning.
- Strathmann AG: German herbal pharmaceutical company specializing in urology and a subsidiary of Dermapharm AG (Cernelle's parent). Sells plant-based BPH remedies and other urology products, making it a sister-company peer with overlapping botanical-urology positioning and shared distribution within the Dermapharm portfolio.
- Pierre Fabre: French pharmaceutical company whose Permixon® (Serenoa repens/saw palmetto extract) is one of the leading plant-based medicines for BPH globally. Directly competes with Cernelle's Cernitol®/Cernilton® in the phytopharmaceutical urology segment and is the most established direct botanical competitor in this indication.
Broad incumbents
- GlaxoSmithKline: Global pharmaceutical company that previously marketed Avodart® (dutasteride), a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor for BPH. Competes broadly with Cernelle in the BPH therapeutics market through mainstream synthetic drug offerings.
- Eli Lilly: Global pharmaceutical company that co-marketed Cialis® (tadalafil), an approved PDE5 inhibitor for BPH/LUTS. Competes with Cernelle in the broader BPH therapeutics space across multiple geographies.
- Astellas Pharma: Japanese multinational pharmaceutical company that markets Harnal®/Flomax® (tamsulosin), the leading alpha-blocker for BPH. Competes with Cernelle's Cernilton® in the Japanese urology market where Cernilton is also dominant, making it both a competitor and a complementary therapy partner in BPH treatment paradigms.
- HEXAL (Sandoz): German generic pharmaceutical company (Sandoz division of Novartis) producing generic tamsulosin, finasteride, and other BPH therapeutics. Competes with Cernelle through low-cost generic alternatives to branded BPH treatments in the German market.
- Boehringer Ingelheim: Global pharmaceutical company that markets Duodart® (dutasteride/tamsulosin combination) for BPH. Competes with Cernelle in the mainstream BPH treatment market through combination synthetic drug therapy.
Regional players
- IDI Farmaceutici: Italian pharmaceutical company with plant-based urology products including Serenoa repens formulations. Operates regionally in Italy and selected European markets as a phytopharmaceutical BPH competitor to Cernelle.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ab cernelle social profiles
Digital presenceab cernelle compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
ab cernelle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ab cernelle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
ab cernelle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ab cernelle 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 ab cernelle
What does ab cernelle do?
AB Cernelle develops and manufactures pollen-based pharmaceutical products for the treatment of male urological conditions, specifically benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). The company's core offering centers on proprietary Cernitin™ pollen extracts (Cernitin™ T60 water-soluble and Cernitin™ GBX fat-soluble), which serve as active pharmaceutical ingredients in finished dosage-form products such as Cernilton® and Cernitol® sold globally through pharmacy and medical provider channels.
Is ab cernelle a public or private company?
ab cernelle is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was ab cernelle founded?
ab cernelle was founded in 1953.
Where is ab cernelle based?
ab cernelle is headquartered in Ängelholm, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does ab cernelle make money?
One revenue line is on record: pharmaceutical Products Sales.
Who are ab cernelle's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Rottapharm Biotech, Apogepha Arzneimittel, Strathmann AG and Pierre Fabre. Broad incumbents are GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, Astellas Pharma, HEXAL (Sandoz) and Boehringer Ingelheim. IDI Farmaceutici is listed as a regional player.
Does ab cernelle have an API?
No public API is recorded for ab cernelle.
What industry is ab cernelle in?
ab cernelle's product category is Urological Pharmaceuticals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIACAH, Nephrology & Urology Specialty Pharmaceuticals. Its NAICS code is 325411 and its SIC code is 2834.