Cerevel Therapeutics

Cerevel Therapeutics Holdings, Inc. is a biotechnology and pharmaceuticals company focused on the development of novel therapies for mental and neurological illnesses. Cerevel was established in October 2018, and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The company was formed in a collaboration between pharmaceuticals company Pfizer and private equity firm Bain Capital.

In December 2023, AbbVie, an American pharmaceutical company, announced its intention to acquire Cerevel for US$8.7 billion.

Pipeline
Cerevel uses novel approaches and technologies to develop its own drugs and treatment therapies. Its pipeline contains an array of drugs and therapies treating a range of conditions including Schizophrenia, Parkinson's, Epilepsy, mood disorders, and more.

Notable Cerevel drugs and treatments at varying stages of development include:


 * Tavapadon (Parkinson's)
 * Emraclidine (Schizophrenia, Alzheimer's)
 * Darigabat (Epilepsy)
 * CVL-871 (Dementia, Apathy)
 * CVL-354 (Major depressive and Substance-related disorders)

Approach to Treatment
Cerevel's tagline mission statement is to "unravel the mysteries of the brain" to treat neurological disease. Scientifically, its approach to therapy development focuses on understanding the wiring of the brain, pursuing novel targets, and addressing specific receptor sub-types.

The company has stated its approach to neurotherapy development can be viewed through three key lenses:


 * "Targeted Neurocircuitry:" Development of treatment opportunities by precisely identifying and targeting the neurocircuitry that underlies a given neurological disease.
 * "Receptor subtype selectivity:" Selective targeting of only the relevant receptor subtype(s) related to the physiology of the disease being treated. This has the impact of minimizing undesired off-target and side effects, while maximizing activity.
 * "Differentiated pharmacology:" The design of full and partial agonists, antagonists and allosteric modulators that can precisely fine-tune the receptor pharmacology and neurocircuit activity, without over-activation or over-suppression of the endogenous physiologic range.