Developing non-opioid medicines for diabetic nerve pain
Diabetes can damage nerves, particularly in the legs and feet, causing burning, tingling and sharp pain. Symptoms often worsen at night and can disrupt sleep and daily activities. Some people have mild symptoms, while others experience painful, disabling nerve damage.
Akasi Pharma is developing non-opioid peptide medicines for diabetic nerve pain, inspired by marine cone snails. Its lead candidate, AP-1001, activates the somatostatin receptor SSTR4 and is in preclinical development for peripheral neuropathic pain.
What stands out about Akasi Pharma
Signed a licensing agreement to develop its invention for diabetes-related nerve pain independently of the university.
Secured financing from the BioInnovation Institute through a convertible loan note for its early-stage pain-drug programme.
Established the Eurostars-funded NO-PNP project with NovoArc and IVRS around its lead pain-drug candidate, AP-1001.
The founding team won the Nordic Innovation Fair Pitch Award in 2024, before the company's establishment in 2025.
Participated in Nucleate Denmark's Activator programme, receiving founder resources and peer support.
Founders Walden Bjørn-Yoshimoto and Helena Safavi bring doctoral research expertise in neuropharmacology, GPCRs and venom-derived peptides.
Spun out of University of Copenhagen research on cone-snail-inspired peptides for non-opioid treatment of diabetic nerve pain.
Founder Walden Bjørn-Yoshimoto undertook research at Harvard Medical School during his Copenhagen doctorate in pharmaceutical sciences.
Won panel and audience awards at Nucleate Denmark’s 2025 Activator, as reported in founder Walden Bjørn-Yoshimoto’s biography.
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