ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.

History

Year	Detail
1993	Receptor Technologies was founded by Mark Brann, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Vermont. The company starts by working with major pharmaceutical companies to perform high-throughput screening based on its proprietary functional genomics platform, R-SAT.
1997	The company's name changed from Receptor Technologies to Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc., and its headquarters moved from Winooski, Vermont, to the biotech hub of San Diego, California. Medicinal chemistry operations are established in Copenhagen, Denmark, and supported by Danish investors, and Acadia establishes its first of several drug discovery and development collaborations with Allergan.
1999	Acadia scientists started a project to discover new non-dopaminergic antipsychotic agents selectively acting as inverse agonists on the 5-HT2A receptor.
2001	Pimavanserin was first synthesized by an Acadia chemist working at Acadia’s Copenhagen facility.
2006	The company has reported positive Phase 2 data for pimavanserin in patients with Parkinson’s disease psychosis.
2007	Acadia reports positive Phase 2 data for pimavanserin as a co-therapy for patients with schizophrenia.
2009	Collaborated with Biovail to develop and commercialize pimavanserin in North America.
2010	The company has initiated a pivotal Phase 3 efficacy, tolerability and safety study with pimavanserin in patients with Parkinson’s disease psychosis. Acadia regains full worldwide rights to pimavanserin following the conclusion of its collaboration with Biovail.
2012	Acadia reports positive Phase 3 data for pimavanserin in patients with Parkinson’s disease psychosis.
2014	Acadia receives FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation for NUPLAZID (pimavanserin) for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson’s disease psychosis.
2015	New Drug Application (NDA) for NUPLAZID (pimavanserin) for the Treatment of Hallucinations and Delusions Associated with Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis Accepted and Granted Priority Review by the FDA.
2016	FDA Approves NUPLAZID (pimavanserin) for the Treatment of Hallucinations and Delusions Associated with Parkinson’s Disease Psychosis. Acadia initiates ENHANCE Phase 3 trial with pimavanserin as an adjunctive treatment for schizophrenia with inadequate response to current antipsychotic treatment.
2018	Acadia signs exclusive North American license agreement for the development and commercialization of trofinetide for Rett syndrome. FDA approves new dosing formulation and strength for NUPLAZID (pimavanserin).
2019	Acadia initiates Phase 3 pivotal study of trofinetide in Rett syndrome, a rare neurodevelopment CNS disorder.
2020	Acadia acquires CerSci Therapeutics, adding novel pain program to the portfolio. Acadia and Neuren Pharmaceuticals announce rare pediatric disease designation for trofinetide for the treatment of Rett syndrome. Acadia and Vanderbilt University announce an exclusive license agreement and research collaboration to develop and commercialize novel drug candidates targeting the muscarinic M1 receptor with the potential to treat a range of central nervous system disorders.
2022	Collaborated with Stoke Therapeutics to pursue multiple RNA-based treatments for severe and rare genetic neurodevelopmental diseases.
2023	FDA Approves DAYBUE (trofinetide) for the Treatment of Rett Syndrome in Adults and Pediatric Patients Two Years of Age and Older.