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Elkedonia will develop first-in-class Elk1 inhibitors for treatment-resistant depression, targeting neuroplasticity without psychedelic side effects.
A new Franco-Belgian biotech venture, Elkedonia, has raised €11.25 million (US$12.9 million) in an oversubscribed seed round to advance a novel therapeutic approach targeting treatment-resistant depression (1). The financing round was co-led by Kurma Partners, WE Life Sciences, and the French Tech Seed Fund managed by Bpifrance, on behalf of the French government, under the France 2030 initiative. Additional participants included Argobio, Angelini Ventures, CARMA Fund, Capital Grand Est, and Sambrinvest.
The company is developing a first-in-class neuroplastogen based on pioneering academic research that aims to restore neuroplasticity without the drawbacks of current treatments like psychedelics or ketamine derivatives (1). This effort targets the intracellular protein Elk1, a central modulator of brain circuits involved in reward and emotional regulation. The approach stems directly from translational work conducted at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) at Sorbonne University.
·European biotech startup Elkedonia secures €11.25M (US$12.9M) in seed funding, integrating Sorbonne University research with Argobio’s drug development expertise.
·Novel Elk1-targeting antidepressants aim to restore neuroplasticity without sedation or hallucinations, addressing treatment-resistant depression.
·Elkedonia develops first-in-class, non-addictive neuroplastogens that avoid synaptic targets, offering a safer alternative to ketamine-based therapies.
Elkedonia was founded by Argobio, a biotech venture studio focused on translational science, and is built on research led by Jocelyne Caboche, PhD, director of research at CNRS. Her studies have identified Elk1 as a key regulatory protein in brain plasticity, disruptions of which are implicated in depression, PTSD, addiction, and anhedonia (2).
“Trauma, chronic stress, substance abuse and other factors can contribute to major depressive disorders and anhedonia (the inability to experience pleasure), driven by an impaired neuroplasticity,” the company stated (1). “This disruption in the brain’s ability to adapt leads to a breakdown in its normal functioning.”
Elkedonia’s therapeutic platform seeks to inhibit Elk1, restoring neural adaptability without inducing hallucinations, sedation, or dependence. The company points to encouraging findings from preclinical and early clinical research, suggesting that targeting Elk1 may offer rapid antidepressant effects, in contrast to the delayed onset of conventional treatments.
Proceeds from the seed financing will support the optimization of small-molecule Elk1 inhibitors and the development of companion biomarkers (1). These efforts are central to Elkedonia’s strategy to deliver precision medicine in mental health, matching therapies to patient subtypes and tracking treatment response with objective measures.
“I am thrilled to welcome our founding seed investors and thank my colleagues at Argobio for their support in creating Elkedonia,” said Delphine Charvin, CEO and co-founder of Elkedonia (1). “The novelty of our neuroplastogen approach offers a strong value proposition supported by groundbreaking neuroscience research. We are positioned to make a significant impact on the treatment of major depressive disorders, bringing relief to all patients, including young people, adolescents and the elderly. In addition, our development of biomarkers will allow us to pursue a precision medicine for patient selection and treatment efficacy monitoring.”
The company’s focus on treatment-resistant depression addresses a growing and underserved population. Globally, major depressive disorder affects approximately 280 million people, with many patients failing to respond to existing therapies (3). This public health burden is particularly severe among adolescents and young adults, where depression-related suicide is a leading cause of death.
“Major depressive disorder is a large market of 300 million people globally that remains poorly addressed, with roughly one third of patients resistant to currently available treatments,” said Thierry Laugel, chairman of the management board of Argobio and managing partner at Kurma Partners. “Elkedonia serves as a first proof-of-concept for Argobio where we are extremely proud to have identified this opportunity to benefit human health and to have provided industry competencies to accelerate and de-risk product development.”
Adding to these sentiments, Valentin Tonnel, investment director at WE Life Sciences, said, “Investing in Elkedonia demonstrates WE Life Sciences' commitment to advancing the best cutting-edge innovations through collaboration with top-tier European life sciences investors. We are proud to support the realization of this promising innovation from Argobio, while fostering its growth in Wallonia, Belgium, a region increasingly recognized for its excellence in health and biotechnology.”
“Bpifrance, as a founding investor of Argobio, is delighted to support the seed round of this promising new venture,” said Jean-François Morin, investment director Life Sciences at Bpifrance. “We are thrilled to develop the foundational research that comes from CNRS at Sorbonne University. This investment underscores our commitment to advancing mental health solutions, which is currently a priority for France.”
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