Elevara Raises $70M to Advance Novel Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Targeting Synovial Fibroblasts
Elevara Medicines has raised $70 million in a Series A round co-led by Forbion and Sofinnova Partners, with participation from Monograph Capital and Weatherden24.
The funds will advance its lead candidate, ELV001, into a Phase 2 clinical trial in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who have not responded adequately to standard treatments (methotrexate and TNF inhibitors)24.
ELV001 is a first-in-class oral CDK4/6 inhibitor licensed from Japan's Teijin Pharma, designed to selectively target synovial fibroblasts—key drivers of joint inflammation and damage in RA—without broadly suppressing the immune system45.
The upcoming Phase 2 trial, called START-SYNERGY, is expected to enroll around 180 RA patients with inadequate response to current standard care, with recruitment beginning before the end of 202534.
Phase 1b studies of ELV001 demonstrated good safety and tolerability, along with early signs of clinical efficacy, supporting the potential for combination with immune-targeted therapies45.
Elevara aims to significantly disrupt RA treatment by pursuing clinical remission in patients who have exhausted immune-targeted options, with ambitions to expand into other chronic inflammatory conditions and women's health24.
The company’s approach is distinctive in focusing on non-immunosuppressive mechanisms, offering potential synergy with existing disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)5.
Sources:
2. https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/elevara-medicines-raises-70-million-series-a-to-advance-phase-2-rheumatoid-arthritis-trial-and-expand-pipeline
3. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/10/22/3170818/0/en/Elevara-Medicines-Raises-70-Million-Series-A-to-Advance-Phase-2-Rheumatoid-Arthritis-Trial-and-Expand-Pipeline.html
4. https://www.elevara.com/press-releases/22Oct25%20Elevara%20Launch%20and%20Series%20A%20raise.pdf