Elkedonia secures €11M to develop neuroplastogens for depression therapy

STRASBURG, France and CHARLEROI, Belgium, June 11, 2025 — Elkedonia SAS, an innovative company focused on neuroplastogen approaches for treating depression and other neuropsychiatric conditions, has successfully raised EUR 11.25 million in a Seed funding round. This round was co-led by Kurma Partners, WE Life Sciences, and the French Tech Seed fund, managed by Bpifrance under the France 2030 initiative. Additional support came from Argobio, Angelini Ventures, CARMA Fund, Capital Grand Est, and Sambrinvest. Based in Strasbourg, France, with an affiliate in Charleroi, Belgium, Elkedonia is uniting various stakeholders from across the European health innovation ecosystem.

Founded by Argobio, an international startup studio dedicated to fostering translational research with disruptive therapeutic potential, Elkedonia harnesses pioneering research led by Dr. Jocelyne Caboche, Director of Research at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) at Sorbonne University. The research focuses on Elk1, an intracellular target crucial for reward brain circuits and neuroplasticity, which are often disrupted in conditions like depression, PTSD, and addiction. These disruptions can transform these conditions into chronic issues.

Factors such as trauma, chronic stress, and substance abuse contribute to major depressive disorders and anhedonia, which are linked to impaired neuroplasticity. Elkedonia is developing a neuroplastogen to restore neuroplasticity without the side effects associated with psychedelics or ketamine derivatives. Preliminary studies have shown that inhibiting Elk1 can be a therapeutic lever for depression, offering rapid relief without the common side effects of sedation, dependence, or hallucinations seen in current antidepressant treatments.

Delphine Charvin, CEO and Co-Founder of Elkedonia, expressed excitement about the funding, highlighting the novelty of their neuroplastogen approach. "Our method provides a strong value proposition, supported by groundbreaking neuroscience research, that can significantly impact the treatment of major depressive disorders," she stated. Charvin emphasized the development of biomarkers to advance precision medicine for patient selection and monitoring treatment efficacy.

Thierry Laugel, Chairman of Argobio's Management Board and Managing Partner at Kurma Partners, noted that the potential of Elkedonia represents a milestone for Argobio, demonstrating the studio’s commitment to advancing human health through innovative therapies. "This seed investment is a crucial opportunity for Kurma Biofund IV, reinforcing our strategy to support globally competitive companies in Europe," Laugel commented.

Valentin Tonnel, Investment Director at WE Life Sciences, reiterated their commitment to pioneering health innovations by collaborating with leading European life sciences investors. "By supporting Elkedonia, we are fostering growth in Wallonia, Belgium, now recognized for its excellence in health and biotechnology," he explained.

Jean-François Morin, Investment Director of Life Sciences at Bpifrance, emphasized the importance of supporting foundational research from CNRS at Sorbonne University. "This investment highlights our commitment to advancing solutions for mental health, a priority for France," Morin stated.

The funds from this Seed financing will be used to identify and optimize small molecule inhibitors of Elk1, and for biomarker research and validation efforts, supporting a precision-based therapeutic strategy.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a rapidly growing health crisis globally, affecting around 25 million individuals each in the United States and Europe, and 300 million people worldwide. MDD is associated with a high risk of suicide and often leads to treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in patients unresponsive to existing therapies. Elkedonia aims to address these unmet needs with innovative and effective solutions for this debilitating condition.