Vanessa Carle PhD
Principal
Starting a new era in rheumatoid arthritis treatment.
Elevara Medicines was founded to address a fundamental problem in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) where patients fail to achieve disease remission through immune-targeted approaches.
Proliferation and activation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) is a central part of RA pathobiology and research over the last 20 years has shown these cells are direct contributors to the disease rather than innocent bystanders. By specifically targeting these cells, Elevara Medicines aims to break the efficacy ceiling patients experience with existing immunosuppressive drugs.
Industry
Biotech
Year Invested
2025
Status
Current
Location
UK
What attracted me to Elevara is the opportunity to challenge the current paradigm in chronic inflammatory disease through truly differentiated science. Our lead programme, ELV-001, is a first-in-class oral CDK4/6 inhibitor designed to target the stromal cellular arm of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) — a previously untargeted component of disease biology — rather than the immune pathways addressed by existing therapies. By addressing a fundamentally different driver of disease, ELV-001 has the potential to offer a new approach for patients who remain underserved by current treatment options."Mai-Britt Zocca, PhD, MSc
CEO
$70 million
Series A financing
Forbion team
Gijs van den Brink MD, PhD
Operating Partner
Roberto Hofmann PhD
Senior Analyst
Gilles van Tienderen PhD
Senior Associate