Elkedonia, a new Franco-Belgian biotech company, has successfully raised €11.25 million in a seed funding round to advance its innovative treatment for depression that is resistant to existing therapies. The financing was led by Kurma Partners, WE Life Sciences, and the French Tech Seed Fund, with participation from several other investors. Elkedonia is developing a groundbreaking neuroplastogen therapy that targets the Elk1 protein, crucial for brain plasticity and linked to depression and other mental health disorders. Unlike current treatments, Elkedonia’s approach aims to restore neuroplasticity without side effects such as hallucinations or sedation. The company plans to use the funds to optimize Elk1 inhibitors and develop biomarkers for precision medicine, addressing a significant need in mental health treatment. Elkedonia’s initiative is particularly relevant as major depressive disorder affects millions worldwide, with many patients not responding to available treatments.