Ra Pharmaceuticals
Ra Pharmaceuticals is a Cambridge, MA-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing Cyclomimetics, a proprietary drug class that combines antibody-like target specificity with small-molecule pharmacological properties for patients with serious neurological, autoimmune, and complement-mediated diseases.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersCambridge, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Ra Pharmaceuticals does
Ra Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2008 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company's strategic focus is the development of "Cyclomimetics," a proprietary drug class it describes as combining the target specificity and selectivity typical of antibodies with the pharmacological properties of small molecules — positioned primarily for serious neurological, autoimmune, or complement-mediated diseases where such a profile is therapeutically valuable. Cyclomimetics function as macrocyclic peptides with engineered conformational and pharmacokinetic features designed to address targets that have historically been difficult to drug with either biologics or conventional small molecules.
From a capitalization standpoint, the company operated as a NASDAQ-listed entity under ticker RARX, raising approximately $226.9M across four disclosed funding rounds between 2010 and 2019, anchored by New Enterprise Associates (2010), and broadened through a 2015 Series 2 syndicate led by RA Capital Management with participation from Amgen Ventures, Lightstone Ventures, Limulus Venture Partners, Morgenthaler Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund, Novo Ventures, and Rock Springs Capital. A $149.5M financing in July 2019 represented the company's largest capital event. The firmographic record shows the entity is now delisted, and the data aggregation includes the full corporate website of UCB — a large biopharmaceutical company focused on neurological and autoimmune conditions — consistent with Ra Pharma having been consolidated into a larger commercial-stage owner rather than continuing as an independent operator.
The company employed 51–100 people at the time of its operating independence. No commercial products, pricing, customer segments, partnerships beyond investor syndicates, or revenue figures are disclosed in the source set; the business model during the disclosed period was consistent with a pre-commercial R&D enterprise monetizing future value through clinical development, licensing, or corporate transaction rather than product sales.
Ra Pharmaceuticals firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ra Pharmaceuticals
- Website
- https://rapharma.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Ra Pharmaceuticals is a Cambridge, MA-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing Cyclomimetics, a proprietary drug class that combines antibody-like target specificity with small-molecule pharmacological properties for patients with serious neurological, autoimmune, and complement-mediated diseases.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ra Pharmaceuticals industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Complement Therapeutics
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Therapeutic Peptides & Protein/Peptide Biologics (HLAAAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Protein Interaction & Structural Biology Platforms (cryo-EM, X-ray, NMR, biophysics) (HLAAAIAH), Neurology & CNS Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAC)
Keywords
Where Ra Pharmaceuticals is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Ra Pharmaceuticals business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Ra Pharmaceuticals product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ra Pharmaceuticals develops Cyclomimetics, a new class of synthetic cyclic peptides designed to combine the binding specificity of antibodies with the pharmacological properties of small molecules, including oral bioavailability and improved tissue penetration. The platform targets complement-mediated diseases and is positioned as an alternative to traditional monoclonal antibody therapeutics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Ra Pharmaceuticals
Customer profileIdeal customer profiles1 record
Ra Pharmaceuticals technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ra Pharmaceuticals partnerships and signals
Strategic signalRecent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Ra Pharmaceuticals competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Alexion Pharmaceuticals: Pioneer in complement inhibition (Soliris/Ultomiris) and acquired by AstraZeneca; directly comparable to Ra Pharma's complement-focused pipeline and rare-disease neurology/immunology focus.
- Apellis Pharmaceuticals: Develops complement-targeted therapeutics (e.g., Empaveli/Aspaveli for PNH) using a different chemistry platform; directly comparable in therapeutic area and clinical development stage.
- ChemoCentryx: Focused on complement and chemoattractant receptor therapeutics; acquired by Amgen for its rare-disease complement asset (Tavneos), mirroring Ra Pharma's complement-inhibitor strategy and acquisition outcome.
Broad incumbents
- BioMarin Pharmaceutical: Established rare-disease biopharma with biologics for genetic conditions; comparable as a commercial-stage biologics company operating in adjacent rare-disease/immunology space.
- Alnylam Pharmaceuticals: Leader in RNA-based biologics; comparable as a Cambridge-based biotech that developed a novel biologic modality and scaled it into commercial rare-disease products.
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Major commercial-stage biopharma with rare-disease franchises including complement/aprology programs; comparable in commercial rare-disease biologics scale and focus.
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals: Develops antisense-based biologic therapeutics for rare and serious diseases; comparable in modality (synthetic biologics) and rare-disease commercial development.
Emerging players
- Arcturus Therapeutics: Develops novel RNA and peptide-based therapeutics including rare-disease programs; comparable in novel synthetic biologic modality approach and clinical stage.
- Wave Life Sciences: Clinical-stage biotech developing nucleic-acid and related novel biologics for rare genetic diseases; comparable in novel-modality biologics approach and clinical-stage profile.
Others
- UCB: Global biopharmaceutical leader focused on neurology and immunology that acquired Ra Pharma; included as a direct commercial-stage operator and acquirer of the subject company's assets.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Ra Pharmaceuticals social profiles
Digital presenceRa Pharmaceuticals financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ra Pharmaceuticals leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Ra Pharmaceuticals funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors9 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ra Pharmaceuticals M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ra Pharmaceuticals
What does Ra Pharmaceuticals do?
Ra Pharmaceuticals develops Cyclomimetics, a new class of synthetic cyclic peptides designed to combine the binding specificity of antibodies with the pharmacological properties of small molecules, including oral bioavailability and improved tissue penetration. The platform targets complement-mediated diseases and is positioned as an alternative to traditional monoclonal antibody therapeutics.
When was Ra Pharmaceuticals founded?
Ra Pharmaceuticals was founded in 2008. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Ra Pharmaceuticals based?
Ra Pharmaceuticals is headquartered in Cambridge, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Ra Pharmaceuticals's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Apellis Pharmaceuticals and ChemoCentryx. Broad incumbents are BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Ionis Pharmaceuticals. Emerging players are Arcturus Therapeutics and Wave Life Sciences. UCB is listed as an others.
Does Ra Pharmaceuticals have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ra Pharmaceuticals.
What industry is Ra Pharmaceuticals in?
Ra Pharmaceuticals's product category is Complement Therapeutics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAAAH, Therapeutic Peptides & Protein/Peptide Biologics, with a secondary code of HLAAAIAH, Protein Interaction & Structural Biology Platforms (cryo-EM, X-ray, NMR, biophysics). Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2834.