CARRA

What CARRA does

CARRA (Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit collaborative research network founded in 2002 that unites pediatric rheumatologists, researchers, patients, and families across North America. The organization operates as a multi-stakeholder platform anchored by the CARRA Registry & Biorepository — the largest ongoing observational registry for pediatric rheumatic diseases in North America, with 14,000–16,000 enrolled patients across 70+ clinical sites — and a portfolio of 13 Consensus Treatment Plans (CTPs) spanning 9 rheumatic conditions that standardize care and enable comparative effectiveness research. Its core deliverables also include 50+ disease-specific workgroups, career development programs (AMIGO, PREIM), and patient/family engagement mechanisms that integrate lived experience into research design.

The organization serves four primary stakeholder groups: pediatric rheumatologists and healthcare professionals (paid membership $150/yr for physicians), patients and families (free membership), pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies (corporate partnership program at $300/yr individual associate level, with institutional sponsors including AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cabaletta Bio, Johnson & Johnson, and SOBI), and nonprofit/government organizations. Revenue is generated through tiered membership dues, corporate partnerships, individual donations, and research grants — notably over $8.1 million from the Arthritis Foundation partnership since 2016 ($1.6M in 2024 alone) and PCORI/NIH grants supporting projects like SMART-JIA. The network encompasses approximately 90% of pediatric rheumatologists in North America across 120+ institutions, and the organization actively convenes the FDA and EMA on pediatric drug development harmonization.

CARRA's operating model is community-led and event-driven, anchored by its Annual Scientific Meeting (the largest pediatric rheumatology gathering in North America), ACR Convergence events, and ongoing digital engagement through The CARRA Podcast, member spotlights, and a membership portal. The organization maintains offices in Washington, DC and St. Louis, MO, and holds a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid/GuideStar and a 4-star Charity Navigator rating.

Name

CARRA

Legal name

Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance

Website

https://carragroup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CARRA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research network uniting pediatric rheumatologists, researchers, patients, and families across 120+ North American institutions. It operates the largest pediatric rheumatic disease registry (14,000+ patients) and standardized treatment plans serving clinicians, pharma partners, and grant funders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Rheumatology Research Network

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Investigator & Site Training / GCP Support (HLAGACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) & Teaching Hospitals (HLAFAAAA), Clinical Quality Assurance (GCP QA, TMF/QMS oversight) (HLAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Pediatric rheumatology research
• Clinical research network
• Patient registry biorepository
• Consensus treatment plans
• Rare disease research

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: CARRA generates revenue through tiered membership dues. Physician and Pediatric Rheumatology Investigator Members pay $150 annually. Business and Industry Associate Members pay $300 annually. Nonprofit/Government Associate Members pay $100 annually. Patients, caregivers, trainees, and research/healthcare professional members receive free memberships.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies partner with CARRA through corporate membership programs. Current corporate partners include AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cabaletta Bio, Johnson & Johnson, and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (SOBI). These partnerships drive innovation, improve standards of care, support the pediatric rheumatologist ecosystem, and accelerate treatment options.
3. Donations: CARRA accepts donations from individuals, foundations, and organizations. The organization maintains a Donor Bill of Rights and privacy policy for contributors. Donations support pediatric rheumatology research, career development awards, and organizational operations.
4. Research Grants: CARRA receives grant funding from organizations such as the Arthritis Foundation and NIH. The CARRA-Arthritis Foundation partnership has provided over $8.1 million in funding for pediatric rheumatic and related autoimmune disease research since 2016, with $1.6 million awarded in 2024.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CARRA operates a collaborative pediatric rheumatology research network providing the CARRA Registry & Biorepository (the largest observational multi-center registry in North America with 14,000+ patients at 70 sites), standardized Consensus Treatment Plans across nine rheumatic conditions, membership programs for physicians, researchers, patients and families, and corporate and grant-funded research partnerships. It convenes stakeholders across clinical, academic, regulatory, and industry domains to drive collaborative clinical and translational research in rare pediatric rheumatic diseases.

Product overview

CARRA (Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance) is a collaborative research network founded in 2002, not a commercial software company. Its core offerings center on clinical research infrastructure: the CARRA Registry & Biorepository (the largest pediatric rheumatic disease registry in North America with 14,000+ patients), Consensus Treatment Plans (standardized treatment frameworks for 9 conditions), The CARRA Podcast for education and advocacy, membership programs for various stakeholder types, and grant programs for researchers. These products function together as an integrated research ecosystem enabling multi-center clinical studies, comparative effectiveness research, and patient engagement in pediatric rheumatology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CARRA Registry & Biorepository The largest ongoing observational multi-center registry in North America for pediatric rheumatic diseases, currently enrolling more than 14,000 patients at 70 sites. Collects clinical and patient-reported data and serves as a biosample repository for select translational studies. Available to researchers and industry partners through data access and research collaboration agreements.
• Grant Programs (CARRA-Arthritis Foundation Career Development Awards) Research grant programs funding pediatric rheumatology researchers, including Career Development Awards jointly administered with the Arthritis Foundation. Over $8.1 million has been awarded through the CARRA-Arthritis Foundation partnership since 2016, with $1.6 million awarded in 2024. Available to pediatric rheumatology researchers and investigators.
• CARRA Membership Program Tiered membership program offering multiple membership types: Physician and Pediatric Rheumatology Investigator Member ($150/year), Research and Health Care Professional Member (free), Trainee Member (free), Patient & Caregiver Member (free), Nonprofit/Government Associate Member ($100/year), and Business and Industry Associate Member ($300/year). Members gain access to research committees, workgroups, surveys, elections, grants, and career development opportunities.
• Corporate Partnership Program Partnership program for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies offering access to CARRA Registry data, patient engagement, FDA collaboration, networking at scientific meetings, and research collaboration opportunities. Current corporate partners include AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cabaletta Bio, Johnson & Johnson, and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (SOBI).
• AMIGO Mentoring Program Pediatric rheumatology mentoring program jointly developed with the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) in 2011 to support career development of fellows in training and junior faculty through educational services, networking, and mentorship opportunities.
• CARRA Annual Scientific Meeting Annual in-person scientific meeting providing presentations, committee meetings, networking, community awards, and professional development opportunities. It is the largest gathering in North America for the field of pediatric rheumatology.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 800 members at 120+ institutions conducting collaborative research
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AstraZenecacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAstraZeneca is a corporate partner supporting CARRA's mission to accelerate pediatric rheumatology research. The partnership contributes to innovation in immune-mediated diseases and treatment pathways to change the course of disease in children.
• Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBristol-Myers Squibb is a corporate partner of CARRA, supporting collaborative efforts to improve standards of care and accelerate treatment options for pediatric rheumatic diseases.
• Cabaletta BiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCabaletta Bio is a corporate partner of CARRA, contributing to the ecosystem of pediatric rheumatology research and patient care improvement.
• Johnson & JohnsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJohnson & Johnson is a corporate partner supporting CARRA's efforts to enable earlier, more effective interventions and improve quality of life for children with rheumatic diseases.
• Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (SOBI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOBI is a corporate partner of CARRA, contributing to research initiatives and supporting the development of treatments for rare pediatric rheumatic diseases.
• Lupus and Allied Diseases Association (LADA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLADA and CARRA have a research partnership and shared commitment to advancing childhood lupus research, from discoveries that could pave the way for targeted therapies to new approaches to managing lupus. They collaborate on the CARRA-LADA Neuropsychiatric Lupus (NPSLE) Taskforce.
• FDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARRA leads a collaborative initiative to convene the FDA and other stakeholders to accelerate treatment development by identifying and addressing major barriers to pediatric drug development. The organization provides thought leadership on de-risking clinical trials through FDA and EMA harmonization.
• Pediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration on pediatric rheumatology research. CARRA is collaborating with PReS on the SMART-JIA project (funded by PCORI) and the PETALS study to enroll patients from all over the world to answer questions about how to treat JIA optimally.
• Pediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organization (PRINTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational collaboration on pediatric rheumatology research. CARRA collaborates with PRINTO as part of the SMART-JIA PCORI-funded project to conduct global research on juvenile idiopathic arthritis treatment.
• International Society of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases (ISSAID)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational society focused on autoinflammatory diseases. Dr. Sivia Lapidus envisions expanding partnerships with ISSAID to expand research capabilities in rare diseases with limited resources.
• Translational Autoinflammatory Research Network (TARN)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork focused on translational research in autoinflammatory diseases. Dr. Sivia Lapidus hopes to expand partnerships with TARN to advance research capabilities in rare diseases.
• American College of Rheumatology (ACR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACR and CARRA jointly developed the AMIGO mentoring program in 2011 to support career development of fellows in training and junior faculty in pediatric rheumatology via educational services, networking, and mentorship.
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Mariana Correia Marques works as a Lawrence Shulman Scholar in Translational Research at NIAMS, conducting research on autoinflammation and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis with CARRA collaboration.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS): European counterpart pediatric rheumatology professional society and research network. Directly comparable to CARRA as a multi-site collaborative research body driving pediatric rheumatic disease studies; already collaborating with CARRA on SMART-JIA.
• Pediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organization (PRINTO): International network coordinating multi-center pediatric rheumatology clinical trials. Shares CARRA's operational model of investigator-led, multi-country trial infrastructure and is a current CARRA partner on the SMART-JIA PCORI-funded project.
• Pediatric Trials Network (PTN): NIH-funded multi-site network conducting pediatric clinical pharmacology trials across therapeutic areas. Operates the same site-network and GCP-support model as CARRA and targets the same FDA/EMA regulatory pathways for pediatric drug development.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Oncology Group (COG): NCI-supported multi-institutional clinical trials group for pediatric cancer. The closest analog to CARRA in scope and scale — a Site Management Organization-like consortium for a different pediatric subspecialty, demonstrating the SMO-style model CARRA operates.
• American College of Rheumatology (ACR): Largest US professional society for rheumatology. Comparable as a rheumatology research and education convener; partnered with CARRA on the AMIGO mentoring program and a key stakeholder in CARRA's annual conference ecosystem.
• Pediatric Heart Network (PHN): NHLBI-funded multi-center clinical research network for pediatric cardiovascular disease. Comparable as a multi-site pediatric subspecialty research consortium that conducts registries, trials, and training analogous to CARRA.

Others

• Arthritis Foundation: Major US patient advocacy and research funder for arthritis. Comparable as the principal nonprofit funding partner of CARRA (>$8.1M since 2016) and a shared patient-engagement stakeholder, though its mission is broader (all arthritis, not pediatric-specific).
• Lupus and Allied Diseases Association (LADA): US-based lupus advocacy organization with active research partnership with CARRA (NPSLE Taskforce). Comparable as a patient advocacy partner operating in CARRA's pediatric lupus research orbit.

Regional players

• Cure JM Foundation: US-based nonprofit focused on juvenile myositis research and family support. Comparable as a disease-specific pediatric rheumatic patient advocacy and research funder, overlapping with CARRA's juvenile dermatomyositis work but narrower in scope.

Emerging players

• International Society of Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases (ISSAID): International scientific society focused on systemic autoinflammatory diseases. A current emerging CARRA partner; shares CARRA's research-and-education orientation in an adjacent pediatric rheumatology subspecialty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/carrainc
• Facebookfacebook.com/carrainc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/childhood-arthritis-and-rheumatology-research-alliance

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about CARRA