Circular RNA Platform Boosts Gene Therapy Expression

Circio Holding announces, it is presenting new and confirmatory in vivo data for its circVec-AAV expression platform. The in vivo results show, for the first time, up to 50-fold enhanced AAV-circVec expression in the eye compared to conventional mRNA-based AAVs. These results open ophthalmology as a promising avenue for development of circVec based gene therapy.

Circio management provided an overview of the new circVec results and a financial update in a live webcast at CET, in February 2026. CTO Dr. Thomas B Hansen presented a summary of recently completed experiments testing AAV gene therapy enhanced by the latest generation 3.2 and 4.0 designs of Circio’s circular-RNA expression platform circVec in heart and eye. 

Local delivery of AAV-circVec 4.0 to the eye achieves the strongest improvement vs. mRNA-based AAV to date, with up to 50-fold increased gene expression observed in vivo. Importantly, the data also demonstrate that AAV-circVec still can outperform a conventional AAV by 10-fold when delivered at a 90% reduced dose level. 

Increasing industry interest is one of the reasons Circio has selected eye disease (ophtamology) as another area of development, as evidenced by several recent strategic transactions by major pharma companies and specialist investors. The circVec platform offers a novel circular RNA-based gene expression system that has the potential to substantially increase the potency, reduce toxicity and lower cost for AAV-based therapeutics targeting genetic and degenerative eye diseases with high unmet medical need. 

In parallel, Circio has continued to build the AAV-circVec 3.2/4.0 data package in heart. The previously reported 40-fold gene expression increase has been reproduced in new experiments, and molecular analyses of ex vivo tissue samples demonstrate that 80% of heart cells are positive for circVec expression following systemic AAV delivery at low doses. Moreover, RNA and AAV DNA copy number quantification confirm, as expected, that the circVec expression advantage is directly caused by the increased durability of circular RNA vs. mRNA, which validates the main scientific rationale underpinning the circVec platform.

“Circio is undertaking broad characterization and optimization of the circVec technology, and the strong AAV gene expression performance in heart has now been exceeded by in vivo data in eye,” said Dr. Thomas B Hansen, CTO of Circio. “The expanding data package clearly demonstrates the potential of the circVec platform to improve efficacy, safety, and accessibility of AAV gene therapy. Next, our focus will be to apply these promising technical findings in disease-relevant contexts, with the aim to develop therapeutic AAV-circVec constructs to treat heart and eye disease with high unmet medical needs.”

Earlier in Q1 2026, Circio completed a financing, first announced in December 2025, raising a total of NOK 68.6 million (approx. USD 7 million) in a 50% oversubscribed rights issue and parallel private placements. The transactions will provide Circio with the required capital to accelerate circVec R&D activities over the next twelve months. An associated warrant structure with exercise in June 2026 can bring in additional capital and extend the financing runway well into the second half of 2027.   

“The robust technological foundation, unique expertise and strong in vivo data, combined with the recently announced R&D collaboration with a global pharma company, were key elements to achieve a highly successful fundraising,” said Dr. Erik Digman Wiklund, CEO of Circio.  “With strong support from existing shareholders, we were able to raise substantially more funds than originally targeted. The capital infusion will enable Circio to expand the R&D team in Stockholm, accelerate circVec platform development and deliver important scientific milestones to generate new business development opportunities and support Circio´s continued growth.”

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