What CiRC Biosciences does

CiRC Biosciences is a private, preclinical regenerative medicine company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 2019 as a portfolio company of Paragon Biosciences. The company develops cellular reprogramming therapies intended to replace cells lost to degenerative disease, initially focusing on neurological and ophthalmological conditions including Parkinson's disease (CBS-103), refractory epilepsy (CBS-104), treatment-resistant narcolepsy (CBS-105), and retinitis pigmentosa (CBS-101). The company was founded by Sai Chavala, with leadership including Interim CEO Cole Ikkala (also VP of Strategic Capital at Paragon), CSO Brahim Domian (formerly VP of Cell Therapy R&D at Novo Nordisk and VP at BlueRock Therapeutics), CFO Darien Parhad, and SVP of Research Stephen Wanaski.

The company's core technology is a direct cellular reprogramming platform that converts patient-derived fibroblasts into specific functional cell types, including dopaminergic, GABAergic, and orexin neurons as well as retinal cells, without using pluripotent stem cells or genetic modification. This approach is intended to eliminate tumorigenic risk associated with stem cell intermediates and to simplify manufacturing by relying on small molecules, growth factors, and standard cell therapy facility equipment. The scientific foundation has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Nature and the New England Journal of Medicine, and the CBS-101 retinal program has established proof of concept for the platform and informed the manufacturing and regulatory approach used for subsequent neurology programs. CBS-103, the lead Parkinson's program, has demonstrated engraftment of human dopaminergic neurons in an accepted disease-state rodent model.

CiRC is pre-revenue with no commercial products, no disclosed customers, and no licensing income. The business model is built around eventual commercialization of cell replacement therapies following FDA approval, with investigational products currently distributed through clinical trial channels. As of the available data, the company has raised approximately $23.8M across two documented private placements ($16,835,000 in December 2020 and $7,000,000 in May 2024) and operates with 1-10 employees, indicating a capital-efficient, R&D-focused posture consistent with preclinical-stage biotech development.

Name

CiRC Biosciences

Legal name

CiRC Biosciences, LLC

Website

https://circbiosciences.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CiRC Biosciences is a preclinical Chicago-based biotech developing direct cellular reprogramming therapies that convert fibroblasts into functional neurons to treat degenerative neurological and retinal diseases, including Parkinson's, refractory epilepsy, narcolepsy, and retinitis pigmentosa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regenerative Medicine Cell Therapy

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Cell Therapy Developers (Autologous) (HLAAABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cell Therapy Enabling Technologies (gene editing, cell engineering, delivery methods) (HLAAABAL), Neural & Spinal Cord Regeneration (HLAAAGAI)

Keywords

• Regenerative medicine
• Cell therapy
• Cellular reprogramming
• Degenerative disease
• Biopharmaceutical R&D

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Cellular Reprogramming Therapies: Pre-revenue regenerative medicine company developing cell replacement therapies for degenerative diseases. Revenue will be generated through commercialization of therapeutic products following FDA approval. Pipeline includes programs for Parkinson's disease, refractory epilepsy, treatment-resistant narcolepsy, and retinitis pigmentosa.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

CiRC Biosciences develops investigational cellular reprogramming therapies that directly convert patients' fibroblasts into specific functional neurons and retinal cells without using stem cells or genetic modification. The company's pipeline comprises four preclinical programs: CBS-103 for Parkinson's disease (dopaminergic neurons), CBS-104 for refractory epilepsy (GABAergic interneurons), CBS-105 for treatment-resistant narcolepsy (orexin neurons), and CBS-101 for retinitis pigmentosa (photoreceptors). All programs use small molecules and growth factors compatible with standard cell therapy manufacturing equipment to produce therapeutic cell products designed to restore lost function and reverse degenerative disease progression.

Product overview

CiRC Biosciences operates a unified cellular reprogramming platform that directly converts fibroblasts into specific functional cell types without using stem cells or genetic modification. The platform uses small molecules and growth factors to transform patients' own fibroblasts into needed cells. The pipeline consists of four clinical programs: CBS-103 (lead Parkinson's disease program with dopaminergic neurons), CBS-104 (refractory epilepsy program with GABAergic interneurons), CBS-105 (treatment-resistant narcolepsy program with orexin neurons), and CBS-101 (retinitis pigmentosa program). The retinal program (CBS-101) established proof of concept for the platform, while the neurology programs apply the same manufacturing approach at scale.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CBS-103 (Parkinson's Disease Program) Lead Parkinson's disease cellular reprogramming therapy that converts fibroblasts into dopaminergic neurons using direct reprogramming without stem cells, intended to restore dopaminergic neuron function and reverse disease progression in Parkinson's disease patients.
• CBS-104 (Refractory Epilepsy Program) Cellular reprogramming therapy targeting GABAergic interneurons to address the deficiency driving seizure activity in patients with refractory epilepsy whose seizures persist despite available medications.
• CBS-105 (Treatment-Resistant Narcolepsy Program) Cellular reprogramming therapy that aims to restore orexin neuron function in patients with treatment-resistant narcolepsy by replacing orexin-producing neurons lost to disease, addressing disrupted sleep-wake regulation.
• CBS-101 (Retinitis Pigmentosa Program) Retinal cell replacement therapy program in retinitis pigmentosa that established proof of concept for the direct reprogramming platform, informing the manufacturing approach and scale applied to neurology programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• CBS-103 demonstrated engraftment of human dopaminergic neurons in accepted disease state rodent model

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BlueRock Therapeutics: Acquired by Bayer for ~$1B in 2019; develops autologous iPSC-derived dopaminergic neuron therapies for Parkinson's disease. Closest direct comparator to CiRC's CBS-103 program by indication and therapeutic modality.
• Aspen Neuroscience: Develops autologous iPSC-derived dopaminergic neuron replacement therapies for Parkinson's disease. Same lead indication as CiRC's CBS-103 and competing autologous cell therapy approach.
• bit.bio: UK-based cellular reprogramming platform company using deterministic cell programming to convert iPSCs into specific cell types at scale. Directly comparable reprogramming-first platform technology to CiRC's approach.
• Semma Therapeutics (Vertex): Acquired by Vertex Pharmaceuticals for $950M; develops stem cell-derived islet cell therapies for type 1 diabetes. Comparable cell replacement therapy modality and clinical-stage cell therapy execution experience.
• Tenaya Therapeutics: Develops cell therapies and gene therapies for heart disease, including cardiac regeneration programs. Comparable regenerative cell therapy platform applying cellular engineering to degenerative disease indications.
• Lexeo Therapeutics: Clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on CNS diseases including Alzheimer's and Friedreich's ataxia. Comparable CNS disease-modifying therapeutic focus, though using gene therapy rather than cell therapy modality.

Emerging players

• Notch Therapeutics: Develops iPSC-derived immune and other cell therapies using a proprietary platform. Comparable cell engineering platform approach, though currently focused on oncology rather than CNS.
• Century Therapeutics: Develops engineered iPSC-derived cell therapies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Comparable cell therapy platform company at similar clinical stage, though in different indications.
• Abeona Therapeutics: Clinical-stage cell and gene therapy company with programs in ophthalmology (including retinitis pigmentosa) and CNS. Directly comparable retinal disease program to CiRC's CBS-101.

Broad incumbents

• Sana Biotechnology: Public cell therapy company with multiple platforms including cell engineering and ex vivo programming across several disease areas. Broader portfolio but overlapping cell therapy modality and CNS focus areas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/circ-biosciences

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CiRC Biosciences