- Circio has filed an EPO patent application covering a novel genetic element that improves the efficiency of circVec-driven circRNA generation by ~4-fold
- This innovation significantly enhances gene expression from AAV-vectors, thereby solving a major challenge of conventional gene therapy
- The invention protects critical aspects of the circVec platform and strengthens Circio´s position as the global leader in circRNA based gene expression
Oslo, Norway, 21 May 2026 – Circio Holding ASA (OSE: CRNA), a biotechnology company developing novel circular RNA expression technology for gene and cell therapy, today announces that it has filed a new circVec patent application with the European Patent Office (EPO), to be expanded with a subsequent global Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application.
The invention covers critical features required for efficient circular RNA biogenesis and protein production from DNA and viral vectors. The patent expands on the existing circVec intellectual property estate and cements Circio´s position as the global leader in circular RNA based gene expression systems.
“This patent filing is an important milestone in Circio´s development and optimization of the circVec platform technology” said Dr. Thomas B Hansen, CTO of Circio. “The novel genetic element we have discovered is very effective. To our knowledge, this has never previously been tested in the context of circRNA biogenesis. Therefore, this discovery is ideal for patenting to provide strong intellectual protection of our versatile and powerful circVec platform.”
This recent innovation improves intracellular generation of circRNA by increasing the efficiency of circularization by approximately 4-fold, in comparison to circVec vectors without the novel element. The specific design consistently enhances performance and appears to be a critical general design feature to achieve efficient circRNA-based gene expression from vectors for both research and therapeutic applications.
Circio has already filed several PCT patent applications covering multiple aspects of the circVec platform technology. Preclinical in vitro and in vivo data demonstrate that incorporation of the novel genetic element into circVec, particularly in the context of AAV gene therapy, substantially increases circRNA output compared to conventional expression constructs. If granted, the present application will further extend Circio´s intellectual property estate and provide new coverage with specific relevance for circular RNA-based gene and cell therapeutics.