Circular Genomics announced it has raised a $15 million Series A round to accelerate the clinical validation and commercialization of its circular RNA–based biomarker platform for the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. The round was led by Mountain Group Partners with participation from Poplar Grove Investors, HIP Fund, and the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF).
Based in San Diego, Circular Genomics develops precision neurology tools using circRNA biomarkers—highly stable, brain-enriched RNA molecules that regulate many of the core biological pathways implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. The new funding will support expanded clinical validation studies, continued platform innovation across neurodegenerative and psychiatric indications, new academic and industry partnerships, and team expansion across clinical, regulatory, commercial, and scientific functions.
More than 7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease, yet diagnosis often occurs years after symptoms begin. Traditional approaches such as PET imaging and cerebrospinal fluid testing remain expensive, invasive, and inaccessible for most patients. With disease-modifying therapies now emerging, demand for accurate, blood-based biomarkers that detect Alzheimer’s biology at its earliest stages has grown dramatically.
Circular Genomics’ circRNA platform is designed to capture this early biology. The company’s data shows strong predictive performance benchmarked against cerebrospinal fluid, amyloid PET, and leading plasma biomarkers. The platform identifies pre-symptomatic individuals at risk of progressing to Alzheimer’s disease and demonstrates specificity that distinguishes Alzheimer’s from other dementias. By measuring a broad molecular signature across neuroinflammation, synaptic dysfunction, oxidative stress, neural plasticity, and amyloid and tau pathology, the platform provides a real-time, pathway-level view of disease biology.
At the recent Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease (CTAD) Conference, Circular Genomics presented findings supporting its ability to shift Alzheimer’s diagnosis from a late-stage, symptom-driven process to an early, biology-driven assessment. The company’s whole-blood transcriptomic models enable earlier detection, improved patient stratification for disease-modifying therapies, better monitoring of treatment response, and eventual integration into primary care workflows.
The company aims to deliver a new standard in precision neurology diagnostics, empowering clinicians to identify disease biology long before symptoms appear and to guide patients toward preventative strategies or emerging therapeutic options.
KEY QUOTES:
“This Series A financing represents a pivotal milestone in our journey to transform precision neurology, including Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis and patient care. The strong support from our world-class investors validates the breakthrough potential of our circular RNA platform and underscores the urgent need for accessible, comprehensive blood-based biomarkers that can detect Alzheimer’s biology at the earliest stages. With this capital, we are positioned to advance our clinical programs, expand our world-class team, and bring our first transformative test in Alzheimer’s disease to patients and physicians who desperately need better diagnostic tools.”
Paul Sargeant, Chief Executive Officer, Circular Genomics
“The convergence of disease-modifying therapies and innovative blood-based diagnostics is creating a transformational moment in Alzheimer’s disease care. Circular Genomics’ circRNA platform stands out for its ability to capture the complex biology of Alzheimer’s disease across multiple pathogenic pathways, which can provide clinicians with actionable insights, potentially even before memory and thinking issues emerge, that can fundamentally change patient care trajectories. The team’s progress in building a best-in-class biomarker signature, coupled with their strategic vision for market development, gives us tremendous confidence in their ability to execute and positively impact the lives of people affected by Alzheimer’s disease.”
Andrew Lechleiter, Chief Executive Officer, Poplar Grove Investors
“Circular Genomics represents a rare opportunity to invest in a truly transformative diagnostic platform that addresses one of healthcare’s most pressing unmet needs. The company’s circular RNA technology provides a fundamentally different and more comprehensive view of Alzheimer’s disease biology than existing biomarkers. Combined with the team’s world-class scientific expertise and the compelling clinical data they have generated, we believe Circular Genomics is uniquely positioned to become the leader in precision neurology diagnostics. We are honored to support their mission to enable earlier detection and better treatment outcomes for millions of patients.”
Joe Cook III, Managing Director, Mountain Group Partners
