Circio and Acuitas Initiate Technology Evaluation Agreement
The companies have entered into the evaluation agreement to investigate whether circVec circular RNA technology can be delivered to T cells using Acuitas’ targeted lipid nanoparticles.
Norwegian biotech, Circio Holding ASA, has entered into an evaluation agreement to explore the viability of combining its circVec circular RNA platform with Canadian biotech’s, Acuitas Therapeutics’, targeted lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) to deliver novel in vivo chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy. Under the terms of the agreement, Acuitas will formulate Circio’s circVec technology into proprietary LNPs targeting CD4+ or CD8+ T cells, while Circio will assess expression, activity and durability in vitro and in vivo to evaluate its therapeutic potential in oncology and autoimmune disease (1).
circVec is Circio’s circular RNA expression platform, which sustains gene expression in lymphocytes in vivo for up to six months — far longer than conventional messenger RNA’s (mRNA's) short-lived expression. This extended window of expression could enable more durable in vivo CAR-T activity for oncology and autoimmune disease. Meanwhile, Acuitas Therapeutics’ clinically validated LNP technology comprises proprietary lipid nanoparticles that encapsulate nucleic acid payloads — such as mRNA, small interfering RNA (siRNA), or gene-editing tools — for safe, efficient delivery into target cells.
“Acuitas has developed a state-of-the-art LNP delivery platform to specifically deliver Circio’s circVec constructs into T-cells,” said Dr. Victor Levitsky, CSO of Circio, in a company press release (1). “By combining the unrivaled expression durability of circVec with the delivery precision of Acuitas' LNPs, we aim to establish a novel in vivo CAR-T concept for cancer and auto-immune diseases where an extended expression window is required.”
“We are excited to begin working with Circio in this technology evaluation agreement, combining our expertise in lipid nanoparticle technology with their circular RNA technology,” added Dr. Ying Tam, CSO of Acuitas Therapeutics, in the press release. “Through this evaluation, we aim to explore new possibilities in next-generation therapeutics, including in vivo CAR T approaches, and advance the development of transformative treatments for patients.”
The non-exclusive agreement comes amid surging interest in in vivo CAR-T, as demonstrated by AbbVie’s USD 2.1 billion buyout of Capstan Therapeutics, and Bristol Myers Squibb’s USD 1.5 billion purchase of Orbital (2,3). This agreement builds on Circio’s recent circVec data advancements and Acuitas’ expanding LNP partnerships, positioning both to capitalize on the interest in pre-clinical platforms since early 2025.
If successful, the agreement could accelerate off-the-shelf cell therapies for hard-to-treat cancers and autoimmune conditions, potentially transforming manufacturing-intensive ex vivo approaches.
References
Circio. Circio Enters In Vivo Cell Therapy Evaluation Agreement with Acuitas Therapeutics. Press Release, April 15, 2026.
Abbvie. AbbVie to Acquire Capstan Therapeutics, Further Strengthening Commitment to Transforming Patient Care in Immunology. Press Release, June 30, 2025.
The Pharma Navigator. BMS to Acquire Orbital and Strengthen Cell Therapy Portfolio. News Release, Oct. 10, 2025.