Entos Collaborates with Circio to Develop In-Vivo Delivery of DNA Vectors
Through this collaboration, Circio will combine its circVec DNA vectors with Entos’ Fusogenix PLV delivery technology, which is expected to enhance delivery efficiency and reduce toxicity.
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UK-based Entos Pharmaceuticals (Entos), a clinical-stage genetic medicines company, has entered into a research collaboration with Norway-based Circio Holding, a biotechnology company specializing in circular RNA technology for next-generation nucleic acid medicines, under which Entos will develop and validate proteolipid vehicle (PLV) formulations of Circio´s circular RNA expression vectors (circVec) DNA vectors. The collaboration will also include the joint development and in-vivo delivery testing of Circio’s circVec with Entos’ proprietary Fusogenix PLV nucleic acid delivery technology, Entos announced in an April 3, 2025 press release (1). Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Additionally, Entos will perform technical in-vivo testing of the PLV-formulations of Circio´s circVec DNA vectors. The companies expect to have initial data generated in the next three to six months. The results, if successful, will lay the foundation for a continued collaboration between the companies to develop and test future circVec-PLV therapeutic candidates. Potential applications for these therapeutic candidates would be in genetic medicines, chronic disease, and vaccines, according to the press release.
“Entos has demonstrated efficient and safe delivery of synthetic non-viral DNA vectors, both in mouse models, primates, and clinical trials,” said Thomas Hansen, PhD, chief technology officer, Circio, in the press release (1). “The unique PLV chemistry enables direct fusion with the cell membrane and bypasses the endosomal uptake pathway. This feature has been shown to enhance delivery efficiency and reduce toxicity of DNA vectors. It is therefore a logical step for Circio to enter this research collaboration with Entos to explore the potential synergy of combining our complementary expression and delivery technologies. If successful, this partnership will aim to provide a joint platform for generating future therapeutic candidates in several disease areas of high unmet medical need.”
Entos is furthermore currently partnering with key international genetic medicine companies to expand the user of its Fusogenix PLV drug delivery system, which aims to enable the delivery of nucleic acid to target cells through direct fusion.
“We have selected to partner with Circio given their unique and impressive approach to circular RNA vector expression technologies for next generation nucleic acid medicine,” said Jason Ding, chief business officer, Entos Pharmaceuticals, in the release. “This collaboration will seek to use Fusogenix PLV to enhance Circio’s circVec DNA vector delivery efficiency and reduce toxicity compared to LNP [lipid nanoparticle]-formulations. This could have a considerable impact in novel applications in genetic medicine, chronic disease and vaccines.”
This collaboration follows an earlier investment granted to Entos by the Government of Canada. In March 2025, the company announced a $62 million investment from the Government of Canada, which adds to the $15.5 million previously awarded funds from the Government of Alberta (2).
The total $77.5 million investment will go toward supporting a $198.5 million project Entos is undertaking to create a state-of-the-art R&D center and good manufacturing practice (GMP) biomanufacturing facility in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. In this project, Entos builds on its 2022 partnership with pharmaceutical major Eli Lilly and Company to research, develop, and commercialize nucleic acid products that target the central and peripheral nervous systems (3). It also builds Entos’ other partnerships with companies such as Oisin Biotechnologies, OncoSenX, and Aegis Life (1). With the building of this R&D center and GMP biomanufacturing facility, Entos can also advance its therapeutic pipeline for cancer and rare genetic diseases, such as congenital lipodystrophy, Stargardt disease, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
References
1. Entos Pharmaceuticals. Entos & Circio Collaborate on In Vivo PLV-Circvec Delivery. Press Release. April 3, 2025.
2. Entos Pharmaceuticals. $198.5 M GoC&GoA Partnership to Biomanufacture Next Gen Medicines. Press Release. March 11, 2025
3. Entos Pharmaceuticals. Lilly and Entos Enter into Research and Collaboration Agreement. Press Release. Jan. 5, 2022.
