Circio Holding ASA (”Circio” or ”the Company”) announced, on the 21st of May 2026, that it has filed a new patent application with the European Patent Office (EPO), to be expanded subsequently into a global Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application. The invention covers a novel genetic element that improves the efficiency of intracellular circRNA generation by approx. 4-fold and is described by the Company as a critical general design feature for efficient circRNA-based gene expression from vectors. The filing adds to several PCT applications already in place covering multiple aspects of the circVec platform.
Analyst Group’s View on the EPO Patent Filing
Analyst Group views the filing as a strategically well-timed reinforcement of the circVec IP estate, which is the central commercial asset underpinning Circio’s licensing-based business model. The Company already holds several PCT applications covering different aspects of the platform, and this latest filing, if granted, would further extend an already multi-layered estate with what the Company describes as a foundational design feature to achieve efficient circRNA-based gene expression from vectors for both research and therapeutic applications.
The approx. 4x improvement in circularization efficiency represents a tangible platform enhancement supported by preclinical in vitro and in vivo data. The progression across circVec generations illustrates how iterative design improvements have compounded over time: in eye tissue, where direct comparison is possible, circVec 2.0 demonstrated ~7x enhanced expression, while the current circVec 4.0 has reached up to ~50x. Incorporation of the newly patented element into future constructs could therefore extend output further still, building on the ~50x in eye and ~40x in heart already demonstrated and consistent with the assessment that the platform has not yet reached its performance ceiling. As Circio operates without an established direct competitor in DNA-based circular RNA expression for gene therapy, each additional patent layer increases the cost and complexity for any party seeking to develop a competing platform in-house, which over time could support the case for a licensing agreement with Circio, or an outright acquisition, rather than pursuing internal alternatives.
In summary, Analyst Group views the EPO filing, if granted, as an incremental reinforcement of the multi-layered circVec IP estate and a further sign of continued platform optimization. Together, these elements would strengthen Circio’s positioning ahead of a catalyst-rich window. The near-term value drivers remain the progressing in vivo CAR-T programme and the Q4-26 cluster of eye and heart disease-model data, the partnered CNS project update, and in vivo CAR-T efficacy readouts, where positive outcomes, combined with a continuously broadened IP base, could support more substantive licensing discussions.
