# Circular Genomics

> Circular Genomics is a San Diego biotechnology company turning circular RNA (circRNA) into a new class of blood-based biomarkers for brain health. Spun out of the University of New Mexico in 2021, the company uses brain-enriched circRNAs that cross the blood-brain barrier and stay stable in whole blood to detect and predict neurological and psychiatric conditions, from Alzheimer's disease to major depressive disorder. Its goal is to replace guesswork in brain care with measurable, actionable data, starting with early Alzheimer's detection and SSRI treatment-response testing for depression.

- **Founded:** 2021
- **Headquarters:** San Diego, California, United States
- **Founders:** Nikolaos Mellios (Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer (MD, PhD))
- **Team size:** ~17 employees
- **Products:** circRNA Biomarker Platform, Alzheimer's Disease Assay, MindLight (SSRI / antidepressant response test)
- **Notable:** Spun out of the University of New Mexico in 2021 to commercialize circRNA biomarker technology., Closed a $15M Series A financing in December 2025 led by Mountain Group Partners., Demonstrated, via the EMBARC study with UT Southwestern, that brain-enriched circRNAs in blood can predict antidepressant response.

## Products & services

- **circRNA Biomarker Platform** — A proprietary platform that detects brain-enriched circular RNAs in whole blood - stable, closed-loop molecules that cross the blood-brain barrier - to provide a window into brain biology for diagnosis, risk prediction and treatment selection.
- **Alzheimer's Disease Assay** — Blood-based circRNA assays designed to detect Alzheimer's disease biology at the earliest stages, potentially before memory and thinking issues emerge.
- **MindLight (SSRI / antidepressant response test)** — A circRNA-based test to predict patient response to SSRIs such as sertraline (Zoloft) in major depressive disorder, aiming to reduce trial-and-error prescribing. Built on findings from the EMBARC study.

## Achievements

- Spun out of the University of New Mexico in 2021 to commercialize circRNA biomarker technology.
- Closed a $15M Series A financing in December 2025 led by Mountain Group Partners.
- Demonstrated, via the EMBARC study with UT Southwestern, that brain-enriched circRNAs in blood can predict antidepressant response.
- Built a scientific advisory board of leading Alzheimer's and psychiatry experts including Michael Weiner, Carlos Cruchaga, Timothy Hohman, Roy Perlis and Henrik Zetterberg.
- Presented new circRNA biomarker data for Alzheimer's at the CTAD 2025 conference.

## Latest updates

- **2025-12** — Closed $15M Series A financing led by Mountain Group Partners to advance its circRNA platform for early Alzheimer's detection.
- **2025-12** — Strengthened scientific advisory board with Alzheimer's experts Michael Weiner (UCSF/ADNI) and Timothy Hohman (Vanderbilt).
- **2025-11** — Unveiled new data on circular RNAs as a transformative class of blood-based Alzheimer's biomarkers at CTAD 2025.
- **2025-12** — Announced research collaboration with Decode Health on circRNA biomarkers in multiple sclerosis and a strategic alliance with Vitazi.ai for multimodal Alzheimer's detection.

## Links

- Website: https://circulargenomics.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/circulargenomics
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/CircGenomics
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/circulargenomics
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/circular-genomics
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-15