Circular Genomics Joins Lilly Gateway Labs in San Diego to Develop Its Best-In-Class Circular RNA Platform for the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Alzheimer's Disease

Circular Genomics' move to the Lilly Gateway Labs community will enhance scientific collaboration and innovation to foster the development of its Alzheimer's disease diagnostic and prognostic blood tests

SAN DIEGO, March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Circular Genomics, a global leader in circular RNA (circRNA) biomarkers for precision neurology and psychiatry, today announced it is moving the company's headquarters to Lilly Gateway Labs in San Diego, California, which is operated in partnership with Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., to advance the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers aimed at improving the identification and monitoring of the disease and its risk of progression. Circular Genomics was selected to join the community at Gateway Labs, a best-in-class innovation hub that connects pioneering biotechs to Eli Lilly and Company's expertise, based on its cutting-edge circRNA platform technologies and promising diagnostic programs for neurological disorders.

"Joining Lilly Gateway Labs is a pivotal step for Circular Genomics," said Paul Sargeant, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Circular Genomics. "We believe that tapping into Lilly's powerful neuroscience expertise, coupled with the operational support, resources, and scientific engagement available through Gateway Labs, will significantly advance the development of groundbreaking diagnostic and prognostic blood tests for Alzheimer's disease."

In September 2024, Circular Genomics launched the early access program for MindLight™, the first circRNA biomarker-based blood test designed to predict the likelihood of whether a patient with major depressive disorder (MDD) will respond, or not, to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant treatment. This proprietary test is a best-in-class prognostic tool developed on Circular Genomics' circRNA platform that has the potential to provide critical predictions for a wide range of diseases. Circular Genomics' pipeline includes a number of novel diagnostic and prognostic circRNA assays in development, one of which has been demonstrated to effectively diagnose patients at high risk of AD progression and stratify their risk with very high accuracy. The potential clinical applications of the company's innovative biomarker technology range from patient stratification and candidate selection for clinical trials of disease-modifying treatments to monitoring of disease progression and therapeutic efficacy. Circular Genomics' move to Gateway Labs at the premier One Alexandria Square Megacampus aims to advance the use of circRNA biomarkers for the development of highly specialized and accurate AD diagnostic and prognostic blood tests.  

"Our circRNA platform is revolutionizing the diagnosis and therapeutic management of brain disorders by introducing robust and highly selective brain-derived biomarker assays. Our approach has been clinically validated with our recently launched MindLight test for the management of patients with major depressive disorder and is now expanding to Alzheimer's disease," said Nikolaos Mellios, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Circular Genomics. "Partnering with Lilly Gateway Labs will significantly accelerate our mission to integrate precision medicine into the standard of care for neurology and significantly improve patient outcomes."

Lilly announced the first Gateway Labs innovation hub in South San Francisco in 2019 to speed the discovery of breakthrough medicines, tools, and technologies through collaboration with local biotech companies. Today, there are four locations across the U.S., including the new sites in San Diego and Boston, and ongoing global expansions which underscore how this innovative model meets the needs of life science communities. As a member of Gateway Labs in San Diego, Circular Genomics will have access to Lilly's scientific and operational expertise, a state-of-the-art wet lab facility, resources, networking, and an individualized plan tailored to the success of the MindLight program.

About MindLight
MindLight is a biomarker-based blood test that can be ordered by a physician or licensed healthcare provider. The blood sample is sent to a lab for analysis, and the results are sent back to the physician after 3-5 days of processing. The ordering physician will receive the final test report which presents the patient's test results in an easy-to-read and clinically actionable format. Visit www.mindlighttest.com for more details about MindLight.

About Circular Genomics
Circular Genomics is the world-leading developer of circular RNA-based precision medicine tools, data and diagnostics for psychiatry and neurology. Leveraging exclusive licenses and pioneering technologies in circular RNA, we are reshaping the standard of care for major depressive disorder and other neurological diseases. Initial products include assays to assess and tailor optimal treatment protocols for individual patients, validating treatment effectiveness within days to weeks rather than many months. For additional details, please visit www.circulargenomics.com.

SOURCE Circular Genomics