Cirrus Therapeutics

Its lead program uses an AAV (adeno-associated virus) gene therapy to increase expression of IRAK-M, a regulatory protein whose levels decline with age and more sharply in AMD patients. In preclinical models, restoring IRAK-M in retinal pigment epithelium cells preserved structure and function, offering a potential multisystem approach rather than targeting a single pathogenic pathway. 

In October 2025, Cirrus announced it had raised £8 million (US $11 million) in seed financing led by ClavystBio, with participation from Polaris Partners and SEEDS. The investment will support IND-enabling studies and progression of the ocular therapy toward human trials. 

Founded in 2023 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Cirrus was spun out from University of Bristol research in retina immunoregulation. Its co-founders include Dr. Ying Kai Chan (CEO) and Professor Andrew Dick, a key ophthalmology researcher and chief scientific advisor.