Circio and AaviGen jointly announce research collaboration to advance novel gene therapies for heart diseases

27 May 2026 07:00 CEST

* Circio s proprietary circVec circular RNA platform has demonstrated 40-fold
enhanced gene expression from AAV vectors in heart
* AaviGen s proprietary AAV capsids are designed for targeted and specific
delivery to heart cardiomyocytes
* The objective is to evaluate the potential synergy of Circio s and AaviGen's
complementary technologies in developing next generation AAVs specifically
for cardiac applications
* If successful, the collaboration may enable significant dose reduction and
tissue targeting, thereby addressing key challenges for AAV-based gene
therapy

Oslo, Norway, and Heidelberg, Germany 27 May 2026 -- Circio Holding ASA (OSE:
CRNA), a biotechnology company developing novel circular RNA expression
technology for gene and cell therapy, and AaviGen Gmbh a biotechnology company
focused on precision gene therapies for human cardiac diseases, today jointly
announce a research collaboration to develop circVec-enhanced AAV vectors
specifically engineered for targeted, low dose heart gene therapy.

By integrating these complementary technologies, the collaboration seeks to
pioneer the next generation of AAV gene therapy candidates. The focus is on
addressing genetic and chronic heart conditions through therapies that can be
administered at low therapeutic doses, ensuring high and confined expression
in heart while minimizing off-target effects. This initiative represents a
significant step forward in the field of gene therapy, potentially
transforming treatment paradigms for patients with heart-related indications.

"The future clinical success of cardiac gene therapies will be determined by
precision elements that ensure both efficacy and safety," said Dr. Martin
Busch, COO of AaviGen. "AaviGen's human heart-derived next-generation
cardiac-targeted vector technology enables precision delivery of therapeutic
genes and lays the groundwork for the targeted integration of components
tailored to specific indications, with Circio's innovative
expression-enhancing platform being a key element. The combination of
AaviGen's targeted capsids with the circVec platform could therefore open the
door to a new level of efficiency and safety --- an opportunity we are very
excited to explore together with the Circio team."

The collaboration will involve three stages: 1) Production of novel AAVs
combining the proprietary heart-targeted capsids from AaviGen with the circVec
expression cassette from Circio, 2) Testing and characterization of the novel
AAVs in vitro, and 3) Confirmation and validation of AAV performance in vivo
with focus on AAV biodistribution and gene expression profiles between
different design combinations.

"The novel targeted AAV capsids engineered by AaviGen have the ability to very
specifically reach cells in the heart in an efficient and safe manner," said
Dr. Victor Levitsky, CSO of Circio. "This collaboration is an excellent
opportunity to evaluate whether enhanced circVec expression can act
synergistically with heart-targeted capsids. The combination of our
technologies has the potential to maximize on-target gene expression and
minimize off-target delivery, resulting in substantial dose reduction and an
improved toxicity profile. This can make AAV-based gene therapy accessible for
patients with severe inherited heart diseases as well as address large and
growing medical need in chronic heart failure."

About AaviGen
AaviGen was founded on the insight that successful cardiac gene therapy
depends on the optimized delivery of genetic therapeutics to the diseased
heart. Its human-to-human, cardiac-targeted AAV vector technology sets new
standards for precision, efficacy, and safety in the treatment of both
acquired and inherited heart diseases. AaviGen's scientific approach is
supported by numerous peer-reviewed publications and builds on the founders'
strong track record of scientific innovation in the diagnosis and treatment of
heart disease, including the development of gene therapy medicines. For more
information, please visit: www.aavigen.com.

About Circio
Circio Holding ASA is a biotechnology company developing novel circular RNA
expression technology for gene and cell therapy.

Circio has established a unique circular RNA (circRNA) vector expression
technology for next generation RNA, DNA and viral therapeutics. The
proprietary circVec platform is based on a modular genetic construct designed
for efficient biogenesis of multifunctional circRNA inside target cells. The
circVec platform has applications in multiple therapeutic settings, including
genetic medicine, cell therapy and chronic disease. It has demonstrated
75-fold increased RNA half-life and up to 50-fold enhanced protein expression
vs. conventional mRNA-based viral and non-viral vector systems, with the
potential to become a new gold-standard gene expression technology. The
circVec R&D activities are being conducted by the wholly owned subsidiary
Circio AB in Stockholm, Sweden.

For further information, please contact:
Erik Digman Wiklund, CEO
Phone: +47 413 33 536
Email: erik.wiklund@circio.com

Lubor Gaal, CFO
Phone: +34 683 34 3811
Email: lubor.gaal@circio.com

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