Cirrus Therapeutics is proud to share a major advancement in #AMD research. Our latest study, featured on the cover of #ScienceTranslationalMedicine (https://lnkd.in/gp4SWE6E), reveals that augmenting IRAK-M levels in retinal cells can significantly protect against retinal degeneration. This discovery provides a comprehensive treatment option for the 200M+ people suffering from AMD. We are grateful for the support from the University of Bristol UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, the Rosetrees Trust, Stoneygate Trust, Underwood Trust, Macular Society, Sight Research UK, NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, and many others who made this research possible. #HealthcareInnovation #OcularImmunology #AMDResearch #CirrusTherapeutics
Cirrus Therapeutics
Biotechnology Research
Taming the ocular immune system to treat chronic blinding diseases
About us
Cirrus Therapeutics is an ocular immunology-focused company co-founded by Dr. Kai Chan, former Chief Scientific Officer of Ally Therapeutics and Blavatnik Fellow at Harvard Business School, and Dr. Andrew Dick, Professor and Head of the Academic Unit of Ophthalmology at the University of Bristol and Director of UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. Cirrus, a spin-out from the University of Bristol, is developing treatments for long-term eye diseases that can cause blindness, focusing on conditions that affect the ocular immune system. Cirrus’ lead program is a differentiated and first-in-class approach to treating dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss among older adults. Dr. Dick, Dr. Chan, and colleagues found that increasing the protein IRAK-M in retinal cells can significantly protect against retinal degeneration. This discovery will build and improve upon current treatments for AMD, which only have the capacity to address single pathophysiology pathways. Cirrus’ novel approach not only addresses the multiple pathways involved in treating AMD but also offers the most compelling and evidence-based strategy available today. MARKET POTENTIAL The AMD market is rapidly growing—especially as global populations age—and is expected to reach $27.5 billion by 2031.
- Industry
- Biotechnology Research
- Company size
- 2-10 employees
- Type
- Privately Held
Employees at Cirrus Therapeutics
Updates
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**Meet the founders of Cirrus Therapeutics** Cirrus Therapeutics is an ocular immunology-focused company co-founded by Ying Kai Chan, former Chief Scientific Officer of Ally Therapeutics and Blavatnik Fellow at Harvard Business School, and Andrew Dick, Professor and Head of the Academic Unit of Ophthalmology at the University of Bristol and Director of UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. Dr. Andrew Dick is Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Advisor of Cirrus Therapeutics. He is an eminent clinician-scientist and ophthalmologist whose research career and experience spans basic, translational, and clinical science, including early phase trials as related to ocular inflammation and degeneration and currently CI for 18 site multicentered NIHR/HTA funded trial – ASTUTE. He has been awarded as PI or co-PI over £100 million in project/program or infrastructure funding in his career. Dr. Dick has been awarded the Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences for his contribution and leadership in the field. He is currently a Professor and Head of the Academic Unit of Ophthalmology at the University of Bristol, Director of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, and Co-Director of the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields, and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. Dr Ying Kai Chan is Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cirrus Therapeutics. Previously, Dr. Chan served as Chief Scientific Officer at VC-backed Ally Therapeutics, developing gene therapies for ocular and neuromuscular disease indications. He was appointed Blavatnik Fellow at Harvard Business School and served as Principal Investigator at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Chan has experience with creating and building early-stage biotech ventures, translating and derisking platform technologies and therapeutic programs, and leading multidisciplinary teams to execute product development strategies for advanced therapies. He obtained his PhD from Harvard Medical School, where he also performed his postdoctoral research. Dr. Chan was named Henri Termeer Fellow in 2024 and STAT Wunderkind in 2017.
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