On March 10, CiRC Biosciences announced that it was granted Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for an investigational cell therapy treatment for retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Based in Chicago, CiRC Biosciences is a privately held organization developing cell therapies, with an initial focus on degenerative diseases of the retina.

What is Retinitis Pigmentosa?

RP is a genetic eye disease that affects approximately one of every 4,000 people. People with RP experience a breakdown of retinal cells that makes night and peripheral vision challenging. Those with the most severe cases of RP will eventually lose their vision.

The first symptoms of RP typically appear in late childhood or early adulthood. People with the condition notice that they have trouble getting around in the dark and that they require much more time than other people to adjust to changes in lighting. Clumsiness is another common issue with RP because the disease causes a limited field of vision. The severity of symptoms and whether people with RP eventually lose vision depend on the specific mutation of the gene inherited from a parent.

Jeff Aronin, founder and chairman of CiRC Biosciences, and founder, CEO, and chairman of Paragon Biosciences, says he is hopeful the new cell therapy will restore vision for people with RP and other types of macular degeneration. No other FDA-approved treatments currently exist to restore vision loss for people with these serious eye conditions.

The research and development teams at CiRC Biosciences plan to explore advanced cell therapies using chemically induced photoreceptor-like cells (CiPC) with the goal of vision restoration to those blinded or otherwise severely impacted by RP and other diseases of the retina.   

Currently, CiRC Biosciences is working on the pre-clinical development of treatments for advanced RP along with macular degeneration caused by aging. The technology of CiRC Biosciences allows for the direct trans-differentiation of fibroblasts from the skin to CiPCs. The trans-differentiation is possible by placing a small number of small molecules into a process of chemical conversion that takes place over an approximate two-week timeframe.

The medical journal Nature published a study that showed CiPCs caused a partial return of visual functioning and pupil reflexes in mice. Nature published this study in late 2020.

Paragon Biosciences Chairman and CEO Jeff Aronin recently stated that CiPCs alone or in combination with other cell therapies offered by CiRC Biosciences is the company's greatest opportunity to restore vision in people impacted by RP and other types of macular degeneration. He also explained that the company's investigational cell therapies meet the mission of both Paragon Biosciences and CiRC Biosciences by finding solutions to some of the world's most challenging medical issues.

About Jeff Aronin

With more than 30 years of experience in leadership and life science expertise, Jeff Aronin has successfully created seven companies under the umbrella of Paragon Biosciences. In addition to CiRC Biosciences, the portfolio includes:

• Castle Creek Biosciences

• Emalex Biosciences

• Evozyne

• Harmony Biosciences

• Qlarity Imaging

• Skyline Biosciences

Jeff Aronin and his team, including Paragon and portfolio company leaders, have earned more than fifty drug and health care technology approvals and clearances from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) throughout their careers.  He and his companies have also received numerous awards for breakthrough medical developments that improve patient quality of life. Paragon Biosciences, along with its seven companies, employ hundreds of people throughout the world.

Jeff Aronin enjoys participating in civic and philanthropic opportunities. One of his most impressive civic endeavors to date is the health technology start-up organization known as MATTER. As the founder and chairman of MATTER, they have brought together more than 200 healthcare organizations, 60 corporate sponsors, and well over $1.7 billion in deals in the past six years. Other memberships and board positions include Discover Financial Services and The Aspen Institute.

Because he holds a strong belief in the power of education to change lives, Jeff Aronin frequently lectures at the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University and the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago. Jeff Aronin especially enjoys serving as a mentor to college students pursuing a career in life sciences and new professionals in the field.