Circular Genomics and PharmatrophiX have announced a strategic collaboration to use blood-based circular RNA (circRNA) biomarkers to support the development of new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.
Announced on November 4, 2026, the partnership will initially focus on PharmatrophiX’s experimental drug LM11A-31, which is being developed as a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. The companies also plan to explore expanding the collaboration to other programmes in PharmatrophiX’s neurodegenerative disease pipeline.
Under the agreement, Circular Genomics will use its CircPath platform to analyse circular RNA molecules in blood samples from patients participating in a planned open-label Alzheimer’s disease biomarker study of LM11A-31.
The aim is to understand how the drug affects disease-related biological pathways and identify molecular changes that may be linked to treatment response. The research will also look at differences between patients to better understand why some individuals may respond differently to treatment.
Circular RNA is a type of RNA molecule that has a closed-loop structure. Unlike traditional linear RNA, these molecules are more stable and can provide useful information about biological processes. Researchers are increasingly studying circRNA as a potential source of biomarkers for detecting diseases, monitoring their progression and understanding responses to treatment.
Through its CircPath platform, Circular Genomics aims to identify these molecular signals using blood samples rather than relying only on more complex testing methods.
The companies plan to combine circRNA findings with other available patient data, including clinical assessments, cognitive tests, brain imaging, proteomics and established Alzheimer’s biomarkers. This combined approach could help researchers understand how LM11A-31 works in patients and identify biological patterns associated with treatment response.
LM11A-31 is PharmatrophiX’s lead drug candidate and is designed to target the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). This receptor plays a role in the survival and function of nerve cells and their connections.
The drug aims to protect brain cells and support synaptic resilience by addressing biological processes involved in neurodegeneration. PharmatrophiX is developing LM11A-31 as a potential disease-modifying treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
The collaboration may also expand into other areas, including future Alzheimer’s studies, HIV-associated dementia and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). Both companies will also explore joint grant applications and other non-dilutive funding opportunities to support further biomarker research.
Paul Sargeant, President and CEO of Circular Genomics, said the partnership would help demonstrate how circRNA analysis can provide deeper insights into treatment responses and differences in disease biology between patients.
David Setboun, CEO of PharmatrophiX, said understanding how LM11A-31 affects disease processes in patients is an important part of the company’s development strategy. He added that blood-based testing could provide valuable information about how patients respond to treatment and help guide future clinical studies.
The collaboration highlights the growing role of biomarker research in neurodegenerative drug development. As companies work to develop treatments for Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases, blood-based biomarkers could help researchers monitor biological changes, identify potential responders and make clinical trials more informative.
For Circular Genomics and PharmatrophiX, the partnership represents an opportunity to combine biomarker technology with experimental drug development. The findings could support the development of LM11A-31 and potentially help guide research across a wider range of neurodegenerative diseases.