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§ Private Profile · Albuquerque, NM, USA
Biotech develops circular RNA-based precision medicine diagnostics for neurology and psychiatry, focusing on disease biomarkers.
Based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Circular Genomics develops circular RNA-based precision medicine tools and diagnostic assays for neurology and psychiatry. The biotechnology company focuses on identifying novel biomarkers to improve diagnosis and treatment prediction for complex diseases, targeting major depressive disorder, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, and bipolar disorder. Spun out of the University of New Mexico in 2021 by founder Nikolaos Mellios, the firm is currently led by Chief Executive Officer Paul Sargeant. To fund clinical and commercialization efforts, the business secured a seed round of four point five million dollars, an eight point three million dollar Series A in 2024, and a fifteen million dollar Series A in 2025. This capital was provided by a syndicate of institutional backers featuring Mountain Group Partners, Cottonwood Technology Fund, Tramway Venture Partners, and the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation.
Circular Genomics has raised $28.0M across 3 funding rounds.
Circular Genomics has raised $28.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Circular Genomics has raised $28.0M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $15.0M Series A in December 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1, 2025 | $15M Series A | JOE Cook | Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, David Blivin, Health Innovation Pitch, Andrew Lechleiter, Waneta Tuttle | Announced |
| Jan 1, 2024 | $8M Series A | Mountain Group Partners | Cottonwood Technology Fund, Tramway Venture Partners, UNM Rainforest Innovations | Announced |
| Dec 1, 2021 | $5M Seed | — | Cottonwood Technology Fund | Announced |
Circular Genomics has raised $28.0M in total across 3 funding rounds.
Circular Genomics's investors include Joe Cook, Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation, David Blivin, Health Innovation Pitch, Andrew Lechleiter, Waneta Tuttle, Mountain Group Partners, Cottonwood Technology Fund, Tramway Venture Partners, UNM Rainforest Innovations.
Circular Genomics is a biotechnology company pioneering precision medicine for psychiatric and neurological disorders using circular RNA (circRNA) biomarkers from blood tests[1][2][3]. It develops diagnostics like the commercially available MindLight SSRI Antidepressant Response Test for major depressive disorder (MDD), serving clinicians, patients, and payers by predicting treatment responses and enabling personalized care for conditions including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, bipolar disorder, and depression[2][3][4]. The company solves the problem of inaccurate, invasive brain health diagnostics by providing stable, brain-enriched circRNA signals that offer real-time, non-invasive insights into disease risk, progression, and therapy efficacy, recently closing a $15 million Series A (following an $8.3 million round) to advance its Alzheimer's platform and expand its pipeline[4][5].
Circular Genomics emerged as a New Mexico-based startup leveraging exclusive licenses and pioneering circRNA technologies to address unmet needs in neurology and psychiatry[4][5]. Founded by experts in transcriptomics and brain biology, the company gained early traction with the launch of MindLight, its first product predicting antidepressant responses in MDD patients[3][4]. Pivotal moments include an $8.3 million Series A for product development, relocation to San Diego's Lilly Gateway Labs in March 2025 for Alzheimer's diagnostics collaboration with Eli Lilly, and the recent $15 million Series A closure in late 2025, strengthening its scientific advisory board with Alzheimer's leaders like those from Washington University and UCSF[4][5][6]. Led by CEO Paul Sargeant, the team includes global experts from Eli Lilly, Mountain Group Partners, and academia, humanizing its mission to bring "clarity and hope" to brain health patients[5][6].
Circular Genomics rides the precision neurology wave, capitalizing on surging demand for blood-based biomarkers amid Alzheimer's therapeutic breakthroughs like anti-amyloid drugs, where early detection is critical for efficacy[4][5]. Timing aligns with 2025's biotech funding rebound and regulatory pushes for measurable brain health tools, amplified by partnerships like Lilly Gateway Labs amid a diagnostics market projected to grow with neurodegeneration's rising prevalence[4]. Market forces favor its circRNA edge—stable, multi-pathway signals—over CSF or imaging limitations, influencing the ecosystem by setting a new standard for non-invasive psychiatry/neurology tests and accelerating drug development through better patient stratification[2][3][5].
Circular Genomics is poised to dominate precision brain diagnostics, with its $15 million Series A fueling Alzheimer's test commercialization, team expansion, and pipeline growth into Parkinson's and beyond[5]. Trends like AI-integrated transcriptomics and payer demands for outcome-based care will propel its circRNA platform, potentially evolving it into a neurology data powerhouse akin to how liquid biopsies transformed oncology. Watch for clinical trial data and payer adoptions shaping its path to reshaping brain health standards—validating its promise from San Diego's innovation hub.