ZAKA VC Invests in Cirrus Therapeutics to Advance Gene Therapies for Blinding Eye Diseases
ZAKA VC has invested in Cirrus Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing next-generation gene therapies for chronic blinding eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Cirrus Therapeutics is advancing a differentiated ocular gene therapy platform designed to address fundamental drivers of retinal degeneration. The company’s lead program focuses on restoring expression of IRAK-M, a key regulator of ocular immunology that is linked to aging-related inflammation in the retina. By targeting aging itself — rather than a single downstream pathway — Cirrus aims to prevent or potentially reverse vision loss with a one-time treatment.
Founded to Address the Devastating Impact of Vision Loss
Cirrus was co-founded by Ying Kai Chan (CEO) and Andrew Dick (Co-founder and Chief Scientific Advisor). The company was born out of a shared conviction around the profound impact of vision loss and the need for fundamentally new therapeutic approaches.
“I was struck by how profoundly debilitating vision loss is,” said Ying Kai Chan, Co-Founder and CEO of Cirrus Therapeutics. “Vision is our primary mode of interacting with the world; without it, people can struggle to be connected and to navigate everyday life. Because of this, Andrew and I co-founded Cirrus with a simple but ambitious goal: to help patients see better — or even see again.”
A New Approach for a Growing Global Health Challenge
Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in adults over 50 and affects more than 200 million people worldwide, a number projected to rise sharply as the global population ages. While existing treatments for dry AMD largely focus on the complement cascade, they have yet to demonstrate meaningful functional benefits for patients.
Cirrus’ approach seeks to overcome these limitations by targeting IRAK-M, a highly differentiated, genetically and biologically validated regulator of multiple disease-driving pathways in AMD.
Funding to Accelerate Clinical Progress and Pipeline Expansion
The investment from ZAKA VC follows Cirrus’ previously announced $11 million seed financing and represents a syndicate expansion reflecting strong investor conviction in the company’s scientific vision and therapeutic potential. Investors in the seed round include ClavystBio, Temasek’s life sciences investor and venture builder, and Polaris Partners.
The new capital will support the advancement of Cirrus’ lead program into IND-enabling studies and help expand a growing pipeline of next-generation ocular medicines.
A Compelling Fit for ZAKA VC
“AMD represents a massive market with significant unmet need,” said Jan Kasper, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at ZAKA VC. “Paired with Cirrus’ world-class science, strong execution, and backing from top-tier biotech investors, this made Cirrus a compelling fit for us. We are excited to support the team as they advance a truly differentiated approach to treating blinding diseases.”
A Transatlantic Team with Deep Scientific Expertise
Cirrus Therapeutics is a global company, with leadership spanning the United States and the United Kingdom. Ying Kai Chan previously served as Chief Scientific Officer at Ally Therapeutics and trained at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Business School. Andrew Dick is Director of the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Professor of Ophthalmology at University of Bristol, and a renowned clinician-scientist whose work on immune-mediated eye disease contributed to the approval of Humira for uveitis.
ZAKA VC’s investment underscores growing momentum behind Cirrus Therapeutics as it works to extend ocular healthspan for patients suffering from chronic blinding diseases.