ZAKA VC Joins Cirrus Therapeutics’s Seed Round, Transforming Vision Care with Next-Gen Gene Therapy

• ZAKA VC backs Cirrus Therapeutics’ gene therapies for chronic blinding eye diseases, focusing on dry AMD
• The startup’s IRAK-M therapy targets upstream aging biology, restoring immune balance in the retina
• The new funding accelerates Cirrus Therapeutics’ development towards the clinic and expands next-generation ocular therapy pipeline

This February, the well-known Czech investor ZAKA VC (invested in Nephrogen, among others) announced that it’s joining the Seed round of Cirrus Therapeutics—the US-based biotech startup working on next-gen gene therapies for chronic blinding eye diseases. Other investors in the USD 11M round include ClavystBio, Polaris Partners, and SEEDS Capital.

Founders Bridging Science and Patient Care

Cirrus Therapeutics was founded in 2022 by two leaders whose combined expertise bridges cutting-edge science and frontline ophthalmic care. 

• Dr Ying Kai Chan (CEO) is an entrepreneur and translational scientist who previously served as Chief Scientific Officer at venture-backed Ally Therapeutics. His training spans neuroscience, immunology, and translational science, with deep expertise in genetic medicine platforms and therapeutic development. 
• Professor Andrew Dick (Chief Scientific Advisor) is a renowned physician-scientist with a background in biochemistry, immunology, and ophthalmology. He brings decades of clinical experience in inflammatory eye disease and diseases of the retina, including both medical and surgical retina. These perspectives ensure that the company’s scientific innovation is closely aligned with addressing real-world patient needs. 

Through a series of personal and professional experiences, Dr Chan came to appreciate just how devastating vision loss can be.

‘Vision is our primary interface with the world; when it deteriorates, independence, connection, and quality of life often decline with it. Yet many current therapies for vision loss are reactive—designed to manage late-stage complications rather than address upstream drivers of disease. We believed there was an opportunity to intervene earlier by restoring immune balance, with the goal of slowing or preventing progression of age-related macular degeneration and preserving central vision,’ Dr Chan tells ITKeyMedia.

The duo’s backgrounds uniquely positioned them to pursue that ambition. As Dr Chan transitioned from his previous Chief Scientific Officer role to Chief Executive Officer at Cirrus, his perspective broadened from platform innovation to company-building and long-term strategy.

In his turn, Professor Andrew Dick’s deep commitment to patients and the translational strength of his laboratory’s work in ocular immunology made clear that the science had real therapeutic potential.

Their shared motivation—to translate rigorous immunology into meaningful clinical impact—combined with emerging scientific insight, ultimately led them to co-found Cirrus. The goal is both straightforward and bold: to preserve sight, and restore it where possible.

Pioneering Multi-Pathway Gene Therapy

‘Cirrus’ bold approach focuses on pioneering novel yet well-validated biology from human genetics and aging data to deliver transformational impact in dry AMD, a disease of high unmet need. At ClavystBio, we are committed to backing Cirrus and its talented founders Kai and Andrew to advance this important therapy toward the clinic, and build its earlier stage pipeline,’ ClavystBio’s CEO Dr Khoo Shih shares.

Briefly put, Cirrus Therapeutics develops gene therapies for chronic blinding eye diseases, with an initial focus on dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). What makes their approach stand out is that instead of targeting a single downstream pathway, they aim to address a root driver of retinal degeneration by restoring IRAK-M, a central regulator of aging-related inflammation in the eye.

Rather than targeting a single downstream disease pathway, this approach focuses on rejuvenating IRAK-M to influence multiple mechanisms involved in retinal degeneration. By addressing several interconnected biological pathways simultaneously, the therapy is designed to move beyond structural improvements alone. This multi-pathway strategy creates the potential for meaningful functional benefits, including improvements related to retinal metabolic function.

Unmet Medical Needs

Dry AMD, particularly its advanced form known as Geographic Atrophy, represents a significant and growing unmet medical need due to the eventual loss of central vision, and the team has identified that IRAK-M levels decline in the retina with age and decrease further in patients with dry AMD. Given that currently approved FDA treatments offer only modest effects without proven functional benefits, the company intends to advance its IRAK-M gene therapy program to address this gap.

Cirrus Therapeutics plans to deliver a one-time ocular gene therapy that could preserve or potentially restore vision by improving the underlying healthspan of retinal tissue. In other words, this is an ambitious bet on the idea of treating the biology of aging itself—rather than just one molecular domino in the cascade—and thus changing the trajectory of the disease rather than merely slowing it.

‘Cirrus clouds are high-altitude clouds and often indicate an approaching warm front. The name Cirrus Therapeutics signifies our aspiration and commitment to developing transformative therapies for chronic blinding diseases – a high and ambitious goal – while representing hope for millions of patients worldwide,’ Dr Chan explains.

‘The future of AMD treatment lies in understanding the immune system’s role in retinal health. At Cirrus, we are taking a bold, multi-pathway approach, leveraging bright minds in science to push the boundaries of what’s possible for patients,’ Professor Dick adds.

Academic Partnership and Clinical Rigor

Professor Andrew Dick, MD, is a clinician-scientist ophthalmologist internationally recognized for his work on retinal inflammatory diseases. He holds senior roles at both the University of Bristol and University College London (UCL), where he serves as Director and Duke Elder Professor of Ophthalmology at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. Professor Dick co-directs the NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) Biomedical Research Centre in Ophthalmology at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. As such, these institutions remain central partners to Cirrus Therapeutics’ work to translate advanced ocular science into transformative therapies for dry AMD and geographic atrophy.

‘Cirrus was born out of deep academic collaboration, and staying close to our partners in Bristol and London is essential to how we innovate. Working side by side with Andrew and his lab keeps us grounded in rigorous science as we build a global company focused on protecting and restoring vision,’ Dr Chan comments.

Translational Studies and Pipeline Growth

As of today, Cirrus Therapeutics advanced its lead IRAK-M targeted AAV gene therapy program into translational studies, with the goal of moving into the clinic. The team also grew across scientific, strategic, and operational functions, strengthening the capabilities.

The startup is not yet disclosing its strategy for selecting its clinical trial populations across the spectrum of dry AMD stages. Ocular AAV delivery has been clinically validated in prior therapies (e.g. Luxturna), supporting the safety profile of this modality. The localized and low-dose approach is intended to minimize immune-related risks while maintaining therapeutic efficacy.

Beyond its lead program, Cirrus Therapeutics is developing first-in-class gene and cell therapies to preserve sight and extend ocular healthspan in patients with chronic blinding diseases. The company plans to apply its scientific expertise to multiple stages of dry AMD, including earlier intervention to prevent degeneration and next-generation treatments for advanced disease characterized by both degeneration and dysfunction. This strategy may also extend to other chronic blinding conditions with significant unmet medical need.

Shaping the Future of Vision Restoration

‘AMD represents a massive market with significant unmet need. 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’, ZAKA VC co-founder and managing partner Ján Kasper concludes.

The newly raised funding is meant to accelerate the progression of Cirrus Therapeutics lead candidate toward IND-enabling development activities. More specifically, this will help the team complete the preclinical work required to support a regulatory submission. In parallel, the company will continue developing its expanding pipeline of next-generation therapies for ocular diseases.

Cirrus Therapeutics is betting on a bold shift in approaching vision loss—moving upstream to target the aging biology that drives degeneration rather than managing its late-stage consequences. If successful, its IRAK-M–based gene therapy could redefine what durable treatment means for dry AMD and potentially reshape the broader field of ocular medicine. ZAKA VC’s involvement reinforces international investor confidence in this vision and signals that transformative biotech innovation emerging at the intersection of immunology and gene therapy is attracting increasing global backing altogether.