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Advance

Hope

Capsigen is leading the field of capsid engineering to transform the delivery of life-changing gene therapies.

Advance

Precision

We engineer customized capsids that deliver medicine to target cells while avoiding other tissues and organs.

Advance

Cures

Our approach can deliver fit-for-purpose capsids typically within a year, moving patients from hope—to cured.

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Advance

Hope

Precision

Cures

Capsigen is leading the field of capsid engineering to transform the delivery of life-changing gene therapies.

We engineer customized capsids that deliver medicine to target cells while avoiding other tissues and organs.

Our approach can deliver fit-for-purpose capsids typically within a year, moving patients from hope—to cured.

AAV vectors are designed to deliver therapeutic payloads to cells

Genetic payload (ssDNA) is introduced to the AAV vector

The AAV vector is injected into the host

Engineered capsids avoid entry in non-targeted cells

Targeted cells allow endocytosis and endosomal trafficking

The AAV vector delivers the genetic payload in the nucleus for treatment

About Capsigen

The Future of Medicine

The next-generation AAV vectors are fueling gene therapy. By combining state-of-the-art knowledge of biology, directed evolution, and data science, Capsigen is engineering novel AAV capsids to address difficult-to-treat diseases.

With highly diverse libraries using the most clinically relevant models, Capsigen is delivering fit-for-purpose vectors designed for tomorrow’s medicine—today.

Disease-
Focus

It all starts with an ideal capsid profile based on a specific set of criteria for the efficient delivery and treatment of the disease.

Discovery
Platform

AAV vectors that meet complex criteria are discovered through a proprietary messenger RNA screening platform called TRADE

Data
Science

Data from our high-precision screening platform is incorporated into our powerful data science platform to provide new insights into structure-function relationships.

Our Technology

A Powerful Platform

Capsigen’s proprietary Transcription-Dependent Directed Evolution (TRADE) technology eliminates background noise and efficiently identifies fully functional capsids designed to meet complex disease-specific transduction profiles.

This approach directs rapid AAV capsid evolution using cell type-specific, non-coding mRNA expression as the readout. Capsid engineering in any animal species is possible without isolation of target cells by sorting, or expressing immunogenic capsid proteins—delivering on complex or challenging criteria that no other engineering platform can provide.

Treatment Begins
With Delivery

Capsigen can efficiently test large-scale libraries and identify those capsids that best meet the profile.
This results in viral vectors that enable:

Potency: The TRADE platform can screen and identify capsids with enhanced levels of infectivity and transduction—resulting in more potent medicines.

Translation: Capsigen employs model systems that most closely mimic human anatomy, physiology, and immune response with clinically relevant routes of administration.

Specificity: A combination of cell-type specific promoters and TRADE-based selection schemes can identify capsids that are highly specific to the target cells of interest.

Speed: This high-throughput platform can deliver fit-for-purpose capsids typically within a year, changing the paradigm of gene therapy product development.

Case Study

Development of a Neurotropic Capsid

Capsigen created a neurotropic capsid that can transduce neurons with high specificity following intravenous (IV) administration in NHP.

AAV9
Neuron Specificity *

0

CGN-1
Neuron Specificity *

0

AAV9

4-11x
Increase

CGN-1

AAV9

4x
Reduction

CGN-1

* The specificity values are based on samples taken from the striatum.

Our Team

Meet the Minds
Behind Capsigen

Capsigen is powered by the passions and experience of its scientists and the tenacity of its entrepreneurs working together to push the boundaries of gene therapy.


Our Leadership

John Bial

MBA
Chief Executive Officer

John has more than 20 years of experience as a biotech entrepreneur with a focus on developing startups from academic laboratories.

Charlie Kang

MBA
Chief Business Officer

Charlie brings more than 25 years of biotech experience spanning corporate finance, business development, and research and development.

Hiroyuki Nakai

MD, PhD
Chief Science Officer

Dr. Nakai has been studying AAV vectors for 25 years and holds an Endowed Chair and School of Medicine Distinguished Professorship in Molecular Medicine at OHSU.

Partners

Collaborate
With Us

We’re pushing the boundaries of what Capsids can do. If you're ready to take the next step forward in medicine, we're always looking for partners to help us along the way.

Learn More
Careers

Advance
With Us

We’re on an incredible journey of discovery, and we're looking for the best and brightest to join us. Could that be you?

Let's Talk
News

Keep Up With Our Latest Innovations

Contact Us

Let’s Have a Conversation

Curious about Capsigen, gene therapy, or where we are going? Reach out for more information.