Engage Bio
Engage Bio was a preclinical biotechnology company developing the Tethosome platform, a non-viral DNA delivery system using LNP technology for genetic medicines. Founded in 2021 in San Carlos, California, it was acquired by Eli Lilly in May 2026 for up to $202 million.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersSan Carlos, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Engage Bio does
Engage Bio was a preclinical biotechnology company founded in 2021 and headquartered in San Carlos, California. The company developed the Tethosome platform, a non-viral DNA delivery system designed to overcome two longstanding bottlenecks in the field—insufficient potency and unacceptable toxicity. The platform combines proven lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technology with an engineered DNA payload and an mRNA encoding a proprietary Tethosome protein that localizes DNA to the nucleus and evades innate immune sensors. According to the company, this architecture achieves over 100-fold higher expression than traditional non-viral DNA approaches while enabling safe redosing and expression durations of months to years from a single dose.
The company operated as a platform-stage R&D entity with no commercial products or recurring revenue; its primary customer type was large pharmaceutical companies seeking genetic-medicine capabilities. Engage Bio was venture-backed, closing a $3.9 million financing in May 2022 from a syndicate led by Y Combinator with participation from Flybridge, Pioneer Fund, SAV, SciFounders, Unpopular Ventures, WorldQuant Ventures, and California Innovation Fund. In May 2026, Eli Lilly acquired the company for up to $202 million in cash (upfront and milestone), integrating the Tethosome platform into its genetic medicines portfolio. Following the transaction, Engage Bio became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eli Lilly. Leadership comprised co-founder and CEO Will Olsen and CTO Ben Hawley.
Engage Bio firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Engage Bio
- Legal name
- EngageBio
- Website
- https://engagebio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Engage Bio was a preclinical biotechnology company developing the Tethosome platform, a non-viral DNA delivery system using LNP technology for genetic medicines. Founded in 2021 in San Carlos, California, it was acquired by Eli Lilly in May 2026 for up to $202 million.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Engage Bio industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Genetic Medicine Delivery Platform
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Non-viral Gene Delivery & Gene Therapy (LNP, polymers, electroporation, physical methods) (HLAAACAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- RNA Delivery Technologies (LNPs, polymers, conjugates incl. GalNAc, peptides, exosomes) (HLAAADAD)
Keywords
Where Engage Bio is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Carlos
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Engage Bio business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Technology acquisition: As a preclinical-stage company, Engage Bio's primary revenue pathway was through acquisition by a larger pharmaceutical company. The company was acquired by Eli Lilly in a deal valued at up to $202 million, including upfront and milestone payments.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Engage Bio product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Engage Bio developed the Tethosome platform, a non-viral DNA delivery system for genetic medicines. The platform uses proven lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology to deliver therapeutic DNA together with mRNA encoding a proprietary Tethosome protein, which localizes DNA to the nucleus and evades immune sensors. This achieves over 100x the expression of traditional non-viral DNA delivery while enabling redosing, durable expression, and scalable manufacturing.
Product overview
Engage Bio is a preclinical biotechnology company that has developed a single unified technology platform called Tethosomes. This platform is a new class of non-viral DNA delivery system designed to enable potent, durable, redosable, and scalable genetic medicines. The platform addresses critical challenges in DNA therapeutics through engineered DNA payloads combined with lipid nanoparticle (LNP) and mRNA-encoded technology, achieving over 100x the expression of traditional non-viral DNA while being invisible to immune sensors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Tethosome Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 100x expression compared to traditional non-viral DNA delivery
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Engage Bio
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Engage Bio technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Engage Bio partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Eli Lilly and CompanycoreEli Lilly acquired Engage Bio for up to $202 million in a deal combining upfront and milestone payments. The acquisition brings Engage Bio's Tethosome non-viral DNA delivery platform into Lilly's genetic medicines portfolio, which includes gene therapies and DNA editing tools. The transaction is intended to accelerate the development of new genetic therapies by combining Engage's platform with Lilly's genetic medicines portfolio and development capabilities.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Engage Bio competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Generation Bio: Generation Bio develops non-viral gene therapies using lipid nanoparticle-like delivery for genetic medicines. Direct peer to Engage Bio's Tethosome platform with the same goal of durable, redosable non-viral DNA delivery for in vivo gene therapy applications.
- Verve Therapeutics: Verve Therapeutics is an in vivo gene editing company using LNP delivery for base editing therapies targeting cardiovascular disease. Directly comparable as a clinical-stage peer using LNP-based non-viral delivery to deliver nucleic acid payloads for genetic medicines.
- Beam Therapeutics: Beam Therapeutics is a clinical-stage base editing company that delivers mRNA and guide RNA via lipid nanoparticles. Directly comparable as a peer using LNP technology to enable in vivo genetic medicines and editing tools.
- Intellia Therapeutics: Intellia is a clinical-stage CRISPR gene editing company delivering Cas9 mRNA and sgRNA via lipid nanoparticles for in vivo therapies. Direct peer using LNP-based delivery of nucleic acid payloads for in vivo gene editing, the same delivery paradigm Engage Bio's Tethosome targets.
- Code Bio: Code Bio is a developer of non-viral gene therapies using its 3DNA platform for targeted delivery of nucleic acid payloads. Highly comparable as a peer developing non-viral delivery technology to enable durable, redosable genetic medicines.
Broad incumbents
- Arcturus Therapeutics: Arcturus is a clinical-stage mRNA medicines company with proprietary LNP delivery technology and a pipeline spanning vaccines, rare disease, and gene editing. Comparable as a broader non-viral delivery and mRNA therapeutics incumbent operating at greater scale and breadth than Engage Bio.
- Acuitas Therapeutics: Acuitas develops the LNP technology used in several approved and clinical-stage nucleic acid therapeutics, including partnered programs with Pfizer and others. Comparable as an LNP delivery technology platform serving the broader nucleic acid therapeutics industry that Engage Bio's Tethosome also targets.
- Genevant Sciences: Genevant is a lipid nanoparticle delivery technology company that enables nucleic acid therapeutics, including siRNA and mRNA, across multiple partners. Comparable as a broader LNP-based nucleic acid delivery platform peer with overlapping target applications to Engage Bio.
- Moderna: Moderna is a leading mRNA and LNP therapeutics company with a broad pipeline spanning vaccines, oncology, and rare disease, including non-COVID programs. Comparable as the dominant broad incumbent in LNP-based nucleic acid therapeutics that defines the competitive context for Engage Bio's Tethosome platform.
Emerging players
- Rejuvenation Technologies: Rejuvenation Technologies is a Stanford spinout developing RNA-based therapeutics against telomere-related disease, where Engage Bio's CEO Will Olsen previously served as VP of mRNA Therapeutic Development. Comparable as an early-stage RNA therapeutics player with shared scientific leadership heritage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Engage Bio social profiles
Digital presenceEngage Bio financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Engage Bio leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Engage Bio funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Engage Bio M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Engage Bio
What does Engage Bio do?
Engage Bio developed the Tethosome platform, a non-viral DNA delivery system for genetic medicines. The platform uses proven lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology to deliver therapeutic DNA together with mRNA encoding a proprietary Tethosome protein, which localizes DNA to the nucleus and evades immune sensors. This achieves over 100x the expression of traditional non-viral DNA delivery while enabling redosing, durable expression, and scalable manufacturing.
Is Engage Bio a public or private company?
Engage Bio is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Engage Bio founded?
Engage Bio was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Engage Bio based?
Engage Bio is headquartered in San Carlos, United States, in the North America region.
How does Engage Bio make money?
One revenue line is on record: technology acquisition.
Who are Engage Bio's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Generation Bio, Verve Therapeutics, Beam Therapeutics, Intellia Therapeutics and Code Bio. Broad incumbents are Arcturus Therapeutics, Acuitas Therapeutics, Genevant Sciences and Moderna. Rejuvenation Technologies is listed as an emerging player.
Does Engage Bio have an API?
No public API is recorded for Engage Bio.
What industry is Engage Bio in?
Engage Bio's product category is Genetic Medicine Delivery Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAACAC, Non-viral Gene Delivery & Gene Therapy (LNP, polymers, electroporation, physical methods), with a secondary code of HLAAADAD, RNA Delivery Technologies (LNPs, polymers, conjugates incl. GalNAc, peptides, exosomes). Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 2836.