Eli Lilly acquired Engage Bio for up to $202M in cash, including upfront and milestone payments.
SourcemRNA Immunotherapies to Eliminate Cancer
Public company, workplace, funding, and market signals
Preclinical San Carlos biotech founded in 2021 that built the Tethosome platform for non-viral DNA medicines; acquired by Eli Lilly in 2026.
Primary product
Tethosome non-viral DNA medicine platform
Founded
2021
Headquarters
San Carlos, California, United States
Team size
1-10
Work style
Onsite
Industry
Biotechnology Research
Sub-industry
Genetic medicine / non-viral DNA delivery
Offices
0 jobs at Engage Bio
Check back later for new openings
Business model
Stage
acquired
Total raised
$4M
Latest round
Acquisition · May 2026
Latest amount
$202M
May 2026 · Eli Lilly and Company
Sep 2025
Apr 2022 · Y Combinator
Leadership
Co-Founder & CEO
Co-Founder & CSO
Chief Technology Officer
Investors
Mission-driven, fast-paced, lean, and highly collaborative; the company emphasizes pushing genetic medicine boundaries and working on important human-health problems.
Work style
Onsite
Compensation
Public job posts showed roughly $70k-$85k for an entry-level research associate and $100k-$150k for scientist/senior scientist roles, with bonuses, equity, and benefits; roles were on-site in San Carlos.
Benefits
Differentiators
Technology
Competitors
Estimated revenue
$0.5M–$1.0M estimated ARR
Estimated monthly visits
2.5K
Traffic estimate as of Jun 2026
Eli Lilly acquired Engage Bio for up to $202M in cash, including upfront and milestone payments.
SourceBioSpace · May 2026
BioSpace republished the acquisition release and highlighted the company’s 2021 founding, San Carlos base, and investor lineup.
Pharmaceutical Technology · May 2026
Coverage of Lilly’s acquisition and the Tethosome platform’s attempt to address potency, tolerability, and redosability limits.
BusinessWire · May 2026
Official acquisition announcement: Lilly agreed to acquire Engage Bio for up to $202M; the release also names founders, HQ, platform focus, and seed/backing sources.
Fierce Biotech · May 2026
Independent coverage of Lilly’s $202M acquisition of Engage Bio and the company’s non-viral DNA delivery platform.
PharmExec · May 2026
PharmExec analyzed the deal, the Tethosome platform, and the strategic fit for Lilly’s genetic medicines push.