mRNA Immunotherapies to Eliminate Cancer
Potent, durable, and redosable non-viral genetic medicines
Engage Bio is developing mRNA immunotherapies to defeat cancer. Our founders have deep experience in immunotherapy development, including four drugs in the clinic, and in building mRNA therapeutics platforms. Our approach is to provide cancer cells with instructions to make and gradually release our drugs within solid tumors. This local therapy allows us to eliminate tumors while sparing healthy distant tissues.
Engage Bio has developed Tethosomes, a new class of non-viral DNA which finally unleashes potent, durable, redosable, and scalable genetic medicine. Engage’s Tethosome platform solves the two key hurdles that have held back the field of non-viral DNA: potency and toxicity. Using proven LNP technology, we deliver a therapeutic DNA and an mRNA encoding our proprietary Tethosome protein. This protein localizes DNA to the nucleus, increasing expression by over 100-fold. Critically, our Tethosome platform is invisible to immune sensors which detect foreign DNA and which can cause lethal immune reactions. This allows us to safely deliver potent DNA, re-dose when needed, and titrate expression to optimal levels.
Engage Bio shifted from developing mRNA cancer immunotherapies to a broader non-viral genetic medicine platform (Tethosomes) using DNA instead of mRNA, though still targeting therapeutic applications.