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Terrestrial Bio

A Massachusetts-based biotechnology company formerly known as Vaxess Technologies, Terrestrial Bio is developing a proprietary microarray patch platform that enables the temperature-stable, needle-free delivery of advanced therapeutics including GLP-1 medicines and vaccines, and raised $50 million in Series C funding in March 2026 to scale manufacturing.

Company Overview

Terrestrial Bio (formerly Vaxess Technologies, Inc.) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company headquartered in the greater Boston area of Massachusetts, United States. The company has developed a proprietary microarray patch (MAP) platform designed to deliver a wide range of therapeutics — including GLP-1 receptor agonists, vaccines, and other biologics — through the skin without needles or refrigeration. In March 2026, Terrestrial Bio raised $50 million in a Series C funding round led by RA Capital Management, with participation from Engine Ventures, GHIC, and SiteGround, to fund late-stage clinical development and manufacturing scale-up.

Headquarters and Global Presence

Terrestrial Bio is headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, and has signed a lease for a new facility at Allston Labworks in Boston, Massachusetts, which will serve as an expanded headquarters and manufacturing site. The new facility will span more than 40,000 square feet and is being fitted with automated production lines, robotics, computer vision systems, and quality control processes to support scaled manufacture of the microarray patch. The company's operations are currently centred in the United States, with an eye toward international expansion as the platform advances towards commercialisation.

Founding and History

Terrestrial Bio was established as Vaxess Technologies, Inc. to advance a novel drug delivery platform initially conceived within academic research. The company's microarray patch technology was developed to overcome key limitations of conventional injectable drug delivery — pain, cold-chain requirements, and the need for trained healthcare professionals — by enabling controlled delivery of therapeutic payloads via dissolving microneedle tips embedded in an adhesive patch. The company rebranded as Terrestrial Bio to reflect the broadened therapeutic scope of the platform beyond vaccines to include metabolic disease medicines such as GLP-1 receptor agonists and other next-generation biologics.

Therapy Areas and Focus

Terrestrial Bio's platform is therapeutically agnostic but currently prioritises two main application areas. The first is GLP-1-based treatments for obesity and metabolic disease, where the microarray patch format could offer significant advantages over existing injectable pens in terms of patient convenience, adherence, and accessibility. The second is vaccines and other immunisations, where temperature stability of the patch removes the requirement for cold-chain logistics — a significant benefit for global health access. The company is also exploring delivery of other advanced biologics, including peptide-based and large-molecule therapeutics, that could benefit from the precise dermal delivery of the MAP platform.

Technology Platforms and Modalities

The core of Terrestrial Bio's technology is the microarray patch (MAP) and its associated applicator. The patch consists of an array of dissolving microneedle tips made from advanced biomaterials, which are applied to the skin using a preloaded applicator and removed after a short duration. The tips dissolve within the skin, releasing their therapeutic payload rapidly into the dermal tissue for systemic absorption. The platform is designed to be temperature-stable — eliminating cold-chain requirements — and to deliver precise, controlled doses of therapeutics without needles. Terrestrial Bio is also incorporating automation, robotics, and computer vision into its manufacturing processes to enable consistent, large-scale production.

Key Pipeline and Programs

Terrestrial Bio's lead programme focuses on the delivery of GLP-1 receptor agonists via the microarray patch platform for obesity and metabolic disease, targeting the large and growing market currently served by injectable pens. The company is pursuing late-stage clinical development and preparation for early commercial entry, supported by the Series C funding raised in March 2026. In addition to the GLP-1 programme, Terrestrial Bio is advancing vaccine delivery applications, where the temperature stability and needle-free format of the MAP could expand access to immunisation in resource-constrained settings. The manufacturing facility being built at Allston Labworks is intended to support both the clinical supply and initial commercial production needs.

Key Personnel

Rachel Sha serves as Chief Executive Officer of Terrestrial Bio, leading the company through its transition from early-stage technology developer to late-stage clinical and manufacturing organisation. Under her leadership, the company has secured substantial Series C financing, commenced construction of a scaled manufacturing facility, and advanced its GLP-1 patch delivery programme. The broader leadership team includes scientific and operational executives with expertise in drug delivery, materials science, process engineering, and life sciences business development.

Strategic Partnerships

Terrestrial Bio's $50 million Series C financing round, completed in March 2026, was led by RA Capital Management, a prominent healthcare-focused investment firm, with participation from Engine Ventures, GHIC, and SiteGround. The company has signed a lease with King Street Properties for its new manufacturing and headquarters facility at Allston Labworks in Boston, a life sciences hub that will support its scale-up ambitions. Terrestrial Bio is actively pursuing partnerships with pharmaceutical companies interested in utilising the MAP platform for delivery of their therapeutic assets, particularly in the rapidly growing GLP-1 and obesity medicine space.

FAQ Section

Terrestrial Bio develops a proprietary microarray patch (MAP) platform that delivers therapeutics — including GLP-1 medicines for obesity and vaccines — through the skin without needles or cold-chain storage. The dissolving microneedle tips in each patch release their payload rapidly upon application, enabling precise, convenient, and temperature-stable drug delivery.

Yes. Terrestrial Bio was formerly known as Vaxess Technologies, Inc. The company rebranded as Terrestrial Bio to reflect the expansion of its microarray patch platform beyond its initial focus on vaccines to encompass a broader range of therapeutics, including GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity and metabolic disease.

Terrestrial Bio is based in Woburn, Massachusetts, United States. In 2026, the company signed a lease at Allston Labworks in Boston for a new headquarters and manufacturing facility of more than 40,000 square feet, which will house automated, scaled production of the microarray patch.

The microarray patch consists of an array of dissolving microneedle tips embedded in an adhesive patch, applied using a preloaded applicator. Once applied to the skin, the tips penetrate the outer layer of the skin and dissolve within minutes, rapidly releasing the therapeutic payload into the dermal tissue for systemic absorption. The patch is then removed, leaving no sharps waste and requiring no medical professional.

In March 2026, Terrestrial Bio raised $50 million in a Series C funding round led by RA Capital Management, with participation from Engine Ventures, GHIC, and SiteGround. The proceeds are being used to fund late-stage clinical development, scale manufacturing at the new Allston Labworks facility, and advance the GLP-1 delivery programme towards commercial readiness.

GLP-1 receptor agonists for obesity are currently administered via subcutaneous injection, which can be a barrier for some patients and requires supply-chain management of injectable devices. The microarray patch format could offer a more convenient, needle-free alternative that maintains temperature stability without refrigeration, potentially improving patient adherence and broadening access to GLP-1-based obesity treatments.

Conventional biologics and vaccines typically require refrigeration throughout the supply chain, adding complexity and cost to distribution, particularly in lower-income or remote settings. Terrestrial Bio's microarray patch platform is designed to be temperature-stable, eliminating cold-chain requirements and enabling storage and distribution without refrigeration — a potential enabler of broader global access for vaccines and other biologics.

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