Terrestrial Bio, a biotech company developing a microarray patch platform for therapeutics, announced it has raised $50 million in Series C funding and rebranded from Vaxess Technologies. The funding round was led by RA Capital, with participation from Engine Ventures, GHIC, and SiteGround.
The company said the rebrand reflects a strategic shift toward improving the delivery and accessibility of therapies, beginning with GLP-1 treatments. Alongside the funding, Terrestrial has signed a lease in Boston to establish a new headquarters and expand its manufacturing capabilities as it prepares for clinical trials and commercialization of its lead GLP-1 program.
Terrestrial is focused on transforming how therapies are administered by using its proprietary microarray patch platform. The patch, which resembles an adhesive bandage, is applied with a preloaded applicator and delivers bioactive tips into the skin that dissolve quickly, releasing therapeutic compounds. The platform is designed for self-administration, eliminating the need for sharps and refrigeration while enabling more convenient use at home or while traveling.
According to the company, findings from a recent GLP-1 human factors study showed that nearly all participants preferred the patch applicator over traditional injection devices, highlighting potential advantages in patient experience and adherence.
With the new capital, Terrestrial plans to build out a manufacturing facility in Boston’s Allston Labworks, spanning more than 40,000 square feet. The site will support automated, scaled production of microarray patches for late-stage clinical development and early commercial entry. The company expects the facility, beginning construction in 2026, to incorporate advanced automation, robotics, computer vision, and quality control systems.
Terrestrial stated that its platform has already demonstrated strong clinical and in vivo proof of concept across multiple molecules, positioning the company to advance next-generation therapies with improved patient accessibility and ease of use.
KEY QUOTES
“In recent years, it became clear that our company name should more clearly reflect our focus on therapies and patient-centered delivery. Healthcare has become increasingly consumerized, with patient experience and access playing a growing role in how people choose therapies. The Terrestrial name reflects the company’s ambition to make therapeutics more patient-friendly for people around the world, while also pointing to the skin or surface-based nature of our proprietary microarray patch technology.”
Rachel Sha, CEO of Terrestrial Bio, Inc.
