Orna Therapeutics
Orna Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing circular RNA therapies and lipid nanoparticle delivery systems. The Eli Lilly subsidiary has raised $321M, including a Series B in August 2022, and employs 113 people.
The growth story
Orna Therapeutics grew from 46 to 113 employees between 2021 and 2026, raising $321M along the way, most recently a Series B in August 2022.
About
Orna Therapeutics creates RNA-based treatments using its proprietary circular RNA platform and lipid nanoparticle delivery technology. The company focuses on developing in vivo therapies for disease treatment, aiming to advance RNA therapeutics.
The company has raised $321M, with its latest funding being a Series B round in August 2022. It employs 113 people, with a significant portion working in research roles.
Founders and leadership
Orna Therapeutics is led by a team focused on RNA therapeutics, with Eli Lilly as its parent company. The largest function is research, comprising 40 employees, indicating a strong emphasis on scientific development.
The Orna Therapeutics org chart
Joseph Bolen (Chief Executive Officer) leads 36 mapped leaders with 3 direct reports. Click +N to expand a team; names link to the person’s public profile.
Departments, and which ones grew
Headcount by function: Research 39 (-44% YoY), Business Development 12 (-20% YoY), Information Technology 5 (-17% YoY), Operations 5 (-37% YoY), Program and Project Management 5 (0% YoY).
Talent flow
Orna Therapeutics recruits heavily from ReNAgade Therapeutics, with 22 hires, and Northeastern University, with 20 alumni. Many employees move to Eli Lilly and Company, with 48 alumni, and Averna Therapeutics, with 10 alumni.
Most common previous employers of Orna Therapeutics staff: ReNAgade Therapeutics (22), Northeastern University (6), Sanofi (6), CRISPR Therapeutics (5), Omega Therapeutics (5), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (5). Former Orna Therapeutics employees most often moved to Eli Lilly and Company (48), Averna Therapeutics (10), Bristol Myers Squibb (3), Merck (3), Guidepoint (2), BlueRock Therapeutics (2).
Alumni worth knowing
The Orna Therapeutics mafia
Orna Therapeutics alumni have founded five companies, including Averna Therapeutics, which has 62 staff, and Noara Therapeutics, which has 1 staff.
5Tom Barnes, was Board Member until 2024Mehdi Pirouz, was Associate Director | Head of Molecular Biology until 2024Karim N. Semaan, was DevOps Engineer until 2023Amy Becker, was Director, Drug Discovery until 2023Web traffic
Traffic mix: 0% direct, 0% search, 0% social, 0% paid.
What this company is made of
Most common skills at Orna Therapeutics: Project Management (30), Molecular Biology (30), Biochemistry (30), Biotechnology (27), Cell Biology (26), Microsoft Word (25), Cell Culture (24), Western Blotting (24).
Where the team actually sits
Orna Therapeutics people are concentrated in Massachusetts, United States (55), Greater Boston (18), United States (4), New Jersey, United States (1).
Search footprint
Orna Therapeutics attracts about 641 organic search visits a month, traffic worth roughly $0K a month if bought through ads. It gained 65 ranking keywords and lost 48 in the last period.
What employees say
- Compensation
- 4.10 / 5
- Career opportunities
- 4.00 / 5
- Senior management
- 3.90 / 5
- Work-life balance
- 4.20 / 5
Frequently asked
Orna Therapeutics has 113 employees as of September 2026.
Orna Therapeutics has raised $321M in total, most recently a Series B round in August 2022.
Joseph Bolen (Chief Executive Officer) sits at the top of Orna Therapeutics's reporting structure, with 3 direct reports.
The most common previous employers of current Orna Therapeutics staff are ReNAgade Therapeutics (22 people), Northeastern University (6 people), Sanofi (6 people).
Former Orna Therapeutics employees most often move to Eli Lilly and Company (48), Averna Therapeutics (10), Bristol Myers Squibb (3).
At least 5 companies have a founder who previously worked at Orna Therapeutics, including Averna Therapeutics, Noara Therapeutics, SSS Tech.
Orna Therapeutics attracts about 641 organic search visits a month, worth roughly $0K a month in equivalent ad spend.
The most common skills among Orna Therapeutics staff are Project Management, Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Cell Biology.
Orna Therapeutics staff are concentrated in Massachusetts, United States (55), Greater Boston (18), United States (4).
Orna Therapeutics has about 39 people in Research, down 44% over the past year, as of September 2026.
Orna Therapeutics has about 12 people in Business Development, down 20% over the past year, as of September 2026.
Computed from 81 current and 242 former Orna Therapeutics profiles, as of September 2026. Source: Crustdata.
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