Akouos, Inc.
A maker of gene therapies designed to restore and preserve hearing, Akouos works on treatments that deliver healthy genes directly to the inner ear for people with inherited hearing loss. Founded in 2016 by leaders in genetics and ear science, the Boston company took its name from the ancient Greek verb "akouo," meaning "to hear." It was acquired by Eli Lilly in late 2022 to continue its work within Lilly's genetic medicine institute.