Imago BioSciences
Imago BioSciences was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing disease-modifying therapies for myeloproliferative neoplasms including polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia before being acquired by Merck & Co. in January 2023.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersSan Carlos, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Imago BioSciences does
Imago BioSciences Inc. was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Carlos, California. The company focused on developing disease-modifying therapies for myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), a category of chronic bone marrow disorders characterized by overproduction of blood cells. Its primary investigational targets were polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET) — orphan hematologic indications with limited disease-modifying treatment options and a combined addressable market projected to exceed USD 3 billion across major markets. Imago was founded and led by Hugh Rienhoff (founder and CEO), supported by Michael Arenberg (Chief Operating Officer and Chief Business Officer) and specialized scientific leadership.
The company operated as a pre-commercial, venture-backed development-stage biotech with no marketed products and no product revenue. Its business model relied on successive equity financings to fund clinical development: a $26.5 million Series B (October 2014) led by Clarus Ventures and including Merck Research Laboratories as an early strategic investor; a $40 million Series C (March 2019) led by Omega Funds; and an $80 million Series D (November 2020) led by Farallon Capital Management with a broad institutional syndicate including Blackstone Life Sciences, T. Rowe Price, and Amgen Ventures. Total disclosed equity funding was approximately $146.5 million across these three rounds.
In January 2023, Imago BioSciences was acquired by Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) and became a wholly-owned subsidiary. The acquisition integrated Imago's MPN pipeline into Merck's hematology/oncology portfolio, providing the investigational therapies access to Merck's global clinical, regulatory, manufacturing, and commercial infrastructure. Post-acquisition, any future product distribution and revenue would flow through Merck's established specialty oncology and hematology channels rather than Imago's own operations. The company is now classified as acquired and is no longer a standalone operating entity.
Imago BioSciences firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Imago BioSciences
- Legal name
- Imago BioSciences Inc.
- Website
- https://imagobio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Imago BioSciences was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing disease-modifying therapies for myeloproliferative neoplasms including polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia before being acquired by Merck & Co. in January 2023.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Imago BioSciences industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Hematology Pharmaceuticals
- NAICS
- Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Immunology & Autoimmune Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Immunology & Inflammation Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAD)
Keywords
Where Imago BioSciences is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Carlos
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Imago BioSciences business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Others
Imago BioSciences product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Imago BioSciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing investigational, disease-modifying therapies for myeloproliferative neoplasms, with a primary focus on Polycythemia Vera and Essential Thrombocythemia. Following its acquisition by Merck & Co. in January 2023, the company's pipeline assets are being advanced through Merck's pharmaceutical research and development infrastructure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Imago BioSciences
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Imago BioSciences technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Imago BioSciences partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Merck & Co. Inc.flagshipImago BioSciences was acquired by Merck & Co. Inc. in January 2023, representing a significant strategic transaction in the hematology/oncology space. This acquisition brought Imago's investigational therapies for myeloproliferative neoplasms into Merck's broader pharmaceutical portfolio, enabling continued development and potential commercialization of disease-modifying treatments.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Imago BioSciences competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Incyte Corporation: Incyte markets Jakafi (ruxolitinib), the leading approved therapy for Polycythemia Vera and a standard of care in myeloproliferative neoplasms, making it the most direct competitor to Imago's investigational MPN therapies.
- Geron Corporation: Geron developed imetelstat (Rytelo) for myelodysplastic syndromes and hematologic malignancies, representing a similarly-sized clinical-stage biotech targeting blood cancers with a novel mechanism, comparable in scale and stage to Imago.
Broad incumbents
- Bristol-Myers Squibb: BMS acquired fedratinib (Inrebic) for myelofibrosis via its Celgene acquisition and operates a broad hematology/oncology portfolio directly relevant to the MPN market Imago targets.
- GSK (Sierra Oncology acquisition): GSK acquired Sierra Oncology in 2022 for momelotinib (Ojjaara), a JAK1/2/ACVR1 inhibitor approved for myelofibrosis, representing a major incumbent in the MPN space and a direct adjacency to Imago's target indications.
- Sobi (CTI BioPharma acquisition): Sobi acquired CTI BioPharma in 2023 for pacritinib (Vonjo), a JAK2/IRAK1 inhibitor approved for myelofibrosis with cytopenia, positioning it as another major MPN therapy competitor overlapping with Imago's disease focus.
- AbbVie: AbbVie has a significant hematology/oncology franchise (including Imbruvica and Venclexta) and competes broadly for both MPN patient share and bolt-on acquisition opportunities in the space.
- Novartis: Novartis operates a major oncology franchise (e.g., Jakavi via partnership with Incyte) and acquired MorphoSys in 2024, signaling active interest in hematology bolt-on deals and competing with Merck in the MPN space.
Emerging players
- Disc Medicine: Disc Medicine is a clinical-stage hematology-focused biotech developing therapies for blood disorders, comparable to Imago in stage, size, and therapeutic focus on rare hematologic diseases.
- MorphoSys: MorphoSys developed pelabresib (a BET inhibitor) for myelofibrosis, representing a similarly-sized clinical-stage European biotech with a novel mechanism targeting MPNs — a direct adjacency to Imago's therapeutic focus.
- Kartos Therapeutics: Kartos Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotech developing navitoclax (a BCL-2/BCL-xL inhibitor) for myeloproliferative neoplasms including myelofibrosis, directly overlapping with Imago's disease and indication focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Imago BioSciences social profiles
Digital presenceImago BioSciences financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Imago BioSciences leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Imago BioSciences funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors17 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Imago BioSciences M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Imago BioSciences
What does Imago BioSciences do?
Imago BioSciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing investigational, disease-modifying therapies for myeloproliferative neoplasms, with a primary focus on Polycythemia Vera and Essential Thrombocythemia. Following its acquisition by Merck & Co. in January 2023, the company's pipeline assets are being advanced through Merck's pharmaceutical research and development infrastructure.
Is Imago BioSciences a public or private company?
Imago BioSciences is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Imago BioSciences founded?
Imago BioSciences was founded in 2012. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Imago BioSciences based?
Imago BioSciences is headquartered in San Carlos, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Imago BioSciences's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Incyte Corporation and Geron Corporation. Broad incumbents are Bristol-Myers Squibb, GSK (Sierra Oncology acquisition), Sobi (CTI BioPharma acquisition), AbbVie and Novartis. Emerging players are Disc Medicine, MorphoSys and Kartos Therapeutics.
Does Imago BioSciences have an API?
No public API is recorded for Imago BioSciences.
What industry is Imago BioSciences in?
Imago BioSciences's product category is Hematology Pharmaceuticals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIACAB, Immunology & Autoimmune Specialty Pharmaceuticals, with a secondary code of HLAIAAAD, Immunology & Inflammation Pharmaceuticals. Its NAICS code is 541714 and its SIC code is 2834.