What Imagine Pharma does

Imagine Pharma is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based biotechnology company founded in 2016 that operates as a drug discovery and development platform anchored by a proprietary polypeptide called IMG-1, discovered by Dr. Ngoc Thai in a tea plant. The company has organized its technology into three platforms: an oral drug delivery system branded as the PT System, a therapeutics pipeline, and a regenerative medicine program. In parallel with its pharmaceutical development activities, Imagine Pharma operates an Islet Isolation Center that performs both clinical and research isolations, serving diabetes researchers and transplant programs.

The company's pharmaceutical pipeline spans multiple therapeutic areas and routes of administration. The PT oral delivery platform underpins PT-1 (an oral erythropoietin formulation), PT-2 (oral octreotide for acromegaly and neuroendocrine tumors), and PT-3 (a GLP-1 agonist for metabolic disease). A separate topical program includes Top-1, Top-2, and Top-3 candidates, and the regenerative medicine arm is developing autologous insulin-producing cells (AIPCs). On the commercial side, the company sells a consumer peptide supplement branded Progenalen Pro Peptide, distributed through partner Designs for Health. Revenue mechanics appear to derive from a mix of consumer supplement sales, fee-for-service islet isolation procedures, and collaborative research with institutional and biotech partners including Cook MyoSite, LyGenesis, WVU Medicine, and the NIDDK-sponsored Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP).

The company completed a $32.5 million Series A financing in October 2023 led by IP Investors LLC, bringing total disclosed funding to approximately $40 million. With a headcount of 1–10 employees, Imagine Pharma operates as a capital-efficient, platform-oriented biotech, prioritizing pipeline breadth and partnership-based commercialization over large-scale in-house development infrastructure.

Name

Imagine Pharma

Legal name

Imagine Pharma LLC

Website

https://imaginepharma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Imagine Pharma is a Pittsburgh-based biotech founded in 2016 that develops oral and topical peptide therapeutics using its proprietary IMG-1 polypeptide platform, operates an Islet Isolation Center for diabetes research, and sells a consumer peptide supplement through distribution partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biotechnology / Drug Discovery & Development

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412), Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Care Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Engineered Protein Therapeutics (de novo/AI-designed proteins, novel scaffolds) (HLAAAAAJ), Specialty Pharmacy & Complex Therapy Management Platforms (HLACAKAG)

Keywords

• Biologic oral delivery
• Islet cell isolation
• Regenerative cell therapy
• Diabetes therapeutics
• Drug discovery platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government/NIH Grants & Contracts: Contract awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP) effective August 1, 2022, providing human islets to over 100 investigators and research programs.
2. Clinical Islet Isolation Services: Fee-for-service clinical human islet cell isolation procedures for hospital systems lacking in-house capabilities. Completed 40+ procedures over 14 months (31 in 2024, 9 in 2025) including 24 pediatric procedures. Performed at Cook MyoSite facility in Pittsburgh.
3. Research Islet Isolations & Related Services: Research-grade human isolated islets, pancreatic tissue processing, pancreatic tissue and islet cell banking, and pancreatic living slices sold to leading academic diabetes centers (Vanderbilt, Stanford, U Florida, Mt. Sinai, U Pittsburgh, nPOD, etc.). 48 research isolations completed in 2024.
4. Licensing & Distribution Royalties: Exclusive distribution and licensing agreement with Designs for Health for Progenalen Pro Peptide dietary supplement, generating licensing royalties and product revenue through healthcare professional channel (29,000 practitioners).
5. Consumer Supplement Sales (Progenalen): Direct-to-consumer sales of Progenalen Life+ supplement via progenalen.com storefront; pursuing strategic channel and distribution partnerships for consumer, corporate, and specialty markets.
6. Equity & Debt Securities Offerings: Exempt securities offering filed via SEC Form D as a Delaware LLC, with $300,000 total amount sold and $50,000 minimum investment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Imagine Pharma is a biotechnology company developing first-in-class therapeutics and regenerative medicine built around its proprietary IMG-1 polypeptide. It commercializes clinical and research-grade human islet isolation services for hospital systems and academic research centers, develops oral biologic delivery and cell therapy programs (PT-1 EPO, PT-2 Octreotide, PT-3 GLP-1 Agonist, Topical wound healing, AIPCs for Type 1 diabetes), and sells the Progenalen dietary supplement line formulated with IMG-1.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Progenalen: A division of Imagine Pharma dedicated to supporting health and wellness, producing science-backed dietary supplements (Progenalen Pro Peptide, Progenalen Professional for healthcare professionals, and Progenalen Life+ for consumers) formulated with the IMG-1 polypeptide.

Products and services

• Clinical Human Islet Cell Isolation Services
• Research Islet Supply & Pancreatic Tissue Services
• NIDDK IIDP Human Islet Supply
• Progenalen Pro Peptide
• Progenalen Life+ Consumer Supplement

Quantifiable outcome

• 20+ million pancreatic islets isolated for clinical and research use since January 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship commercial distribution partner for progenalen pro peptide, core marketing/communications partner, major healthcare system customer-partner, core mission-aligned nonprofit arm, core operational partner for clinical islet isolation, flagship strategic research collaboration for type 1 diabetes, core federal program partner and recognition, core facility partner and operational partner for islet procurement.

• Designs for Health, Inc.flagship commercial distribution partner for progenalen pro peptideChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 February 2025Exclusive distribution and licensing agreement for Progenalen Pro Peptide dietary supplement. Gives Imagine Pharma access to Designs for Health's community of 29,000 health and wellness professionals nationwide. Progenalen Pro Peptide contains Imagine Pharma's IMG-1® polypeptide and is marketed as a professional-grade, once-daily supplement for health span and healthy aging.
• Zer0 to 5ivecore marketing/communications partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 February 2025Strategic marketing and communications firm providing PR, IR, and strategic counsel. Co-CEO Santiago Pujadas is also co-chief executive officer at Zer0 to 5ive. Handles media relations and investor communications for Imagine Pharma.
• West Virginia University (WVU) Health System / WVU Medicinemajor healthcare system customer-partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 28 May 2024Contract to provide human clinical islet isolation services for patients undergoing total pancreatectomy and autologous islet cell transplant (TPAIT). WVU Health System is the state's largest health system (21 hospitals) and largest private employer. First transplantation procedure successfully completed at Cook MyoSite facility.
• Imagine Pharma Foundationcore mission-aligned nonprofit armStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2024Non-profit charitable organization formed to advance metabolic research with a focus on Veterans. John Paul Midolo appointed as first Executive Director. Foundation will collaborate with research institutions, pharma companies, healthcare providers, and other nonprofits on four key areas: metabolic/diabetes research, access to treatments for veterans, supporting other nonprofits, and education/awareness.
• Cook MyoSitecore operational partner for clinical islet isolationStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 December 2023Partnership formed to establish a state-of-the-art facility to conduct human islet isolations for hospital systems without in-house capabilities. Clinical isolations for total pancreatectomy and autologous islet transplantation are performed at Cook MyoSite's facility in Pittsburgh, PA. Enables expansion of clinical islet cell isolation capabilities.
• LyGenesis, Inc.flagship strategic research collaboration for type 1 diabetesStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2023Joint research collaboration to develop novel cell therapies for patients with Type 1 Diabetes. The research collaboration leverages Imagine Pharma's Type 1 Diabetes Activated Islet Progenitor Cells (T1D AIPCs) and LyGenesis' allogeneic cell therapy platform, using the lymph node as a bioreactor to grow a functioning ectopic pancreas. Enables rapid advancement of a joint preclinical proof of concept program.
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) / Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP)core federal program partner and recognitionStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2022Imagine Pharma's Islet Center was selected as an approved Islet Isolation Center (IIC) under the NIDDK's Integrated Islet Distribution Program (IIDP), effective August 1, 2022. IIDP is the largest organized effort in the world to provide high-quality human islet preparations to the diabetes research community, supplying over 100 investigators. Imagine's Islet Center is one of only five IICs.
• Cook (Cook Group) / Cook MyoSite facilitycore facility partnerOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerImagine Pharma performs clinical islet isolations at the Cook MyoSite facility in Pittsburgh, PA. The facility is also featured in the Current Partners logo section of the Islet Programs page.
• Core (organ procurement organization partner)operational partner for islet procurementChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a Current Partner in the Islet Programs page; role related to organ/tissue procurement enabling islet isolation services.
• Nevada Donor Networkoperational partner for islet procurementChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a Current Partner in the Islet Programs page; organ procurement organization enabling pancreatic tissue/islet supply.
• Indiana Donor Networkoperational partner for islet procurementChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorListed as a Current Partner in the Islet Programs page; organ procurement organization enabling pancreatic tissue/islet supply.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Major pharma advancing VX-880, a stem cell-derived allogeneic islet cell therapy for Type 1 diabetes. Directly competes with Imagine Pharma's AIPC and T1D autologous transplant programs in pursuit of a functional T1D cure.
• Oramed Pharmaceuticals: Clinical-stage company developing an oral insulin capsule (ORMD-0801) and oral delivery platform for biologic drugs. Direct competitor to Imagine Pharma's PT Oral Delivery system and PT-3 oral GLP-1 agonist.
• Sigilon Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing encapsulated cell therapies for Type 1 diabetes and other serious diseases. Directly comparable to Imagine Pharma's regenerative medicine platform for insulin-dependent diabetes.
• LyGenesis: Clinical-stage cell therapy company developing allogeneic cell therapies using the lymph node as a bioreactor, including for Type 1 diabetes. Active research collaboration partner with Imagine Pharma combining LyGenesis' platform with Imagine's T1D AIPCs; co-founder/CEO Michael Hufford sits on Imagine Pharma's advisory board.
• Rani Therapeutics: Clinical-stage biotech developing an oral (pill-based) biologic delivery platform for peptides and large molecules. Directly comparable to Imagine Pharma's PT Oral Delivery platform as both pursue oral alternatives to injectable biologics.
• Orgenesis: Cell therapy company developing autologous cell therapies including for diabetes, with a focus on point-of-care cell processing and immune modulation. Comparable to Imagine Pharma in regenerative medicine and cell-based therapies for metabolic disease.

Broad incumbents

• Novo Nordisk: Global diabetes and obesity leader with Rybelsus (oral GLP-1), Ozempic/Wegovy and a deep diabetes pipeline. Dominant incumbent whose commercial reach and capital set the competitive bar for Imagine Pharma's PT-3 oral GLP-1 agonist and T1D programs.
• Eli Lilly: Major pharma leader in diabetes/obesity with Mounjaro/Zepbound and an emerging oral GLP-1 (orforglipron). Sets the competitive benchmark in oral GLP-1 that Imagine Pharma's PT-3 program must beat on differentiation, efficacy, or convenience.

Emerging players

• Metsera: Well-funded emerging biotech pursuing next-generation oral and injectable GLP-1 and obesity therapies. Comparable emerging player challenging the same oral GLP-1 market segment as Imagine Pharma's PT-3 program.
• Seraxis: Preclinical-stage cell therapy company developing stem cell-derived islet replacement for Type 1 diabetes. Comparable emerging player in the T1D cell therapy space alongside Imagine Pharma's AIPC program.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/27187753

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors4 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Imagine Pharma