What META Pharmaceuticals does

META Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a privately held, clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in August 2021 and headquartered in Shenzhen, China, with a regional subsidiary in Hong Kong Science Park. It is the first commercial company in China and Asia Pacific to develop innovative drugs based on the theory of immunometabolism — a therapeutic strategy that modulates immune system function by manipulating the metabolic activity of immune cells, rather than neutralizing downstream inflammatory factors as conventional antibody drugs and JAK inhibitors do. The company was founded by researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and was jointly incubated by XtalPi (HKEX: 2228), Forcefield Ventures, and IMO Ventures.

The company's product portfolio comprises three first-in-class small molecule drug candidates built around the Modulated Immunometabolic Pathway Strategy: META-001-PH for primary hyperoxaluria (received FDA Rare Pediatric Disease Designation in August 2024); MP-5342, a highly selective oral lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) inhibitor for inflammatory bowel disease and potential expansion into multiple sclerosis and primary biliary cholangitis; and META-1, a broad-spectrum program targeting immune cell metabolic enzymes across autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis. Its underlying technology is the Meta-map AI-powered metabolic pathway drug target discovery platform, which integrates multi-omics analyses (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) with intelligent analysis models trained on hundreds of public datasets, in collaboration with XtalPi's quantum-physics-based AI drug discovery and automated robotic synthesis capabilities.

META is pre-revenue and generates no commercial product sales. The business model is a traditional biotech development pathway: capital is raised from venture investors to fund preclinical and clinical development, with future revenue expected from out-licensing deals, milestone payments, royalties, and eventual commercialization of approved drugs through pharmaceutical partners and global supply chains. The company is recruiting for Drug Discovery Director, Research Scientist, and DMPK Director roles in Shenzhen, and is preparing for first-in-human clinical trials in Australia (META-001-PH, H1 2025) and globally for MP-5342 (H2 2026).

Name

META Pharmaceuticals

Legal name

META Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Website

https://en.metabiopharma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

META Pharmaceuticals is a China- and Hong Kong-based clinical-stage biotech developing first-in-class small molecule drugs for autoimmune diseases and primary hyperoxaluria using an immunometabolism approach, powered by its Meta-map AI drug target discovery platform in collaboration with XtalPi.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Autoimmune Disease Therapeutics

NAICS

Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (32541), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Immunology & Autoimmune Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

AI/ML Platforms for Drug Discovery & Experiment Optimization (HLAGAJAO)

Keywords

• Immunometabolism drug development
• Small molecule inhibitors
• Autoimmune disease therapeutics
• AI drug discovery
• Rare disease treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Shenzhen

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Drug Development and Commercialization: Pre-revenue biotech company. Revenue will be generated through eventual commercialization of proprietary small molecule drugs for autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, and rare diseases. The company is developing multiple first-in-class drug candidates including META-1, META-001-PH (for primary hyperoxaluria), and MP-5342 (for IBD). Expected to become clinical-stage company with first-in-human trials commencing H2 2026.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

META Pharmaceuticals develops first-in-class small molecule drugs based on immunometabolism theory for autoimmune diseases, metabolic disorders, cancer, and rare genetic disorders. Its pipeline includes META-001-PH (for primary hyperoxaluria), MP-5342 (oral LDH inhibitor for inflammatory bowel disease), and META-1 (broad-spectrum autoimmune disease program). The company leverages its proprietary Meta-map AI platform and a co-development partnership with XtalPi to accelerate target discovery, lead optimization, and preclinical development.

Product overview

META Pharmaceuticals Inc. is an innovative biopharmaceutical company developing first-in-class original drugs based on immunometabolism theory. The company operates with two main platforms: the Meta-map AI-powered drug target discovery platform and the META-1 small molecule inhibitor program. Their product portfolio includes three core investigational pipelines: META-001-PH (for primary hyperoxaluria), MP-5342 (for inflammatory bowel disease), and META-1 (broad-spectrum autoimmune disease treatment). The company leverages AI and multi-omics analysis through its partnership with XtalPi to accelerate drug discovery and development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• META-001-PH: Investigational new drug for treatment of primary hyperoxaluria (PH). Small molecule drug developed in collaboration with XtalPi's AI drug discovery team. Can significantly reduce urinary oxalate excretion by up to 80%.
• META-1
• MP-5342
• Meta-map

Products and services

• META-001-PH First-in-class small molecule drug candidate for the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria (PH), a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder leading to kidney stones, renal failure, and life-threatening conditions. Developed in collaboration with XtalPi's AI drug discovery team from initial scaffold screening through preclinical compound nomination. Demonstrated ability to reduce urinary oxalate excretion by up to 80% in preclinical animal models with good tolerability and safety, and is undergoing IND-enabling toxicology studies with a clinical Phase I safety assessment on healthy subjects planned for 2025H1 in Australia.
• MP-5342 Oral, targeted, disease-modifying anti-inflammatory therapy with first-in-class potential. Highly selective oral LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) small-molecule inhibitor for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), also showing potential in multiple sclerosis (MS) and primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). World's first highly selective oral LDH small-molecule inhibitor with favorable in vivo drug-like properties.
• META-1 (META-01) First-in-class small molecule inhibitor program targeting immune cell metabolic enzymes. Positioned as a broad-spectrum drug for autoimmune diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), multiple sclerosis, and inflammatory bowel disease. Entered pre-clinical trial stage with planned clinical applications in China and US around 2024 and positioned as comparable in scope to Humira across the $100 billion+ autoimmune disease market.
• LDHA Inhibitors Novel lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) inhibitors developed in collaboration with Shenzhen Moyuan Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. for treating autoimmune diseases. First-in-class targeted therapy modulating immune cell energy metabolism through lactate dehydrogenase inhibition.

Quantifiable outcome

• META-001-PH can significantly reduce urinary oxalate excretion by up to 80% in preclinical animal models, with oral daily administration maintaining oxalate at normal levels
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• Shenzhen Moyuan Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 December 2025Collaboration disclosed for LDHA inhibitors intended for treating autoimmune diseases. Both companies disclosed LDHA inhibitors for autoimmune disease treatment.
• XtalPi Inc. (2228.HK)coreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic partnership for AI drug discovery combining META's biology research based on cellular and animal disease models with XtalPi's AI computing capabilities. XtalPi provides computational, design, and synthesis capabilities through their quantum physics and AI-enabled drug discovery platform. Collaboration enables fast and reliable analytic and validation loops for new therapeutic targets and mechanisms, accelerating patent formation and clinical trial processes. XtalPi's automated robotic chemical synthesis lab responsible for chemical synthesis of molecule series. META jointly incubated by XtalPi.
• Hong Kong Science and Technology Park (HKSTP)coreOthersMETA Pharmaceuticals is an HKSTP park company located in Hong Kong Science Park. HKSTP led Hong Kong's largest-ever delegation to BIO 2026 including META. META won Third Place at 2026 Biomedical Pitch Competition under HKSTP's delegation, reinforcing Hong Kong's biotech position.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Insitro: AI-driven drug discovery company combining machine learning with biology for target identification and small molecule design. Most directly comparable to META as a platform-first biotech using AI/ML to discover novel therapeutic targets in disease areas of high unmet need.
• Recursion Pharmaceuticals: AI-enabled drug discovery company using high-throughput biology and machine learning to identify novel targets and advance small molecule pipelines. Comparable in platform architecture (AI + biology), preclinical-to-clinical progression strategy, and broad therapeutic area ambitions.
• Schrödinger: Computational drug discovery company providing physics-based molecular simulation platform and advancing internal small molecule pipelines. Comparable in combining AI/computational platform with proprietary drug programs targeting immunology and other therapeutic areas.
• Kezar Life Sciences: Clinical-stage biotech developing novel small molecule therapies for autoimmune diseases. Comparable in autoimmune therapeutic focus, small molecule modality, and clinical-stage execution against established biologics in indications like lupus and IBD.
• AnaptysBio: Clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel inflammation and immunology therapeutics. Comparable in autoimmune therapeutic focus and pipeline of innovative candidates competing in established biologic-dominated markets.

Emerging players

• Absci: Generative AI drug creation company combining in silico design with wet-lab validation. Comparable in the AI-first drug discovery approach and emerging pipeline of novel therapeutics, though focused on biologics rather than small molecules.
• Aristea Therapeutics: Clinical-stage immunology company developing novel therapies for serious autoimmune diseases. Comparable in targeting underserved autoimmune indications with novel mechanisms and small molecule approaches.
• Lantern Pharma: AI-driven oncology drug developer using machine learning to identify and develop precision therapeutics. Comparable as a small-cap AI-platform biotech advancing multiple programs from preclinical to clinical stages with lean operations.

Others

• XtalPi: HK-listed AI-driven drug discovery platform company that serves as META's core technology partner and incubator. Comparable as an AI-pharma platform player and as a strategic enabler; also represents the same AI-drug-discovery category at a much larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Isomorphic Labs: Alphabet-owned AI drug discovery company leveraging DeepMind's protein folding and computational biology expertise. Comparable in the AI-first drug discovery paradigm and ambition to transform pharmaceutical R&D through computational approaches.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/meta-pharmaceuticals-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors8 records

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about META Pharmaceuticals