PMI Science

What PMI Science does

PMI Science is the scientific research and communications division of Philip Morris International (PMI), operating as a transparency and scientific engagement platform for PMI's smoke-free product portfolio. It is operated by Philip Morris International Management, S.A., a Swiss corporation headquartered at The Cube R&D Center in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, established in 2008. PMI Science employs 1,580+ scientists, engineers, technicians, and support staff distributed across a global R&D network spanning Switzerland, Armenia, Italy, China (Hong Kong and Shenzhen), and other locations. The platform serves scientists, public health experts, regulators, journalists, and academic institutions by publishing peer-reviewed research, hosting Open Science events, and providing open access to scientific methods and results.

The technology portfolio spans three smoke-free product categories: (1) heated tobacco products including the Tobacco Heating System with blade heating (IQOS ORIGINALS/THS 2.2), induction heating (IQOS ILUMA/THS 3.0), and the Oven Heating System with resistive external heating (BONDS by IQOS); (2) e-vapor products including the Ceramic Vaping System (VEEV ONE) with microporous ceramic substrate and printed metallic heating track, the MESH Vaping System, and the Disposable Vaping System (VEEV NOW); and (3) oral smokeless products including nicotine pouches (Shiro, ZYN via Swedish Match) and Snus. The platform has documented 90–95% average reduction in harmful and potentially harmful constituents in THS aerosol compared to cigarette smoke and has accumulated 541+ scientific publications since 2008. Proprietary research instruments include the ABOUT Toolbox (a portfolio of self-reporting instruments) and the Population Health Impact Model (PHIM), with aerosol analysis supported by AEROSOLVED open-source CFD software and an organ-on-chip platform developed with TissUse GmbH.

PMI Science does not generate revenue directly; it functions as a scientific transparency and engagement platform funded by its parent. The site explicitly states it is not for advertising or marketing and is not directed at consumers. Commercial revenue is generated by the parent PMI through hardware sales of smoke-free devices and consumables (HEETS, TEREA SMARTCORE STICKS, BLENDS), e-vapor products, and oral nicotine pouches. Customer engagement operates through content marketing (publications library, Scientific Update magazine, literature reviews), events (10+ Open Science sessions since June 2020), and social channels (LinkedIn, YouTube, X, Facebook). Recent strategic expansion has included the 2022 acquisition of Swedish Match and the acquisition of Vectura Fertin Pharma, alongside FDA authorization of IQOS for reduced exposure claims.

Name

PMI Science

Legal name

Philip Morris International Management, S.A.

Website

https://pmiscience.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Short description

PMI Science is Philip Morris International's scientific research and transparency division, developing and assessing smoke-free products including heated tobacco, e-vapor, and oral nicotine pouches. It operates a global R&D network with 1,580+ scientists, publishing peer-reviewed research for regulators and the scientific community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Smoke-Free Tobacco and Nicotine Products

NAICS

Tobacco Manufacturing (312230), Tobacco Manufacturing (3122), Tobacco Manufacturing (31223)

SIC

Tobacco Products (2100)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYCRADAJAH

Heated Tobacco Products (HTP) & Consumables Manufacturing & Brands

Consumer Products & Retail/Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturing & Brands/Tobacco & Nicotine Products Manufacturing & Brands

SECONDARYCRADAJAI

Nicotine Pouches (Tobacco-Free) Manufacturing & Brands

Consumer Products & Retail/Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturing & Brands/Tobacco & Nicotine Products Manufacturing & Brands

SECONDARYCRADAJAC

Smokeless Tobacco (Chewing Tobacco, Snuff, Snus) Manufacturing & Brands

Consumer Products & Retail/Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturing & Brands/Tobacco & Nicotine Products Manufacturing & Brands

SECONDARYCRADAJAG

E-liquids & Nicotine Salts Manufacturing & Brands

Consumer Products & Retail/Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturing & Brands/Tobacco & Nicotine Products Manufacturing & Brands

Keywords

• Smoke-free products
• Heated tobacco research
• Tobacco harm reduction
• E-vapor product development
• Oral nicotine products

Headquarters

HQ city

Neuchâtel

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Not Applicable - Scientific Transparency Platform: PMI Science is the scientific transparency and engagement platform for Philip Morris International. It does not generate revenue directly but supports PMI's smoke-free product business by providing scientific evidence, publishing research, and engaging with the scientific and regulatory communities. PMI generates revenue from sales of smoke-free products including heated tobacco products (IQOS), e-vapor products (VEEV), and nicotine pouches.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

PMI Science is the scientific research, development, and communications division of Philip Morris International that develops and assesses smoke-free products across three categories: heated tobacco products (Tobacco Heating System / IQOS with blade and induction heating variants, plus Oven Heating System / BONDS by IQOS and compatible tobacco units), e-vapor products (Ceramic Vaping System VEEV ONE, MESH Vaping System, Disposable Vaping System VEEV NOW), and oral smokeless products (nicotine pouches and snus). The division publishes its research findings, operates Open Science engagement events, and maintains a publications library for scientists, regulators, and public health stakeholders; products themselves are commercialized through PMI's separate commercial channels rather than via this website.

Product overview

PMI Science is Philip Morris International's scientific research and information platform dedicated to smoke-free products. The portfolio comprises three main categories of smoke-free products: (1) Heated Tobacco Products including the Tobacco Heating System (THS) commercialized as IQOS (with generations IQOS ORIGINALS/THS 2.2 and IQOS ILUMA/THS 3.0), the Oven Heating System (BONDS by IQOS), and compatible tobacco units (HEETS/HeatSticks, TEREA, BLENDS); (2) E-Vapor Products including the Ceramic Vaping System (VEEV ONE), MESH Vaping System (IQOS VEEV), and Disposable Vaping System (VEEV NOW); and (3) Oral Smokeless Products including Nicotine Pouches (Shiro) and Snus. A non-marketed Nicotine Salts Product is also in development. All smoke-free products deliver nicotine without burning tobacco and present potentially reduced risk compared to continued cigarette smoking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• IQOS: Tobacco Heating System (THS) - heated tobacco product commercialized as IQOS, using blade or induction heating technology to heat tobacco without burning
• IQOS ILUMA
• IQOS ORIGINALS
• VEEV
• BONDS by IQOS
• TEREA
• HEETS
• ZYN
• MESH
• Open Science
• Scientific Update
• ABOUT Toolbox

Products and services

• Tobacco Heating System (THS) / IQOS A heated tobacco product platform that heats tobacco instead of burning it, generating a nicotine-containing aerosol with significantly lower levels of harmful chemicals compared with cigarette smoke; commercialized as IQOS and available in blade heating (IQOS ORIGINALS/THS 2.2) and induction heating (IQOS ILUMA/THS 3.0) variants.
• IQOS ILUMA (THS 3.0) Third generation of the Tobacco Heating System that uses induction heating technology to heat tobacco inside the heated tobacco unit instead of burning it; commercialized as IQOS ILUMA and used with TEREA SMARTCORE STICK consumables.
• IQOS ORIGINALS (THS 2.2) Second generation of the Tobacco Heating System using ceramic blade heating to heat tobacco inside the heated tobacco unit; commercialized as IQOS ORIGINALS and used with HEETS / HeatSticks consumables.
• Oven Heating System (BONDS by IQOS) Heated tobacco product using resistive external heating via the ROUNDHEAT TOBACCO SYSTEM to heat tobacco across the external surface of the tobacco stick without burning; commercialized as BONDS by IQOS and used with BLENDS tobacco units.
• Ceramic Vaping System (VEEV ONE) E-vapor product using a heater containing a microporous ceramic substrate with a printed metallic heating track instead of a classic wick-and-coil, commercialized as VEEV ONE.
• MESH Vaping System (IQOS VEEV) E-vapor system using metal mesh with tiny holes to heat e-liquid in a pre-filled sealed pod, providing more consistent heating than coil and wick systems; commercialized as IQOS VEEV and being replaced by the Ceramic Vaping System.
• Disposable Vaping System (VEEV NOW) Disposable e-vapor device using classic wick-and-coil technology that requires no charging, cleaning or refilling; commercialized as VEEV NOW.
• Nicotine Pouches (Shiro) Oral smokeless products containing nicotine combined with binders, fillers, pH adjusters, stabilizers, and flavors packed in cellulose pouches; the product does not contain tobacco leaves and creates no aerosol or smoke, commercialized as Shiro.
• Snus Oral tobacco pouches developed in Sweden containing air-dried ground tobacco, water, salt, flavoring, and taste additives; brought into PMI's portfolio via the 2022 acquisition of Swedish Match.
• Nicotine Salts Product (NSP) An electronics-free product that mechanically produces a nicotine-containing aerosol without tobacco, combustion, or heating, consisting of a consumable with encapsulated nicotine powder and a non-electronic device; currently not being marketed.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90-95% average reduction in harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) in THS aerosol vs cigarette smoke
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TissUse GmbH (Germany)coreTechnology or IntegrationPMI developed an integrated aerosol test platform emulating the entire human respiratory tract in collaboration with TissUse GmbH in Germany. This partnership supports PMI's toxicological assessment of smoke-free products using innovative organ-on-chip technology.
• Research Institution in the NetherlandscoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration resulted in the development of AEROSOLVED, a free and open-source software for simulating multispecies aerosol mixtures using computational fluid dynamics. This supports aerosol science research for smoke-free products.
• Mapi Research TrustcoreTechnology or IntegrationMapi Research Trust distributes the ABOUT™ Toolbox instruments on PMI's behalf through the ePROVIDE platform, making these self-reporting instruments available to the wider scientific community for assessing perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors toward smoke-free products.
• Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing EuropeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPMI participated in an international workshop on organ-on-a-chip technology organized by CAAT Europe, focused on exploring innovative methods to advance scientific research while reducing reliance on animal testing.
• Leading Scientific Institutes and UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPMI collaborates with various research institutes, universities, and companies with shared scientific interests. The scope covers aerosol chemistry, systems biology, toxicology, preclinical, and clinical studies through the Investigator Initiated Studies (IIS) program.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• British American Tobacco: Global tobacco major with significant R&D investment in smoke-free platforms including Glo (heated tobacco) and Vuse (e-vapor). Direct competitor to IQOS and VEEV with comparable scientific dossiers and regulatory engagement.
• Japan Tobacco International: Owner of Ploom and Logic heated-tobacco/e-vapor platforms with established R&D for reduced-risk products. Competes head-to-head with IQOS in heated tobacco across European and Asian markets.
• Altria Group: U.S. tobacco incumbent that owns NJOY (e-vapor) and on! (nicotine pouches) and holds economic exposure to IQOS via a 2023 licensing agreement; comparable smoke-free R&D and portfolio strategy.
• Imperial Brands: European tobacco major with heated-tobacco (Pulze) and next-generation product (NGP) R&D programs. Competes with PMI's IQOS in Europe and has a parallel scientific-assessment and harm-reduction posture.

Direct peers

• KT&G: Korean state-linked tobacco company that has built its own heated-tobacco platform (lil) and global smoke-free strategy. Closely comparable technology and product positioning versus IQOS.
• NJOY: U.S. e-vapor company (acquired by Altria) with FDA-authorized e-cigarettes. Closely comparable regulatory and scientific profile to PMI's e-vapor R&D efforts.
• JUUL Labs: U.S. e-vapor company focused on pod-based nicotine salt products. Competes with VEEV in the e-vapor category and shares a similar regulatory and youth-usage scrutiny profile.
• Swedish Match: Pre-acquisition leader in oral nicotine pouches (ZYN) and snus; now part of PMI but historically a direct competitor and the originator of PMI Science's modern oral smokeless portfolio.

Emerging players

• RLX Technology: China-based e-vapor company with proprietary pod technology and growing international footprint. Competes with VEEV in Asian and European e-vapor markets.

Others

• TissUse GmbH: German organ-on-chip technology partner that co-developed PMI's integrated aerosol test platform. Provides enabling technology for PMI Science's toxicology assessment and is a relevant scientific counterpart.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/PMIScience
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PL3SdmD0QrQrtSk_mcus36ovX_V7wbgV4L
• Facebookfacebook.com/pmiscience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pmi-science

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 PMI Science