Imagine Pharma Unveils Industry-First Generation of Insulin-Producing T1D Islet Cell Population at the American Transplant Congress

Research Presentation, "Generation of Insulin Producing Cells from Pancreatic Tissue with Long Standing Type 1 Diabetes," Will Be Held Today at 4:30 p.m. EDT

PITTSBURGH and BOSTON, June 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Imagine Pharma, a biotechnology company focused on the development of its novel polypeptide (IMG-1) across three distinct platforms: Oral Delivery, Therapeutics, and Regenerative Medicine, will showcase its discovery of Type 1 Diabetes Activated Islet Progenitor Cells (T1D AIPCs) during its oral presentation today at the American Transplant Congress being held in Boston. This industry breakthrough introduces a critical component for the potential treatment of T1D in the setting of an autologous cell transplantation. Type 1 diabetes affects approximately 1.6 million people in the US and more than 20 million people worldwide.

T1D AIPCs are a novel cell population generated and propagated from isolated T1D human islets or pancreas biopsies using a simple culture protocol. The findings show that T1D AIPCs secrete insulin  in response to secretagogues. The research generated T1D AIPCs from 8 different tissue/cell preparations from patients as young as 27 years to 58 years old with long-standing (duration of more than 15 years) type 1 diabetes. Notably, T1D AIPCs were generated in sufficient quantities to support autologous transplantation.

"We are very excited to share our news with the transplant and diabetes communities, and are honored to present our findings today at the American Transplant Congress," said Ngoc Thai, MD, PhD, Imagine Pharma's Founder, co-CEO, and CMO. "We envision that our novel cell population of T1D AIPCs holds tremendous potential for the treatment and cure of type 1 diabetes via autologous cell transplantation."

• Session Name: Late Breaking: Basic / Translational
• Presentation Title: Generation Of Insulin Producing Cells From Pancreatic Tissue With Long Standing Type 1 Diabetes
• Presenters: Y. Garciafigueroa, J. B. Pollett, N. L. Thai, R. Bottino
• Date/Time – June 6, 2022 at 4:30 p.m. EDT
• Location – Hynes Room 313 

Imagine Pharma will also have a poster presentation, "Characterization of Activated Islet Proliferating Cells (AIPCs) During Maturation to Pseudo-Islets," which details Imagine Pharma's progress with islet cell regeneration and characterization. The poster will be presented on Tuesday, June 7^th, at 7:00 p.m. EDT in Hynes Halls C&D.

Imagine Pharma is a biotechnology company focused on the development of its IMG-1 polypeptide. Research and development efforts have led to the development of three distinctive platforms for Oral Delivery, Therapeutics, and Regenerative Medicine, each with first-in-class programs that address multiple disease states in large, underserved markets. Imagine Pharma was founded in 2016 in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information visit: www.imaginepharma.com

The American Transplant Congress is designed for physicians, surgeons, scientists, nurses, organ procurement personnel, pharmacists and other transplant professionals who are interested in the clinical and research aspects of solid organ and tissue transplantation. The meeting provides the most current information in the field of transplant science. More information is available HERE.

SOURCE Imagine Pharma