Ligand Pharmaceuticals Announces Launch of Pelthos Therapeutics to Accelerate Commercialization of ZELSUVMI™
Pharmaceutical executive
Lead product ZELSUVMI expected to be commercially available in late 2024
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Pelthos is committed to commercializing innovative, safe, and efficacious therapeutic products to help patients impacted by diseases with limited treatment options. The company’s lead product is ZELSUVMI™ (berdazimer) topical gel, 10.3%, for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum (molluscum) in adults and pediatric patients one year of age and older.1 ZELSUVMI has received a Novel Drug designation from the
Ligand acquired the rights to ZELSUVMI and all the assets related to the NITRICIL technology platform from Novan, Inc. in
“ZELSUVMI is a highly differentiated product that we believe will bring significant improvements to the lives of patients living with tremendous unmet needs,” said
“I am excited to assume the leadership of Pelthos as we prepare to offer the first at-home therapy for the many patients who are completely untreated today or who need a more suitable option,” said
Ligand intends to commercialize ZELSUVMI in partnership with a capital provider and/or strategic partner. This is consistent with Ligand’s strategy to reposition and maximize the value of highly differentiated and promising pharmaceutical assets by combining premier management teams and outside funding sources in return for significant equity and royalty rights in the newly formed entities. To date, Ligand has created three companies utilizing this strategy: Viking Therapeutics,
Pelthos is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ligand.
About ZELSUVMI™ (berdazimer) topical gel, 10.3%
ZELSUVMI (berdazimer) topical gel, 10.3% is a nitric oxide (NO) releasing agent indicated for the topical treatment of molluscum contagiosum in adults and pediatric patients one year of age and older. Complete prescribing information is available at www.zelsuvmi.com.
About
Ligand is a biopharmaceutical company enabling scientific advancement through supporting the clinical development of high-value medicines. Ligand does this by providing financing, licensing our technologies or both. Our business model seeks to generate value for stockholders by creating a diversified portfolio of biotech and pharmaceutical product revenue streams that are supported by an efficient and low corporate cost structure. Our goal is to offer investors an opportunity to participate in the promise of the biotech industry in a profitable and diversified manner. Our business model is based on funding programs in mid- to late-stage drug development in return for economic rights and licensing our technology to help partners discover and develop medicines. We partner with other pharmaceutical companies to attempt to leverage what they do best (late-stage development, regulatory management and commercialization) in order to generate our revenue. Our Captisol® platform technology is a chemically modified cyclodextrin with a structure designed to optimize the solubility and stability of drugs. We have established multiple alliances, licenses and other business relationships with the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies including Amgen, Merck, Pfizer, Jazz, Takeda, Gilead Sciences and Baxter International. For more information, please visit www.ligand.com. Follow Ligand on X @Ligand_LGND.
We use our investor relations website and X as a means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Investors should monitor our website and our X account, in addition to following our press releases,
About Pelthos Therapeutics
Pelthos Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company committed to commercializing innovative, safe, and efficacious therapeutic products to help patients with unmet treatment burdens. Our lead product ZELSUVMI™ (berdazimer) topical gel, 10.3%, for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum is now approved by the
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements by Ligand that involve risks and uncertainties and reflect Ligand's judgment as of the date of this release. Words such as “plans,” “believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” and “will,” and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include: the timing of commercial launch of ZELSUVMI; the potential that ZELSUVMI could avoid surgical removal or more intensive therapies in some patients; and the possibility that Ligand’s strategy to maximize value through the creation of Pelthos Therapeutics will be successful. Actual events or results may differ from Ligand's expectations due to risks and uncertainties inherent in Ligand’s business, including, without limitation: the risk that Ligand and Pelthos may not commercially launch ZELSUVMI in late 2024 or at all; Ligand and Pelthos may not be able to successfully commercialize ZELSUVMI which will depend on a number of factors including coverage and reimbursement levels from governmental authorities and health insurers as well as market acceptance by healthcare providers; the market size for ZELSUVMI may be smaller than estimated; Ligand’s dependence on third parties in connection with product manufacturing and distribution of ZELSUVMI; Ligand may not be able to protect its intellectual property and patents covering ZELSUVMI which may be challenged or invalidated; and other risks described in Ligand’s prior press releases and filings with the
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1 ZELSUVMI Package Insert.
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Investors:
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