Novartis to acquire Ziarco Group Limited to strengthen the dermatology portfolio

Novartis announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement for the acquisition of Ziarco Group Limited, a privately held company focused on the development of novel treatments in dermatology. This acquisition would add a once-daily oral H4 receptor antagonist in development for atopic dermatitis (AD), commonly known as eczema, to complement the growing Novartis dermatology portfolio and pipeline.

Ziarco’s lead investigational product, ZPL389, is a potential first-in-class oral treatment for moderate-to-severe eczema. Novartis is committed to addressing the unmet medical needs of patients living with dermatological conditions and improving their overall quality of life by providing innovative medicines. The Novartis Dermatology portfolio includes Cosentyx (secukinumab) for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis and Xolair (omalizumab) for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria.