Ziarco Pharma

About Ziarco Pharma

Ziarco Pharma Ltd. was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that concentrated on developing novel treatments for inflammatory and allergic diseases. The company was established in October 2012 by a team of former Pfizer executives: Dr. Mike Yeadon, who served as CEO, Dr. Steve Liu, Dr. Lynn Purkins, and Dr. Arif Shivji. This founding team was formed in response to Pfizer closing its research and development facility in Sandwich, Kent, where they had worked on allergy and respiratory research. They secured the rights to a portfolio of promising anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic assets that Pfizer would have otherwise shelved, giving these compounds a new path toward development.

The company's business model was centered on advancing these licensed drug candidates through clinical trials to demonstrate their efficacy and safety, a classic biotech strategy of de-risking assets for eventual partnership or acquisition by a larger pharmaceutical firm. Ziarco's operations were financed through venture capital, securing a total of $40.7 million over two rounds from investors including Pfizer's own venture arm, Pfizer Venture Investments, as well as Biotechnology Value Fund, New Enterprise Associates, and Amgen Ventures. This funding enabled Ziarco to conduct crucial proof-of-concept studies for its pipeline candidates.

Ziarco’s lead product candidate was ZPL-389, a once-daily oral H4 receptor antagonist aimed at treating moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis, commonly known as eczema. This condition presented a significant unmet medical need, as there were no safe and effective oral treatments available for long-term use. In a Phase 2a clinical trial, ZPL-389 demonstrated a significant reduction in eczema severity, with patients showing a 50% improvement in the Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score after eight weeks, compared to 27% for placebo. The drug also showed a meaningful reduction in itching and sleep loss associated with the condition. The company's pipeline also included ZPL-521, a topical treatment for eczema targeting the cPLA2 enzyme, which is a key mediator in the inflammatory response.

The successful clinical data for ZPL-389 attracted significant attention. In December 2016, Novartis announced a definitive agreement to acquire Ziarco, a move intended to bolster Novartis's dermatology portfolio. The acquisition, completed in January 2017, represented a successful exit for the founders and investors, with the deal value estimated to be worth up to $1 billion, including upfront payments and future milestones. This transaction validated the founders' strategy of rescuing and developing deprioritized assets from a large pharmaceutical company.