Novartis acquires Ziarco Group Ltd and with it ZPL 389, a potential first-in-class oral treatment for moderate-to-severe eczema (atopic dermatitis).

Novartis has announced 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. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval. The financial details of this transaction are not disclosed. Ziarco's lead investigational product, ZPL 389, is a potential first-in-class oral treatment for moderate-to-severe eczema. Eczema is a chronic, itchy, inflammatory skin condition found in millions of children and adults worldwide. In addition, it is associated with sleep loss and a significant reduction in quality of life. Currently, no safe, effective, and well-tolerated oral treatments are available for the moderate-to-severe form of this condition.