PellePharm partners with LEO Pharma to advance therapies for rare skin diseases

USA-based PellePharm is partnering with Denmark’s LEO Pharma to progress its rare skin cancer drug, in areas that have no approved treatments, such as Gorlin syndrome and high frequency basal cell carcinoma (BCC), two distinct and rare forms of skin cancer.

“We are very excited about the partnership with PellePharm, who are pioneers in Gorlin syndrome and experts in rare skin diseases. Supporting our ambitious 2025 strategy, it marks LEO Pharma’s entrance in rare skin diseases and it offers a unique opportunity to bring the first treatment forward to people suffering from a very severe skin disease for which there currently are no approved therapies,” said Thorsten Thormann, vice president of research at LEO Pharma, a privately-held dermatology specialist.

“This collaboration puts us on track to commence our pivotal Phase III Gorlin syndrome trial in early 2019. Then after the potential merger, we look forward to working with LEO Pharma to address other rare skin diseases with unmet needs,” said Sanuj Ravindran, president and chief executive of PellePharm, a subsidiary of Palo Alto, California-based BridgeBio.