Ligand Pharmaceuticals Announces Launch of Pelthos Therapeutics to Accelerate Commercialization of ZELSUVMI

Ligand Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: LGND) today announced the launch of Pelthos Therapeutics (Pelthos), a biopharmaceutical company, and the appointment of seasoned industry executive Scott Plesha to the role of Chief Executive Officer.

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Scott Plesha, CEO, Pelthos Therapeutics (Photo: Business Wire)

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 U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is the first and only approved topical prescription medication that can be applied by patients, parents, or caregivers at home, outside of a physician's office, or other medical setting to treat this highly contagious viral skin infection. The product was developed using Pelthos’ proprietary nitric oxide-based technology platform, NITRICIL. ZELSUVMI is expected to be available in the United States in late 2024.

Ligand acquired the rights to ZELSUVMI and all the assets related to the NITRICIL technology platform from Novan, Inc. in September 2023.

“ZELSUVMI is a highly differentiated product that we believe will bring significant improvements to the lives of patients living with tremendous unmet needs,” said Todd Davis, CEO of Ligand. “We are excited for the launch of Pelthos, the commercialization of ZELSUVMI, and the advancement of the company under Scott’s leadership.”

Mr. Plesha brings to his role more than 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, including two decades building and leading specialty pharmaceutical commercial organizations. Prior to joining Pelthos, Mr. Plesha was President and Chief Commercial Officer at BioDelivery Sciences (BDSI) until it was acquired by Collegium Pharmaceutical in 2022. Under Mr. Plesha’s leadership, BDSI sales grew from $5 million to $160 million. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Gastrointestinal Sales at Salix Pharmaceuticals. During his fifteen-year tenure at Salix, Mr. Plesha led a nationwide salesforce that grew product sales to more than $1.5 billion annually. Before Salix, Mr. Plesha was a Regional Sales Manager for Oclassen Dermatologics, a division of Watson Laboratories, and in commercial roles of increasing responsibility at Solvay Pharmaceuticals.