Dermata Therapeutics Announces Strategic Pivot to Over-the-Counter Skin Care Treatments - Seite 2

Dermata plans to initially develop a once weekly acne kit that utilizes an approved OTC monograph active ingredient along with its Spongilla technology, to reach the almost 50 million US patients with acne. The Company plans to launch this initial acne kit in the middle of 2026 with additional product candidates anticipated to follow.

"We see a tremendous opportunity to make healthcare more accessible and more affordable for patients by providing safe and effective OTC solutions directly to consumers," said Gerry Proehl, Chairman, President, and CEO of Dermata. "After a thorough review of the everchanging dynamics in the prescription acne market, we felt patients would be better served by leveraging our pharmaceutical expertise with a consumer-centric approach, ensuring individuals have access to trusted OTC pharmaceutical products for their skin care needs. After assessing commercial opportunities in the skin care market, we believe there is growing demand for safe and effective OTC pharmaceutical products that are backed by trusted dermatological research. Our conversations with many dermatologists, practitioners, and payers made it clear to us that there is a growing trend for more patients to first utilize OTC treatments for many skin conditions prior to trying prescription medications. We aim to provide patients with products that are natural, by incorporating our Spongilla technology and know-how, with FDA listed OTC pharmaceutical ingredients to offer differentiated skin care solutions patients want to use. We have begun the development and pre-commercialization process and expect to be ready to launch our acne kit in the middle of 2026," continued Mr. Proehl. "Our entire team is reinvigorated by this new direction to better serve patients on an accelerated timeline, and we truly believe this strategic pivot is in the best interests of patients, Dermata, and Dermata investors alike," concluded Mr. Proehl.

"We are excited to embark on this new chapter, which aligns with our overall mission of providing patients with access to efficacious and safe treatment options," said Dr. Christopher Nardo, Dermata's Chief Development Officer. "Our team has extensive experience in developing differentiated pharmaceutical products that work, and patients want to use. Therefore, we look forward to leveraging this clinical experience to make an impact in the OTC marketplace. We will apply the clinical knowledge we've gained over the last ten years to design safe and effective products which are also accessible and affordable as OTC products. We believe this development strategy will offer unique treatments for patients suffering from various skin diseases and conditions," concluded Dr. Nardo.