Alys Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an immuno-dermatology-focused company, has officially launched with a robust R&D pipeline and substantial financing of USD 100 million by Medicxi. 

Born from the amalgamation of six asset-centric Medicxi companies, Alys aims to revolutionize dermatological treatments with its innovative programs and platforms targeting various dermatological indications.

Co-founded by Medicxi and a team of renowned dermatology and scientific experts, including John Harris, Brian Kim, Lars French, Nobel Prize winner Craig Mello, Eric Deutsch, and Mark Prausnitz, Alys is poised to redefine the landscape of dermatological treatments. Thibaud Portal, former Global Head of Prescription Medicines at Galderma, leads the company as co-founder and COO, while Francesco De Rubertis of Medicxi serves as Chairman of the Board.

Alys identifies emerging indications such as atopic dermatitis, vitiligo, alopecia areata, and chronic spontaneous urticaria as areas ripe for breakthroughs in dermatological advancements. The pipeline also encompasses programs targeting underserved indications such as mastocytosis, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and prevention of skin side effects of oncology therapies.

Collaborative research and development are central to Alys's approach, with partnerships established with leading institutions such as Institut Gustave Roussy, UMass Chan Medical School, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science & Technology.

Alys consolidates the assets and platforms of Aldena Therapeutics, Graegis Pharmaceuticals, Granular Therapeutics, Klirna Biotech, Nira Biosciences, and Vimela Therapeutics. With over a dozen active programs, the company anticipates organic pipeline growth from its cutting-edge platforms, covering inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, dermatology supportive care for cancer patients, and rare dermatoses.

Over the next three years, Alys aims to deliver between seven to ten clinical Proof-of-Concept (POC) readouts, with the potential for at least one program to advance to registrational studies.

Francesco De Rubertis, Chairman of Alys Pharmaceuticals and Partner at Medicxi, expressed confidence in the company's potential to transform innovation in immuno-dermatology. 

Professor John Harris, Chief Innovation Officer of Alys Pharmaceuticals, highlighted the excitement surrounding the rich and diverse pipeline. "It is uniquely exciting to oversee such a rich and diverse pipeline, bringing forward modalities that will break new ground in dermatology, including peptides, sophisticated antibodies, or vectorized siRNA," Harris said. 

Professor Brian Kim emphasized Alys's commitment to advancing the frontiers of immuno-dermatology for the benefit of patients worldwide.