Dermira
Dermira was a development-stage dermatology biotech developing innovative therapies for skin conditions, headquartered in Menlo Park and acquired by Eli Lilly in 2020.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersMenlo Park, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Dermira does
Dermira is a development-stage biotechnology company founded in 2010 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California. The company focused on developing and commercializing innovative new therapies in dermatology. Prior to its 2020 acquisition by Eli Lilly and Company, Dermira was publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker DERM and operated with 101-250 employees. Source data does not disclose Dermira's specific therapeutic candidates or pipeline composition, indicating the company's value was concentrated in clinical-stage dermatology assets that ultimately attracted a strategic acquirer.
Dermira financed its development-stage operations through repeated institutional capital raises rather than commercial product revenue. Between 2011 and 2019, the company executed approximately thirteen funding rounds aggregating roughly $1.1 billion, with notable investors including Bay City Capital, Canaan Partners, New Enterprise Associates, Maruho, Apple Tree Partners, Aisling Capital, Rock Springs Capital, Sabby Capital, Union Chimique Belge, and Athyrium Capital Management. The largest single rounds were a $278.1 million raise in May 2017 and a $193.8 million raise in March 2017, with a final $149.5 million round closed in March 2019 ahead of the Lilly transaction. No pricing models, product revenue, or commercial customer relationships are documented in source data.
Following Eli Lilly's acquisition, Dermira's dermatology assets were absorbed into Lilly's broader therapeutic portfolio, which spans oncology, autoimmune disease, dermatology, migraine, sleep apnea, diabetes, obesity, and Alzheimer's. Lilly distributes through healthcare provider networks and its LillyDirect direct-to-consumer pharmacy platform. The dermatology market Dermira addressed is sizeable and growing, with the global atopic dermatitis market projected at USD 7.13 billion in 2026 (7.75% CAGR) and the pruritus therapeutics market at USD 10.30 billion in 2025 (4.23% CAGR).
Dermira firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dermira
- Website
- https://dermira.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Dermira was a development-stage dermatology biotech developing innovative therapies for skin conditions, headquartered in Menlo Park and acquired by Eli Lilly in 2020.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dermira industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Dermatology Pharmaceuticals
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (3254), Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Dermatology & Aesthetics Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Dermatology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAL)
Keywords
Where Dermira is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Menlo Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Dermira business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Dermira product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dermira was a development-stage biopharmaceutical company that discovered, developed, and commercialized innovative new therapies for dermatologic conditions, with a primary focus on inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and chronic pruritus. Its offering centered on bringing prescription pharmaceutical treatments to market for high-prevalence, underserved dermatology patient populations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Atopic dermatitis market projected to grow from USD 7.13 billion (2026) to USD 12.97 billion by 2034 at 7.75% CAGR
Companies that use Dermira
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Dermira technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Dermira partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- TIRmed Pharma-BachemcoreStrategic manufacturing partnership for production of dermatology therapeutics. Bachem provides peptide manufacturing capabilities while TIRmed Pharma contributes formulation expertise.
- KBI Biopharma-InfinimmunecoreManufacturing partnership for biopharmaceutical production. KBI Biopharma provides contract development and manufacturing services while Infinimmune contributes biologics development capabilities.
- Pfizer-Glenmark (for abrocitinib in India)coreCo-commercialization agreement for abrocitinib in India. Pfizer provides commercial infrastructure while Glenmark contributes local market access and distribution capabilities.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Dermira competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Arcutis Biotherapeutics: Specialty dermatology biotech developing and commercializing topical and oral therapies for inflammatory skin conditions including atopic dermatitis and seborrheic dermatitis. Closely comparable to Dermira as a focused dermatology innovator targeting the same patient populations with branded innovative therapies.
- AnaptysBio: Clinical-stage biotechnology company developing inflammation and immunology therapeutics, including antibody-based treatments for dermatologic conditions. Comparable to Dermira as a development-stage biotech with dermatology-adjacent pipeline assets targeting inflammatory skin disease.
Broad incumbents
- Pfizer: Global pharmaceutical company that co-commercializes abrocitinib (Cibinqo) for atopic dermatitis and is a Dermira partner. Comparable as both a potential competitor and a GTM partner in the atopic dermatitis JAK-inhibitor category.
- Incyte Corporation: Established biopharmaceutical company with Opzelura (ruxolitinib cream), a JAK inhibitor approved for atopic dermatitis and vitiligo. Directly competes in the same JAK-inhibitor dermatology space Dermira targeted, with broader commercial scale and an approved product already on market.
- Sanofi: Co-developer (with Regeneron) of Dupixent (dupilumab), the leading biologic for atopic dermatitis. Represents the dominant incumbent in Dermira's primary therapeutic area with a multi-billion-dollar biologic franchise.
- Bristol Myers Squibb: Global pharmaceutical company with Sotyktu (deucravacitinib) for psoriasis and a developing dermatology pipeline. Comparable as an incumbent in inflammatory skin disease therapeutics targeting the same dermatologist prescriber base.
- Galderma: Dermatology-focused specialty pharmaceutical company with a broad portfolio across therapeutic and aesthetic dermatology. Closely comparable business model to Dermira's dermatology-only focus, though at much larger commercial scale and with multiple approved products.
- UCB: Global biopharmaceutical company with dermatology and immunology assets including bimekizumab. Comparable as a player in inflammatory skin disease therapeutics and notably connected to Dermira through executive Mark McDade (EVP at UCB).
- AbbVie: Global pharmaceutical company marketing Rinvoq (upadacitinib) for atopic dermatitis and other inflammatory conditions. A direct competitor in the dermatology JAK-inhibitor and broader inflammatory skin disease market Dermira targeted.
Regional players
- Maruho: Japan-based dermatology-specialty pharmaceutical company and early Dermira investor (led the 2013 Series 2 round). Comparable as a dermatology-focused pharma, with regional concentration in Japan rather than the U.S. and European markets Dermira primarily targeted.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks4 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Dermira social profiles
Digital presenceDermira financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dermira leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Dermira funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds13 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dermira M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dermira
What does Dermira do?
Dermira was a development-stage biopharmaceutical company that discovered, developed, and commercialized innovative new therapies for dermatologic conditions, with a primary focus on inflammatory skin diseases such as atopic dermatitis and chronic pruritus. Its offering centered on bringing prescription pharmaceutical treatments to market for high-prevalence, underserved dermatology patient populations.
When was Dermira founded?
Dermira was founded in 2010. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Dermira based?
Dermira is headquartered in Menlo Park, United States, in the North America region.
Who are Dermira's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Arcutis Biotherapeutics and AnaptysBio. Broad incumbents are Pfizer, Incyte Corporation, Sanofi, Bristol Myers Squibb, Galderma, UCB and AbbVie. Maruho is listed as a regional player.
Does Dermira have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dermira.
What industry is Dermira in?
Dermira's product category is Dermatology Pharmaceuticals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIAAAK, Dermatology & Aesthetics Pharmaceuticals, with a secondary code of HLAIACAL, Dermatology Specialty Pharmaceuticals. Its NAICS code is 3254 and its SIC code is 2834.