PharmaMar (Zeltia Group)

What PharmaMar (Zeltia Group) does

PharmaMar S.A., founded in 1986 and headquartered in Colmenar Viejo/Madrid, Spain, is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes oncology therapeutics derived from marine organisms. The company operates the world's largest marine invertebrate compound library, comprising more than 550,000 samples gathered from over 200 marine expeditions, and has built an end-to-end development platform spanning compound isolation, chemical synthesis, preclinical studies, clinical trials, formulation, and manufacturing. Its core technology centers on marine-derived molecules with novel mechanisms of action — primarily selective inhibition of oncogenic transcription — and is augmented by a multi-agent AI system built with Globant that accelerates candidate identification from its compound library.

PharmaMar has three commercially approved drugs: Yondelis (trabectedin) for advanced soft tissue sarcoma and ovarian cancer; Zepzelca (lurbinectedin) for small cell lung cancer (SCLC), including the first-line maintenance combination with atezolizumab that received FDA full approval in October 2025 and EU approval in June 2026; and Aplidin (plitidepsin) for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma in Australia. The pipeline includes ecubectedin (PM14), PM54, and PM534, each in Phase I for solid tumors, plus two RNAi-based ophthalmology assets (SYL1801 for nAMD; tivanisiran for Sjögren's dry eye) developed through subsidiary Sylentis. Manufacturing is concentrated at a 17,000 m² GMP-certified facility in Madrid approved by EMA, FDA, PMDA, and MFDS.

The company operates a hybrid commercial model: direct sales via wholly-owned subsidiaries in Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, and the United States, paired with regional licensing partnerships across more than 70 countries — including Jazz Pharmaceuticals (US/Canada), Merck (Japan), Immedica (Europe/MENA), Adium (Latin America), Luye Pharma (China), Specialised Therapeutics (Australia/SE Asia), Boryung (Korea), and Janssen (Yondelis US). Revenue is generated through direct product sales, royalties on partner sales, and milestone and licensing payments tied to regulatory and commercial events. The company is publicly listed on the Madrid Stock Exchange (BME:PHM) and operates as a subsidiary of Zeltia Group following a 2015 reverse merger.

Name

PharmaMar (Zeltia Group)

Legal name

PharmaMar S.A.

Website

https://pharmamar.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

PharmaMar is a Madrid-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes marine-derived oncology drugs, with three approved products (Yondelis, Zepzelca, Aplidin) sold globally via direct subsidiaries and licensing partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)

SIC

Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)

akta.pro primary industry

Oncology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialty Care Pharmaceuticals (HLAIAAAB), Ophthalmology Specialty Pharmaceuticals (HLAIACAK)

Keywords

• Marine-derived oncology
• Anticancer drug development
• Marine biotechnology
• Orphan cancer therapies
• Biopharmaceutical research

Headquarters

HQ city

Colmenar Viejo

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Direct): Direct sales of approved oncology drugs (Yondelis, Zepzelca, Aplidin) through wholly-owned subsidiaries in Europe and US, with net sales generating revenue directly
2. Royalties from Partners: Ongoing royalties received from partners including Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Janssen, and regional distributors based on their sales of licensed products
3. Milestone Payments: One-time payments triggered by regulatory approvals and commercial milestones - received $50M from Jazz for FDA approval (Oct 2025), $25M first milestone, $10M from Janssen for Yondelis milestones
4. Licensing Fees: Upfront and deal-based payments from licensing agreements - received $200M upfront from Jazz for lurbinectedina US rights, $100M upon FDA approval

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PharmaMar discovers, develops, manufactures, and commercializes oncology therapeutics derived from marine organisms. Its commercial portfolio includes Yondelis (trabectedin) for soft tissue sarcoma and ovarian cancer, Zepzelca (lurbinectedin) for small cell lung cancer (monotherapy and in combination with atezolizumab), and Aplidin (plitidepsin) for multiple myeloma. The company also operates subsidiary Sylentis, which develops RNAi-based ophthalmic therapies.

Product overview

PharmaMar is a global biopharmaceutical company pioneering marine-derived oncology therapeutics. The company operates with three commercially approved drugs: Yondelis (trabectedina) for soft tissue sarcoma and ovarian cancer, Zepzelca (lurbinectedina) for small cell lung cancer (as monotherapy and in combination with atezolizumab), and Aplidin (plitidepsina) for multiple myeloma in Australia. The pipeline includes Ecubectedina (PM14), PM54, and PM534 in clinical development for various solid tumors. Through subsidiary Sylentis, the company develops RNAi-based ophthalmic treatments including SYL1801 for macular degeneration and tivanisirán for dry eye disease. PharmaMar's approach spans the entire drug development lifecycle from marine expeditions and compound isolation to clinical trials and commercialization, supported by a multi-agent AI system for accelerated drug discovery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Yondelis: Trabectedina - treatment for patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma and ovarian cancer
• Zepzelca
• Aplidin

Quantifiable outcome

• 46% reduction in disease progression or death risk with Zepzelca + atezolizumab vs atezolizumab alone in first-line ES-SCLC (IMforte trial)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Janssen Products LP (Johnson & Johnson)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 June 2026Licensing agreement for Yondelis (trabectedin) in US market. Received multiple milestone payments including $10M in November 2025 and previously in 2024, 2023, and 2022 for commercial milestones.
• GlobantcoreTechnology or Integration · 19 March 2026AI collaboration to develop multi-agent system for accelerating cancer drug discovery. System achieves 90%+ accuracy in data retrieval, 15x faster insights, processing 4,500+ research documents to identify 10 most viable candidates from 8,000+ possibilities. Next phase includes hypothesis generation and automated scientific reporting.
• Merck (MRK.DE)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 April 2025Exclusive licensing agreement for development and commercialization of Zepzelca (lurbinectedin) in Japan. PharmaMar announced submission of Japanese registration dossier with MHLW in June 2026.
• Cima Universidad de NavarraminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 December 2022TERINMUN research consortium for developing immunotherapies based on marine-derived compounds, in collaboration with Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.
• Universidad Autónoma de MadridminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2022ONCOLIBERYX consortium for developing novel drug delivery strategies for marine-derived oncology compounds with four Spanish research groups.
• Specialised Therapeutics Asia Pte. Ltd. (STA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 14 September 2021Licensing agreement for Zepzelca commercialization in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. Obtained approvals in Australia (2021, 2026 via Project Orbis) and Singapore (2026).
• Adium Pharma S.A.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2021Licensing agreement for Zepzelca commercialization across Latin America including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela. Adium obtained approvals in Argentina, Peru, Mexico.
• Lotus Pharmaceutical CO., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 November 2020Licensing agreement for Zepzelca commercialization in Taiwan. Obtained approval in Taiwan (March 2023, March 2026 for first-line).
• Megapharm Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 May 2020Licensing agreement for Zepzelca commercialization in Israel. Obtained approval in Israel (Jan 2023).
• Immedica Pharma ABcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 April 2020Exclusive commercialization rights for Zepzelca in Eastern Europe, UK, Ireland, Nordic countries, and selected Middle East countries. Immedica obtained approvals in UAE, Switzerland, and coordinated EU approval via Project Orbis.
• Jazz PharmaceuticalscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 December 2019Exclusive licensing agreement for Zepzelca (lurbinectedin) commercialization in US and Canada. PharmaMar received $200M upfront, $100M upon FDA approval, $50M for full approval milestone (Oct 2025), and $25M first milestone payment. Jazz maintains 2026 guidance despite LAGOON trial failure. Deal included up to $1.008B in potential payments.
• Key Oncologics (Pty) Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 September 2019Licensing agreement for Zepzelca commercialization in South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Eswatini, Lesotho, and Botswana.
• Janssen (Yondelis Europe)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 26 August 2019Yondelis licensing agreements across Europe through various partners including R-Pharm (Russia/CIS), STADA (MENA), Eczacibasi (Turkey), Valeo Pharma (Canada), TTY Biopharm (Taiwan/HK/Macao), Key Oncologics (South Africa), STA (Australia/NZ/SE Asia), Megapharm (Israel).
• Luye Pharma Group Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 April 2019Licensing agreement for lurbinectedin development and commercialization in China. Luye received approval in China (Dec 2024), Hong Kong (Dec 2023), and Macao (Dec 2023).
• Indonesia Oceanographic Research CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 September 2018MoU for collaboration in ocean research supporting marine biodiversity exploration for drug discovery.
• Seattle GeneticsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 February 2018Licensing of synthetic marine-derived molecules for use as antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) in cancer treatment.
• Huasin ScienceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 27 November 2017Partnership for CLART diagnostic equipment production and distribution in Chinese market via GENOMICA.
• Boryung CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 7 November 2017Licensing agreement for Zepzelca commercialization in South Korea. Received approval in South Korea (Sept 2022).
• CNIO (Centro Nacional de Investigación Oncológica)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 March 2017Collaboration agreement to identify new marine-derived antitumor therapies through combined research efforts.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves5 records

Broad incumbents

• Jazz Pharmaceuticals: US specialty pharma that licenses and commercializes Zepzelca in US/Canada; overlapping oncology commercial infrastructure and SCLC focus. Both companies derive significant value from lurbinectedin, making Jazz the most economically linked peer.
• Bristol-Myers Squibb: Global oncology incumbent with a large SCLC franchise (Opdivo/Yervoy) and broad specialty pharma portfolio. Directly competes in the same indications PharmaMar targets and sets the standard of care that Zepzelca combinations are measured against.
• Seattle Genetics (Seagen / Pfizer): Specialty oncology company with a leading ADC platform that licensed PharmaMar's synthetic marine-derived molecules for ADC payloads. Comparable as an oncology specialty innovator leveraging natural-product inspired chemistry in a partnering-led commercial model.
• Daiichi Sankyo: Japan-headquartered global oncology company with marine-derived origins and a strong SCLC/ADC franchise (Enhertu). Operates as both a regional peer (Japan) and a comparable specialty oncology innovator with similar historical roots in natural-product discovery.
• AstraZeneca: Owns atezolizumab (Tecentriq), the checkpoint inhibitor combined with Zepzelca in the IMforte regimen, and is the de facto commercial partner for Zepzelca's first-line indication. Comparable as a broad oncology incumbent and a co-dependency on PharmaMar's biggest commercial opportunity.

Direct peers

• MacroGenics: Clinical-stage oncology specialty company with a partnered pipeline model (similar to PharmaMar's Jazz/Janssen structure) and ongoing Phase III catalysts. Comparable as a similarly scaled specialty oncology innovator reliant on partner-driven milestones.
• ImmunoGen: Oncology specialty company with approved ADCs (Elahere) leveraging novel cytotoxic payloads derived from natural products — a directly comparable technological approach to PharmaMar's marine-derived chemistry in oncology.
• Exelixis: Mid-cap US oncology specialty company with a focused commercial portfolio and pipeline, comparable in scale, business model (partner + direct sales), and reliance on a few key assets to drive revenue and royalties.
• Clovis Oncology: US oncology specialty company historically focused on SCLC (though smaller and financially constrained). Direct peer in lung cancer indication overlap, despite the differing commercial outcomes.

Emerging players

• Hutchmed (China) Limited: China-rooted, globally active oncology specialty company with approved targeted therapies and a pipeline focused on hard-to-treat cancers. Comparable as a regionally anchored oncology innovator commercializing through partner networks, similar to PharmaMar's Luye partnership model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/phrmmar
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Pharmamar_official
• Facebookfacebook.com/PharmaMarES
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pharmamar
• Instagraminstagram.com/pharmamar

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PharmaMar (Zeltia Group)