Zerion Pharma
Zerion Pharma is a Copenhagen-based pharmaceutical development company (founded 2019, spinout from the University of Copenhagen) that licenses its proprietary Dispersome® amorphous solid dispersion platform — using beta-lactoglobulin as a protein-based excipient — to pharmaceutical partners to improve solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersBirkerød, Denmark
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Zerion Pharma does
Zerion Pharma A/S is a Copenhagen-based pharmaceutical development company founded in 2019 as a spinout from the University of Copenhagen. The company commercializes a proprietary formulation platform called Dispersome®, an amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) technology that uses beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), a whey-protein-derived excipient, to convert poorly soluble small-molecule drugs into stable amorphous formulations. The technology achieves drug loadings above 50% w/w while maintaining stability, with stable amorphous formulations obtained for more than 80% of drugs tested at that loading; it is compatible with standard spray drying and existing CDMO facilities, and the company's BLG is sourced under a long-term (10+ year) supply agreement with Arla Foods Ingredients as Lacprodan® BLG-100.
Zerion operates an asset-light, B2B licensing and co-development model serving established pharmaceutical companies that face drug solubility and bioavailability challenges. Revenue is generated through technology licensing (license fees, milestone payments, royalties on product sales, with partner exclusivity extending in some cases to 2040), co-development arrangements where Zerion provides formulation R&D and partners fund clinical and commercial activities, and royalty streams from the Hovione joint venture. Its pipeline includes a partnered Ivacaftor Dispersome® program (with Insud Pharma, positive first-in-human bioavailability data in May 2024), an exclusive CBD program with dsm-firmenich, two LATAM-exclusive reformulations with Aché Laboratórios, an oral Trastuzumab program with Bio-Sourcing funded by a €1.3M EUREKA Eurostars grant (Phase I targeted ~2030), and an internal lead program ZN002 (reformulated oncology small molecule) that has demonstrated a 4x bioavailability increase and 75% API reduction in animal studies.
The company's customer base consists almost entirely of large pharmaceutical counterparties — Hovione (global JV, respiratory/nutraceutical), Insud Pharma, Aché, dsm-firmenich, Bayer, Novartis, Ligand Pharmaceuticals (royalty financing), and Bio-Sourcing — together with a research collaboration footprint established through peer-reviewed publications. Zerion holds a patent family covering Dispersome® formulations and processes with protection extending to 2042, and the Dispersome® trademark is registered in its name. Headcount is approximately 13 employees as of January 2025, and the company is privately held with undisclosed financial details.
Zerion Pharma firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Zerion Pharma
- Legal name
- Zerion Pharma A/S
- Website
- https://zerion.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Zerion Pharma is a Copenhagen-based pharmaceutical development company (founded 2019, spinout from the University of Copenhagen) that licenses its proprietary Dispersome® amorphous solid dispersion platform — using beta-lactoglobulin as a protein-based excipient — to pharmaceutical partners to improve solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Zerion Pharma industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pharmaceutical Formulation Technology
- NAICS
- Pharmaceutical Preparation Manufacturing (325412)
- SIC
- Pharmaceutical Preparations (2834)
- akta.pro primary industry
- CMC & Pharmaceutical Development (Formulation/Process/Analytical Development) (HLAIALAD)
Keywords
Where Zerion Pharma is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birkerød
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Zerion Pharma business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Technology Licensing: Zerion licenses its Dispersome® technology to pharmaceutical companies. Partners gain exclusivity for Dispersome® drug formulations until 2040. Partners pay license fees, milestone fees, and royalties on product sales.
- Co-development Programs: Joint development programs with pharmaceutical partners where Zerion develops Dispersome® formulations while partners handle clinical development, manufacturing, and commercialization. Partners cover clinical and development costs.
- Royalty Income from Joint Ventures: Through the Hovione joint venture, Zerion receives royalties from commercial activities in respiratory delivery, nutraceuticals, and non-exclusive oral dosage form promotions.
- Royalty Financing: Zerion completed royalty financing with Ligand Pharmaceuticals, receiving upfront capital in exchange for share of future royalty income from Dispersome® technology.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Zerion Pharma product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Zerion Pharma develops and licenses Dispersome®, a proprietary amorphous solid dispersion platform that uses beta-lactoglobulin (a whey protein excipient) to formulate poorly soluble small-molecule drugs into stable amorphous formulations with drug loadings above 50% w/w. The company runs internal reformulation programs (e.g., ZN002 oncology) and partners with pharmaceutical firms on specific drug products.
Product overview
Zerion Pharma operates as a pharmaceutical development company offering its proprietary Dispersome® technology platform as the core product. The Dispersome® platform uses beta-lactoglobulin (a whey protein) to formulate poorly soluble small molecule drugs into stable amorphous solid dispersions with high drug loading (>50% w/w) and improved bioavailability. The company develops its own proprietary drug formulations internally (including ZN002 for cancer treatment) while also offering the technology platform to established pharmaceutical companies through partnerships. Key partnered programs include Ivacaftor with Insud Pharma, oral Trastuzumab with Bio-Sourcing, CBD formulations with dsm-firmenich, and drug product improvements with Aché. The technology is compatible with standard spray drying manufacturing processes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dispersome® Technology Platform A proprietary amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) platform that uses beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), a natural whey protein excipient, to formulate poorly soluble small-molecule drugs into stable amorphous formulations with drug loadings above 50% w/w. Offered to pharmaceutical partners via feasibility studies, licensing and joint development. Compatible with standard spray drying and CDMO facilities.
- ZN002 Internal Development Program Zerion's internal pipeline asset: a Dispersome® reformulation of a currently marketed cancer drug that demonstrated a 4x increase in bioavailability and enabled a 75% reduction in active drug amount while maintaining bioequivalence to the originator in animal studies.
- Ivacaftor Dispersome® Formulation (with Insud Pharma) Dispersome® formulation of Ivacaftor (a cystic fibrosis treatment) developed in partnership with Insud Pharma. Insud Pharma is responsible for clinical development, GMP manufacturing and global commercialization; Zerion received a worldwide exclusive license for this first Dispersome drug formulation.
- Trastuzumab Oral Formulation (HER2) Program (with Bio-Sourcing) Jointly developed oral formulation of the HER2 monoclonal antibody Trastuzumab for HER2-positive breast cancer, combining Bio-Sourcing's BioMilk™ platform with Zerion's Dispersome® technology. Funded by a €1.3M EUREKA Eurostars grant.
- Cannabidiol (CBD) Dispersome® Formulations (with dsm-firmenich) Improved Cannabidiol (CBD) formulations with enhanced solubility and bioavailability developed under an exclusive partnership with dsm-firmenich, targeting severe pain, inflammation disorders, depression and anxiety, to be made available to the global pharmaceutical industry.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4x increase in bioavailability demonstrated in animal studies
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Zerion Pharma
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Zerion Pharma technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Zerion Pharma partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and supporting.
- Bio-SourcingmajorAwarded €1.3 million EUREKA Eurostars grant to develop first oral formulation of Trastuzumab for HER2-positive breast cancer. Combines Bio-Sourcing's BioMilk™ platform with Zerion's Dispersome® technology. 36-month project targeting Phase I studies around 2030.
- Aché LaboratórioscorePartnership to improve formulation of two drug products in oncology and neuroscience using Dispersome® technology. Aché granted exclusive rights for Latin America. Products currently marketed with billion-dollar revenue each.
- HovionecoreHovione and Zerion created a joint venture to manage Dispersome® IP portfolio and allocated market rights. Hovione received exclusive global rights for respiratory delivery and nutraceuticals, and non-exclusive license for oral dosage forms. Zerion receives royalties from Hovione's commercial activities.
- dsm-firmenichcoreExclusive partnership to develop improved cannabinoids with enhanced bioavailability. dsm-firmenich conducting clinical PK evaluation of CBD Dispersome® formulations. Product to be made available to global pharmaceutical industry.
- Bayer AGsupportingResearch collaboration resulting in peer-reviewed publication on Nimodipine Dispersome® formulations showcasing interplay between drug loading and dissolution performance.
- Novartis Pharma AGsupportingResearch collaboration demonstrating Dispersome® technology at drug loadings up to 70% for two different drug compounds. Published in peer-reviewed journal.
- Insud PharmacoreCollaboration to develop and commercialize Dispersome® formulations of marketed drug products. Zerion develops formulations while Insud Pharma handles clinical development, GMP manufacturing, and global marketing. Zerion granted worldwide exclusive license for first Dispersome® drug formulation (Ivacaftor).
- Arla Foods IngredientscoreLong-term supply agreement (minimum 10 years) for Lacprodan® BLG-100 pharmaceutical grade beta-lactoglobulin used as excipient in Dispersome® technology. Critical supply chain partnership.
- Rousselot B.V.supportingExtended licensing agreement to exploit Dispersome® technology platform with Rousselot's protein-based excipient capabilities.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Zerion Pharma competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hovione: Portuguese global CDMO with integrated drug substance and drug product services including spray drying and amorphous solid dispersion formulation. Direct peer in formulation/solubility services and a JV partner of Zerion for IP portfolio management and global commercialization.
- DisperSol Technologies: US-based pharmaceutical technology company developing proprietary amorphous solid dispersion platforms to enhance solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. Closely aligned technology platform competitor to Zerion's Dispersome® in the same ASD/solubility niche.
- Ascendia Pharma: US specialty CDMO focused on difficult-to-formulate, poorly soluble small molecule drug products across nanoemulsions, ASDs, and lipid-based systems. Directly comparable as a formulation-focused CDMO serving similar pharma partners seeking solubility solutions.
- Quotient Sciences: UK/US CDMO offering formulation development and manufacturing services, with a particular focus on accelerating development of poorly soluble compounds. Comparable in targeting the same poorly-soluble-drug pain point that drives Zerion's partner pipeline.
Broad incumbents
- Catalent: Major US-headquartered global pharma services platform including the OptiForm solution suite for solubility enhancement and amorphous solid dispersions. Comparable in offering ASD-based formulation services, but at much larger scale and as part of a broader CDMO portfolio.
- Lonza: Swiss global CDMO that acquired Bend Research/Capsugel, giving it one of the largest ASD and spray-drying formulation service franchises. Comparable in offering pharmaceutical formulation services for poorly soluble compounds but operating across many other modalities at much greater scale.
- Evonik Health Care: German specialty chemicals and pharmaceutical excipients/CDMO business offering polymeric excipients (including HPMCAS variants) used in competing ASD formulations alongside formulation CDMO services. Comparable in serving the same solubility/ASD market from an excipient-and-CDMO angle.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Zerion Pharma social profiles
Digital presenceZerion Pharma financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Zerion Pharma leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Zerion Pharma funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Zerion Pharma 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 Zerion Pharma
What does Zerion Pharma do?
Zerion Pharma develops and licenses Dispersome®, a proprietary amorphous solid dispersion platform that uses beta-lactoglobulin (a whey protein excipient) to formulate poorly soluble small-molecule drugs into stable amorphous formulations with drug loadings above 50% w/w. The company runs internal reformulation programs (e.g., ZN002 oncology) and partners with pharmaceutical firms on specific drug products.
Is Zerion Pharma a public or private company?
Zerion Pharma is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Zerion Pharma founded?
Zerion Pharma was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Zerion Pharma based?
Zerion Pharma is headquartered in Birkerød, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does Zerion Pharma make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Technology Licensing is the primary driver. The others are co-development Programs, royalty Income from Joint Ventures and royalty Financing.
Who are Zerion Pharma's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hovione, DisperSol Technologies, Ascendia Pharma and Quotient Sciences. Broad incumbents are Catalent, Lonza and Evonik Health Care.
Does Zerion Pharma have an API?
No public API is recorded for Zerion Pharma.
What industry is Zerion Pharma in?
Zerion Pharma's product category is Pharmaceutical Formulation Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAIALAD, CMC & Pharmaceutical Development (Formulation/Process/Analytical Development). Its NAICS code is 325412 and its SIC code is 2834.