Aclaris Therapeutics is a physician-led biopharmaceutical company committed to addressing the needs of people with dermatological and immuno-inflammatory diseases who lack optimal treatment options. We do this by making scientific connections not recognized by others and applying those discoveries in new and practical ways to develop impactful medicines designed with patients in mind.
OUR HISTORY
Aclaris Therapeutics was founded in 2012 by a team of five veteran entrepreneurs who have a proven track record of building and launching successful health care companies. We initially focused on dermatological conditions to leverage the expertise of our co-founders, two of whom were board-certified dermatologists with first-hand experience treating patients in clinical practice. Today, Aclaris Therapeutics has a diverse and multi-stage portfolio, including two FDA-approved medicines and a promising pipeline powered by a robust R&D engine exploring protein kinase regulation. In 2018, we launched the first FDA-approved topical medicine for raised seborrheic keratoses and licensed and re-launched a treatment for persistent facial redness due to rosacea in adults, which was originally co-invented and developed by one of our founders.
founders.
At Aclaris Therapeutics, we’re committed to advancing innovation, a patient-centric sense of purpose, and a high level of professional integrity.
OUR FOCUS
Aclaris Therapeutics’ active development programs focus on areas where significant treatment gaps exist, including potential medicines for the treatment of common warts, alopecia areata, and vitiligo. Our investigational medicine for the treatment of common warts is in the late stages of development and has the potential to be the first prescription medicine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. According to JAMA Dermatology, the condition affects approximately 22 million Americans. Many patients seek treatment for common warts from health care professionals each year, possibly because of social stigma, embarrassment or symptoms such as pain, bleeding, itching, and burning.
We strive to unlock new possibilities through exploration of the kinome, a subset of the human genome, which consists of a collection of approximately 518 protein kinases that serve as control points in cell behavior. Through our established discovery research, Aclaris Therapeutics can screen and analyze compounds for the purpose of identifying unique topical and oral therapeutic candidates targeting critical pathways involved in chronic inflammation and autoimmune diseases. We currently have an oral and topical Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor in clinical trials and hold several patents related to the use and administration of certain JAK inhibitors for treating hair loss disorders.
We believe in supporting the development of new discoveries in dermatology. Aclaris Therapeutics is a founding partner of Advancing Innovation in Dermatology, a nonprofit organization created to catalyze the development of new therapies that may significantly improve skin health, and last year entered into a partnership with Harris-Stowe State University to support the development and education of scientists from underrepresented minority groups.
OUR PEOPLE
At Aclaris Therapeutics, we’re committed to advancing innovation, a patient-centric sense of purpose, and a high level of professional integrity. Our culture is “life-friendly,” meaning that we embrace and support a diverse workplace, full of people who value their personal lives as much as their professional success. Together, we are building a rewarding place to work for people who have an entrepreneurial drive to make a difference and where empathy for patients, collaboration, initiative, and energy are valued.
