Timber Pharmaceuticals LLC, a startup created by New Jersey-based investment and operating firm Tardimed Sciences LLC, said it's poised to make a fresh leap into the public market this year with plans to take over Biopharmx Corp.'s NYSE listing in a new reverse merger deal.

Eli Lilly and Co.’s acquisition of Dermira Inc. for $1.1 billion in cash enlarges Lilly’s dermatology pipeline with the addition of lebrikizumab, a monoclonal antibody designed to bind IL-13 with high affinity, now in two phase III studies for treating moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD) in adolescent and adult patients, ages 12 and older.

Positive top-line data from two pivotal phase III studies of acne vulgaris treatment Twyneo from Sol-Gel Technologies Ltd. is doing the stock end-of the-year favors as shares closed up 19% at $17.50 on Tuesday.  

With two FDA meetings in its hip pocket to discuss maralixibat for treating pruritus associated with Alagille syndrome, Mirum Pharmaceuticals Inc. got a resounding boost from the market Monday as its stock (NASDAQ:MIRM) closed up 111%, at $17.28.

LONDON – Janssen Biotech Inc. is buying Xbiotech Inc.’s interleukin-1a (IL-1a) inhibitor bermekimab for $750 million up front and will pay a further $600 million in potential milestones as the product advances in development for the treatment of atopic dermatitis and the chronic immune-mediated skin disease, hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).