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Anacor Pharmaceuticals is a Palo Alto, California-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers and develops novel small-molecule therapeutics utilizing a proprietary boron chemistry platform. The organization focuses primarily on topical treatments for dermatological conditions and infectious diseases, advancing a research pipeline that included six distinct compounds in clinical trials and animal health testing. The firm successfully developed and secured FDA approval for notable dermatological products, including the antifungal treatment Kerydin and the non-steroidal eczema ointment Eucrisa. Following a $70 million initial public offering that saw its stock price increase by 349 percent, the enterprise grew to approximately 130 employees. The business was ultimately acquired by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer in 2016 for $5.2 billion, driven by Eucrisa's projected peak annual sales of $2 billion. Anacor Pharmaceuticals was founded in 2000 by David Perry, Stephen Benkovic, and Lucy Shapiro.
Anacor Pharmaceutical has raised $82.0M across 4 funding rounds.
Anacor Pharmaceutical has raised $82.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Anacor Pharmaceutical has raised $82.0M across 4 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $50.0M Series E in January 2009.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1, 2009 | $50M Series E | — | Aberdare Ventures, Acorn Bioventures | Announced |
| May 1, 2005 | $25M Series C | — | Aberdare Ventures, Acorn Bioventures | Announced |
| Oct 1, 2002 | $4M Series U | — | Aberdare Ventures | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2002 | $3M Series A | — | Aberdare Ventures | Announced |
Anacor Pharmaceutical has raised $82.0M in total across 4 funding rounds.
Anacor Pharmaceutical's investors include Aberdare Ventures, Acorn Bioventures.
Anacor Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company, not a technology company in the software or hardware sense, but a biotech firm specializing in novel small-molecule therapeutics derived from a proprietary boron chemistry platform.[1][2][3][4] Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California, it focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing treatments for fungal, bacterial, inflammatory, and neglected tropical diseases, serving patients with conditions like onychomycosis (toenail fungus), atopic dermatitis (eczema), tuberculosis, and African trypanosomiasis.[1][2][3][4] Key products included KERYDIN (tavaborole), FDA-approved in 2014 for onychomycosis, and crisaborole (later Eucrisa), approved in 2016 for eczema; the company addressed unmet needs in dermatology and global health by solving problems like drug resistance and lack of innovation in unprofitable markets through boron-based inhibitors targeting protein biosynthesis and PDE4.[2][3] Anacor demonstrated growth via product approvals, partnerships (e.g., Sandoz for KERYDIN distribution), and acquisition by Pfizer in 2016 for $5.2 billion, reflecting strong momentum in topical therapies before integration into Pfizer's portfolio.[3]
Anacor Pharmaceuticals was incorporated in Delaware in 2000 and began operations in 2002 under CEO David Perry, evolving from a venture-backed startup to a clinical-stage biopharma with around 100 employees by 2015.[1][3][4][5] The idea emerged from its unique boron chemistry platform, discovered during early disease screening to yield activity against neglected bacterial and parasitic diseases, prompting Perry and Program Leader Eric Easom to pursue non-dilutive funding to balance investor demands with global health innovation despite pre-revenue constraints.[1] Pivotal moments included FDA approval of KERYDIN in July 2014, a partnership with Sandoz for U.S. commercialization launched in September 2014, crisaborole's FDA submission, and out-licensing of compounds for tuberculosis, Chagas disease, and trypanosomiasis, culminating in Pfizer's $5.2 billion acquisition announced in 2016.[2][3]
Anacor rode the biotech trend of platform-based drug discovery in the early 2000s, leveraging boron chemistry—a rare element in pharma—to innovate amid rising antimicrobial resistance and neglected tropical disease burdens affecting millions in resource-poor settings.[1][2] Timing was ideal post-genomics era, when small-molecule platforms gained traction for rapid iteration on tough targets like LeuRS, influencing dermatology (topical non-steroids) and global health by modeling for-profit R&D with non-dilutive grants, thus bridging investor returns and public health needs.[1][3] Market forces like FDA fast-tracking for orphan indications and big pharma's M&A wave (e.g., Pfizer's deal) favored Anacor, amplifying its ecosystem impact through licensed assets advancing in trials and crisaborole's integration into Pfizer's immunology portfolio.[2][3]
Post-2016 Pfizer acquisition, Anacor's boron platform endures within Pfizer, with crisaborole commercialized as Eucrisa for eczema and pipeline assets like acoziborole (Phase 3 for trypanosomiasis) and ganfeborole (Phase 2 for TB) progressing under partners, potentially yielding breakthroughs in resistant infections.[2][3] Trends like AI-driven drug design and renewed neglected disease funding will shape its legacy, evolving influence toward hybrid for-profit/non-profit models that attract venture capital to global health. This trajectory underscores Anacor's original hook: proving boron-based innovation can profitably tackle overlooked diseases, setting a blueprint for biotech scalability.
