Late last year, Retail Beauty reported that Galderma had re-branded Proactiv, the best-selling anti-acne treatment, to Alchemee. The multinational is the largest independent dermatology company in the world and operates in over 100 countries, including Australia, through leading pharmacy brands such as Cetaphil, Differin and Benzac.
Part of the re-boot was the launch in early February of Alchemee’s first brand, a pigmentation focused skincare product called Restorative Elements.
Galderma has inked a deal with Taro Pharmaceuticals to sell Alchemee’s global business and assets, including the former Proactiv, for an undisclosed sum.
Proactiv was launched in 1995 and has helped more than 20 million consumers worldwide to achieve better skin. The global anti-acne market is growing at a fast pace and Alchemee’s potential under its new ownership is huge.
Taro Pharmaceuticals has a strong heritage stretching back to its founding days in Israel in the 1950s. The company is now a multinational pharma company and sells OTC products such as hydrocortisone treatments, antibiotic ointments and oral treatments for pain relief, coughs and colds in leading markets, including the US and Canada.
We are proud of the work we have done together to serve customers suffering from acne around the world through Proactiv, says Flemming Ornskorv, CEO of Galderma.
“I am confident that Taro is the right owner to build on Alchemee’s strong foundation. Their vision is aligned to Alchemee, which comes with an incredible legacy and brand equity, and a great team with a clear plan for future success.”
Proactiv was developed by the US dermatology dream team, Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields, who also founded Rodan + Fields skincare. Guthy-Renker, the US direct marketer, fuelled the global success of the brand in the US, Australia, New Zealand and Europe through infomercials and the use of celebrity ambassadors.
Nestlé became the majority owner of Proactiv in 2016. Two years later, the Swiss giant took full control of Galderma, a joint venture with L’Oréal, for US$3.6 billion. In 2019, Nestle sold Galderma for US$10.2 billion to a private equity consortium, including the investment arm of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.