About Xero Pharmaceuticals

Xero Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage specialty pharmaceutical company that strives to improve the quality of life of patients suffering from primary axillary hyperhidrosis, or excessive underarm sweating.

Primary axillary hyperhidrosis is a condition characterized by excessive sweat production beyond which is physiologically necessary for thermal regulation. Prevalence of primary hyperhidrosis was reported to be 16.3% in Germany [1], 4.8% in the US [2] and 12.8% in Japan [3]. The majority of patients (appr. 65 percent) suffer from sweating localized to the underarms (axillary disease), which typically starts in adolescence or young adulthood.

Primary axillary hyperhidrosis has been shown to correlate with anxiety, depression and diminished quality of life [4, 5, 6, 7]. The condition has a significant impact on psychological and physical wellbeing as well as occupational life [8, 9, 10]. About 52% of individuals with axillary hyperhidrosis found sweating to interfere with daily activities and barely tolerable [2]. Patients often report frustration with the length of time until diagnosis, as well as the cost and efficacy of treatments once a diagnosis is established [8, 9].

  1. Augustin M, Radtke MA, Herberger K et al. Prevalence and disease burden of hyperhidrosis in the adult population. Dermatology 2013; 227: 10-3.
  2. Doolittle J, Walker P, Mills T et al. Hyperhidrosis: an update on prevalence and severity in the United States. Arch Dermatol Res 2016; 308: 743-9.
  3. Fujimoto T, Kawahara K, Yokozeki H. Epidemiological study and considerations of primary focal hyperhidrosis in Japan: From questionnaire analysis. J Dermatol 2013; 40: 886-90.
  4. Bahar R, Zhou P, Liu Y, et al. The prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with or without hyperhidrosis (HH). J Am Acad Dermatol. 2016;75(6):1126-33.
  5. Amir M, Arish A, Weinstein Y, et al. Impairment in quality of life among patients seeking surgery for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating): preliminary results. Isr J Psychiatry Relat Sci. 2000;37(1):25-31.
  6. Kamudoni P, Mueller B, Halford J, et al. The impact of hyperhidrosis on patients’ daily life and quality of life: a qualitative investigation. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2017 Jun 8;15(1):121.
  7. Glaser DA, et al. A 44-Week Open-Label Study Evaluating Safety and Efficacy of Topical Tosylate in Patients with Primary Axillary Hyperhidrosis. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2019;20(4):593-604.
  8. Hornberger J, Grimes K, Naumann M, et al. Multi-specialty working group on the recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of primary focal hyperhidrosis. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004;51:274– 86.
  9. Strutton DR, Kowalski JW, Glaser DA, Stang PE. US prevalence of hyperhidrosis and impact on individuals with axillary hyperhidrosis: results from a national survey. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2004;51:241–8.
  10. Hamm H. Impact of hyperhidrosis on quality of life and its assessment. Dermatol Clin. 2014;32:467–7.