Isispharma

Isispharma is a French dermatological skincare laboratory founded in 1987 by Christian Diehl, a pharmacist based in Bourg-en-Bresse [2]. The company formulates over-the-counter products for specific skin concerns such as acne, redness and pigmentation disorders, and centres its research on what it calls the skin's natural balance, or homeostasis. Since 2002 it has been owned by the DEWAVRIN Group, a family-held health and beauty company [2].

The brand remains active. Its products are distributed across roughly 80 countries and, according to the company, are recommended by more than 14,000 dermatologists [2]. The most recent milestones it records are a clinical study on its Teen Derm A.Z line published in 2024 and the launch of its first dermatological sun serum in 2025.

Christian Diehl, a pharmacist, established the laboratory in Bourg-en-Bresse in 1987. From the outset the company says it directed its research toward the skin's natural balance — described as homeostasis — and the imbalances behind common skin disorders, with the aim of developing dermatological solutions. During its early years, between 1987 and 2002, it developed its first formulas, including the Unitone, Ruboril and Vitiskin ranges.

In 2002 the laboratory was acquired by the DEWAVRIN Group, which the company credits with accelerating its international expansion. A series of formulation and research milestones followed. In 2015 Isispharma developed a product containing 15% azelaic acid, Metroruboril A.Z, aimed at rosacea-prone skin. The following year it began collaborating with independent research institutes, including France's national scientific research centre, the CNRS [2].

The company extended its azelaic acid work in 2022 with Teen Derm A.Z, a 15% formulation positioned for acne. In 2023 it held its first Isispharma International Dermatology Summit, and in 2025 it introduced its first dermatological sun serum.

Isispharma has been part of the DEWAVRIN Group since 2002 [2]. The company describes the group as a wholly family-owned business specialising in the health and beauty sector. Despite the change in ownership, the laboratory continues to operate under its own name as a standalone dermatological brand.

Isispharma positions itself as a specialised French laboratory focused on inflammatory skin conditions and pigmentation disorders. In its manifesto, the company states that skin concerns "should never be a burden" and that they "deserve swift, effective, and accessible solutions" [3]. It frames each skin concern as carrying emotional weight, and says its goal is to pair clinically proven results with care for patients' wellbeing. The brand's stated mission is to "guide every skin toward greater balance and every person toward renewed confidence". Its products are sold chiefly through pharmacies and carry the tagline #togetherformyskin.

The laboratory's range spans several skin concerns, organised into product lines such as Ruboril, Neotone, Glyco-A, Urelia and Teen Derm. Its hero actives include azelaic acid, glycolic acid and urea. Azelaic acid is central to its best-known products: a third-party review aggregator describes the 15% Metroruboril A.Z formulation as one of the higher concentrations available over the counter [7].

Several products are built around a proprietary blend the company calls the β-CALM complex, which combines plant extracts — among them butcher's-broom, centella asiatica and liquorice — with vitamin B3 and betaine [6]. For Metroruboril A.Z, the company cites a study of 20 volunteers with papulopustular rosacea applying the product twice daily for 56 days, reporting a 60% decrease in imperfections and an 18% decrease in redness [6].

Isispharma states that it runs its own research and development laboratories, where it selects and combines ingredients that are clinically tested in-house, and that it manufactures its products near Lyon [4]. The company also reports a 2020 study indicating that Metroruboril A.Z outperformed metronidazole, and a 2024 study on Teen Derm A.Z published in the journal Dermatology and Therapy [2].

Isispharma frames its environmental and social work around a general commitment, stating that it is "taking action at our level to help build a more equitable and sustainable world" [5]. The company directs readers to its CSR reporting for detail; the published material reviewed does not list specific certifications or quantified targets.

Isispharma is an active brand. It maintains a live website and continues to publish clinical research and release products, including its 2025 sun serum [2]. It operates internationally, with distribution stated across about 80 countries, while remaining owned by the DEWAVRIN Group.