Jan 5 (Reuters) - Ligand Pharmaceuticals' topical treatment for a viral skin infection has received approval from the U.S. health regulator, the company said on Friday, marking the first-ever at-home approved treatment for the condition in the country.

The gel, Zelsuvmi, is expected to be available in the U.S. in the second half of 2024.

The pricing has not yet been established, a company spokesperson said in an email.

Ligand's shares were up about 5% in extended trading.

Zelsuvmi will treat a type of highly contagious skin infection called molluscum contagiosum. It is caused by a poxvirus and results in skin lesions that usually resolve within a year without scarring, but can take a lot longer in some cases.

The drug will compete with Verrica Pharmaceuticals' Ycanth, which last year became the first U.S.-approved treatment for the infection, but requires medical supervision during application. (Reporting by Pratik Jain and Sriparna Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid, Pooja Desai and Sriraj Kalluvila)