Almirall and Absci Expand AI Drug Creation Collaboration Adding a Second Dermatology Target

Core Insights - Almirall and Absci Corporation are expanding their AI Drug Discovery collaboration to include a second target for dermatological indications, building on the success of their initial collaboration [1][2][4] - The collaboration leverages Absci's Integrated Drug Creation™ platform and Almirall's dermatology expertise to accelerate the development of innovative therapeutics for chronic skin diseases [2][3] - Absci is eligible for up to approximately $650 million in payments across both programs, in addition to royalties on potential product sales [3] Company Overview - Almirall is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on medical dermatology, founded in 1944 and headquartered in Barcelona, with total revenue of €990 million in 2024 and over 2000 employees globally [5][6] - Absci is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company that utilizes generative AI for drug discovery, aiming to create better biologics faster [8][9] Collaboration Details - The initial collaboration, announced in November 2023, successfully delivered AI-designed functional antibody leads against a difficult-to-drug target [2][4] - Absci's generative AI platform is combined with wet lab capabilities to design and validate therapeutic candidates, while Almirall leads the preclinical and clinical development [3][4] - The collaboration aims to accelerate innovation in dermatology by utilizing generative AI for new therapeutic approaches [4]