Almirall opens the doors of its R&D centre to the biotech ZeClinics

• ZeClinics, the zebrafish-based research company, will be able to leverage Almirall's state-of-the-art technology facilities to accelerate drug discovery by providing high-throughput safety and efficacy screenings

• Their incorporation into Almirall's R&D facilities is the first step in Almirall's plans to create a highly collaborative environment for researchers from biotech, start-ups, academia, as well as Almirall scientists

BARCELONA, Spain. February 27^th 2023 – Almirall, a global biopharmaceutical company focused on skin health, today announced an agreement with ZeClinics, a Contract Research Organization (CRO) specialized in zebrafish, to be based at Almirall's R&D centre. With this agreement, Almirall reinforces its aim to transform its R&D centre located in Sant Feliu de Llobregat into a uniquely collaborative environment where researchers from biotech companies, start-ups, academia, and other scientist meet with Almirall’s team to enhance research success.

Through the agreement, ZeClinics will be able to leverage Almirall's state-of-the-art R&D facilities to keep advancing its innovative scientific pipeline and providing customized services to help their clients with disease modelling, target discovery and drug development. In this way, ZeClinics’ mission is to accelerate research  by challenging the discovery process, with a model that combines the advantages of zebrafish with lab automation and artificial intelligence.

"Our agreement with ZeClinics highlights our commitment to enabling scientific innovation that improves people's lives," said Karl Ziegelbauer, Ph.D., Almirall S.A.’s Chief Scientific Officer. Through these collaborations with biotech companies and academia, and the opening of our R&D centre, we reinforce our objective to create a cutting-edge research ecosystem."

“Being part of such an innovative research hub gives us the opportunity to establish synergies, both in terms of knowledge and advanced technologies,” commented Simone Calzolari, ZeClinics’ Chief Executive Officer. “It is a unique opportunity for ZeClinics to continue growing and providing higher-quality science to our clients.”

The R&D centre in Sant Feliu de Llobregat (Barcelona, Spain), has 7,400 square metres of fully equipped laboratories and production area.  Barcelona, in the Catalonia region, attracts technology hubs due to its highly qualified talent pool, internationally renowned hospitals, research centers, competitive costs, and high quality of life. The life sciences and healthcare sector in Catalonia – what is known as the BioRegion - includes over 1,350 companies and 91 research entities established in the region. *

*Source: ACCIÓ, Biocat

About ZeClinics

ZeClinics is a Contract Research Organization (CRO) specialized in zebrafish. We offer tailored solutions to help pharma, agrochemical, food, cosmetic companies, and academic research institutions to accelerate and increase the value of the early-stage R&D process with zebrafish. We challenge the discovery process by combining our expertise in zebrafish biology with lab automation and artificial intelligence. Our mission is to accelerate research and allow reliable safety and efficacy assessment of new drugs and chemical compounds to reach the market faster.

For more information, please visit zeclinics.com

About Almirall

Almirall is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on skin health. We collaborate with scientists and healthcare professionals to address patient’s needs through science to improve their lives. Our Noble Purpose is at the core of our work: “Transform the patients' world by helping them realize their hopes and dreams for a healthy life.” We invest in differentiated and ground-breaking medical dermatology products to bring our innovative solutions to patients in need.

The company, founded in 1943 and headquartered in Barcelona, is publicly traded on the Spanish Stock Exchange (ticker: ALM). Throughout its 79-year history, Almirall has retained a strong focus on the needs of patients. Currently, Almirall has a direct presence in 21 countries and strategic agreements in over 70, with about 1,800 employees. Total revenues in 2021 were 836.5 million euros.

For more information, please visit almirall.com