Almirall and the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) collaborate to develop and characterize novel preclinical models for non-melanoma skin cancer

Almirall and the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) collaborate to develop and characterize novel preclinical models for non-melanoma skin cancer

·       Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most frequent type of cancer, and its incidence is constantly increasing^[i]

·        The partnership will combine the knowledge of Prof. Luciano Di Croce, Group Leader at the CRG, and researchers from his group with Almirall’s expertise in medical dermatology

·        This new collaboration comes from a call from AlmirallShare, the company's open innovation platform, to find innovative therapies for skin diseases

BARCELONA, Spain. May 25 2023 – Almirall, S.A. (ALM), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on medical dermatology, has entered into a research collaboration with the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), an international biomedical research institute of excellence. The partnership aims to develop and characterize novel preclinical models that will help identify new treatments for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

NMSC poses a significant health challenge, accounting for the majority of cancer cases and exhibiting a consistent increase in prevalence. Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma represent 70% and 25% of NMSC cases, respectively¹. Through this partnership, led by Almirall's investigators Dr. Amadeu Gavaldà and Dr. Cristina Gutiérrez, will merge the expertise of Luciano Di Croce (CRG group leader and ICREA Research Professor) and his team with Almirall’s profound knowledge in medical dermatology. Together, they will establish experimental models that enable the identification and/or validation of new therapeutic approaches and the evaluation of new drugs for these diseases.

This new research collaboration arises from the call for proposals by AlmirallShare, the company's open innovation platform dedicated to discovering innovative therapies for skin diseases. This platform was created in 2017 to make dermatological research collaborations easier and speed up the development of new skin condition treatments. The collaboration with CRG represents another milestone in this endeavor and builds upon the eight established partnerships based on models, targets, and new therapies for dermatological diseases such as hidradenitis suppurativa.

“At Almirall, we regularly identify external collaborations that can leverage and complement our internal capabilities and research. This collaboration with CRG brings us closer to our Noble Purpose of delivering world-class solutions that make a difference in patients' lives”, stated Karl Ziegelbauer, Ph.D., Almirall S.A.’s Chief Scientific Officer. "It also reaffirms the success of our open innovation platform AlmirallShare as a key tool for building strategic partnerships.”

“NMSC is not an aggressive cancer, meaning it has been historically difficult to model this disease in the lab. However, important technological advances combined with multiple 'omics’ approaches allow now to create truly functional scientific models for this skin cancer. Thus, it is an exciting opportunity to collaborate with Almirall and make important advances in studying one of the most frequent types of cancer," says Prof. Di Croce.

About CRG

The CRG is a biomedical research center located in Barcelona. Created in December 2000, the CRG is home to an interdisciplinary research team of more than four hundred scientists focused on understanding the complexity of life, from the genome to the cell and a complete organism. The CRG is a research center with a unique research model focused on recruiting internationally-recognized leaders in the field. The CRG is a member of the Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST) and is a CERCA center, part of the Generalitat de Catalunya research ecosystem.

About Almirall

Almirall is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on skin health. We collaborate with scientists and healthcare professionals to address patients' 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 focused intensely on patients' needs. Almirall has a direct presence in 21 countries and strategic agreements in over 70, with about 1,800 employees. Total revenue in 2022 was €878.5MM.

For more information, please visit www.almirall.com

[i] Ciuciulete, A. R., Stepan, A. E., Andreiana, B. C., & Simionescu, C. E. (2022). Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Statistical Associations between Clinical Parameters. Current health sciences journal, 48(1), 110–115. https://doi.org/10.12865/CHSJ.48.01.16