Almirall announces partnership with the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) to identify biomarkers for novel atopic dermatitis treatments
- The collaboration aims to create advanced atopic dermatitis (AD) disease models to develop new treatment options
- An ongoing research collaboration between the two partners is aimed at developing and characterizing novel preclinical models as the basis for developing new treatment options for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC)
BARCELONA, Spain. February 8th, 2023 – Almirall S.A. (BME: ALM), a global pharmaceutical company dedicated to medical dermatology, announced today a new research partnership with the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), an international biomedical research institute headquartered in Barcelona. The collaboration aims to identify molecular pathways and biomarkers specific to atopic dermatitis (AD). New insights into the mechanism of action of this complex disease has the potential to enable the development of novel treatment options.
The research objectives of this collaboration include the characterization of more detailed AD disease models with high physiological relevance and disease predictability. The partnership aims to identify new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of AD as a starting point for novel drug discovery projects.
Almirall will contribute its extensive experience in model development, sample preparation of in vitro and in vivo AD models, as well as tissue samples, transcriptomics[1] and data analysis. The CRG will provide expertise in proteomics[2] to identify potential drug targets for AD, thus broadening the scope of treatment options for this disease.
“We are pleased with the recent advancements in the treatment options for atopic dermatitis. However, we are also looking ahead to identify scientific and technological innovations that could enable the next level of treatment options to serve patients even better in the future. This collaboration allows us to combine our expertise in medical dermatology with the capabilities of the CRG's proteomics unit to better understand this complex disease and explore novel treatment opportunities for AD,” states Dr. Karl Ziegelbauer, Chief Scientific Officer of Almirall.
“Proteomics technologies are used in many translational research projects both for diagnosis and to understand disease mechanisms. Collaborating with a recognized company such as Almirall will allow us to delve deeper into the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis, which can provide the basis to further help patients suffering from this disease," says Dr. Eduard Sabidó, Head of the Joint CRG/UPF Proteomics Unit (ICTS OmicsTech).
Almirall and the CRG have previously already established a collaboration in 2023 to develop and characterize novel preclinical models that will help identify new treatments for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).
This project will have an initial duration of two years and is partially funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and the Centro de Desarrollo Tecnológico e Innovación (CDTI) (Spanish Ministry of Science) with Next Generation Europe funds.
[1] Transcriptomics is the study of the whole transcriptome (all the RNA transcripts) of a cell or a tissue.
[2] Proteomics is the study of the interactions, function, composition, and structures of proteins and their cellular activities.
