Almirall and Absci Expand AI Drug Creation Collaboration Adding a Second Dermatology Target
- Almirall selects second target in AI Drug Creation collaboration
- Expanded collaboration builds on Absci’s successful de novo molecule design for difficult‑to‑drug targets in the first stage of the collaboration with Almirall
BARCELONA, Spain and VANCOUVER, Wash., Aug. 07, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Almirall (BME: ALM), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on medical dermatology, and Absci Corporation (Nasdaq: ), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing breakthrough therapeutics with generative AI, today announced the expansion of their ongoing AI Drug Discovery collaboration with Almirall’s selection of a second target aimed at dermatological indications.
The expansion of the collaboration follows the successful delivery of AI-designed, functional antibody leads against a difficult-to-drug target—the first target addressed within the initial collaboration between Almirall and Absci. The collaboration, originally announced in November 2023, combines Absci’s Integrated Drug Creation™ platform with Almirall’s dermatology expertise to accelerate the development of novel and breakthrough therapeutics for chronic and debilitating skin diseases.
“Using advanced AI capabilities to design therapeutic candidates against historically challenging disease targets is a highly promising approach and Absci´s de-novo AI platform capabilities have already demonstrated early success” said Dr. Karl Ziegelbauer, Chief Scientific Officer at Almirall. “We are pleased to expand our collaboration as we continue to harness AI to help us develop innovative treatments for patients living with severe skin conditions.”
Under the terms of the collaboration, Absci is leveraging its generative AI platform combined with its wet lab capabilities to design and validate therapeutic candidates, while Almirall leads the preclinical and clinical development programs of those candidates. Absci is eligible to receive up to approximately $650 million in upfront, R&D, and post-approval milestone payments across both programs, plus royalties on potential product sales.
“The progress in our collaboration is a testament that AI de novo drug design is a successful approach to unlock novel biology where traditional drug discovery approaches have failed,” said Sean McClain, Founder and CEO of Absci. “We’re proud of this milestone and excited to deepen our collaboration with Almirall with the goal of bringing a new generation of AI-created therapeutics for dermatology patients.”
The expansion of the collaboration to include a second program is at the heart of the shared commitment of both companies - to accelerate innovation in dermatology by using generative AI to enable new therapeutic approaches.
About Almirall
Almirall is a global pharmaceutical company dedicated to medical dermatology. We closely collaborate with leading scientists, healthcare professionals, and patients to deliver our purpose: to transform the patients' world by helping them realize their hopes and dreams for a healthy life. We are at the forefront of science to deliver ground-breaking, differentiated medical dermatology innovations that address patients´ needs.
Almirall, founded in 1944 and headquartered in Barcelona, is publicly traded on the Spanish Stock Exchange (ticker: ALM, total revenue in 2024: €990 MM, over 2000 employees globally). Almirall products help to improve the lives of patients every day and are available in over 100 countries.
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About Absci
Absci is advancing the future of drug discovery with generative design to create better biologics for patients, faster. Our Integrated Drug Creation™ platform combines cutting-edge AI models with a synthetic biology data engine, enabling the rapid design of innovative therapeutics that address challenging therapeutic targets. Absci’s approach leverages a continuous feedback loop between advanced AI algorithms and wet lab validation. Each cycle refines our data and strengthens our models, facilitating rapid innovation and enhancing the precision of our therapeutic designs. Alongside collaborations with top pharmaceutical, biotech, tech, and academic leaders, Absci is advancing its own pipeline of AI designed therapeutics. These include ABS-101, a potentially best-in-class antibody to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as well as other indications, and ABS-201, a groundbreaking innovation in hair regrowth with the potential to redefine treatment possibilities for androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male and female pattern baldness. Absci is headquartered in Vancouver, WA, with an AI Research Lab in New York City, and Innovation Center in Switzerland. Learn more at or follow us on LinkedIn (), X () and .
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