Absci and Almirall have recently expanded their collaboration, which is a 21-month-old partnership based on artificial intelligence (AI), to focus on the development and commercialization of AI-designed therapeutics for chronic and debilitating skin diseases. The Barcelona-based drug developer, Almirall, has selected a second target for development under this collaboration. The companies have successfully generated AI-designed, functional antibody leads for their first target, which is described as challenging to drug.
The second target, also considered difficult to drug, is currently undisclosed as the program progresses through preclinical testing and clinical trials. Absci’s Integrated Drug Creation™ platform, a generative AI system, is central to this collaboration. This platform aims to accelerate the development of AI-designed and optimized candidates in a span of just 14 months, leveraging expertise in synthetic biology, wet-lab data generation, and experimental validation capabilities.
The collaboration between Absci and Almirall showcases the potential of AI in drug design, particularly for challenging disease targets. Almirall has committed to paying Absci up to approximately $650 million, including an upfront payment, R&D-based payments, post-approval milestone payments, and royalties on product sales. The companies’ partnership is strengthened by the professional relationship between key personnel who previously worked together at Bayer Pharmaceuticals.
The expanded collaboration was announced in August, coinciding with a significant increase in Almirall’s net income for the first half of 2025. Absci, on the other hand, reported a net loss in the second quarter but extended its cash runway through successful fundraising initiatives. The company raised funds through a public offering of common stock and its “at-the-market” facility, ensuring financial stability into 2028.
The success of Absci and Almirall’s collaboration signifies the value of AI in drug discovery and development, particularly for challenging therapeutic targets in dermatology. The integration of AI technology with traditional drug discovery approaches has led to promising results in the generation of novel therapeutics. This partnership highlights the potential of combining expertise in synthetic biology with advanced AI capabilities to address unmet medical needs effectively.
Key Takeaways:
– Absci and Almirall are leveraging AI technology to develop therapeutics for chronic skin diseases.
– The collaboration aims to accelerate drug discovery through AI-designed candidates.
– Financial commitments from Almirall underscore the potential success of the partnership.
– Absci’s successful fundraising initiatives have secured its financial position for the coming years.
Tags: synthetic biology, biotech
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