Almirall SA and biomedical research institute, the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), have announced a collaboration aimed at developing and distinguishing novel preclinical models to identify new treatments for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).
NMSC belongs to a group of cancers that develop in the upper layers of the skin. Non-melanoma specifies more common kinds of skin cancer from the less common kind known as melanoma.
The two most common types of NMSC are squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, representing 70% and 25% of NMSC cases, respectively. Squamous cell carcinoma starts in the cells lining the top of the epidermis, while basal cell carcinoma starts in the cells lining the bottom of the epidermis.
Through the new partnership, Almirall investigators and CRG’s team of researchers will merge their knowledge to inaugurate experimental models that allow identification, as well as validation of new therapeutic approaches and the evaluation of new drugs for these diseases.
CRG’s group leader, professor Luciano Di Croce, said: “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.”
The research partnership arises after AlmirallShare – the company’s open innovation platform for discovering innovative therapies for skin diseases – made a call for proposals. Formed in 2017, AlmirallShare was created to make dermatological research collaborations easier and accelerate the development of skin condition treatments.
The collaboration between Almirall and CRG represents another milestone in this endeavour, the company said, and builds on the eight established partnerships based on models, targets and new therapies for dermatological disease, including hidradenitis suppurativa.
Almirall’s chief scientific officer, Karl Ziegelbauer, said: “This collaboration with CRG brings us closer to our noble purpose of delivering world-class solutions that make a difference in patients’ lives.
“It also reaffirms the success of our open innovation platform AlmirallShare as a key tool for building strategic partnerships.”