Almirall announces research collaborations on dermatological diseases with the University of Michigan and University of Dundee

Almirall recently announced collaboration agreements with the University of Michigan to accelerate the understanding of the factors that trigger hidradenitis suppurativa, a chronic and inflammatory skin condition, and with the University of Dundee, a top-ranked university in the UK in biological sciences, to develop a novel approach against chronic and debilitating dermatology diseases where itch, or pruritus, plays a dominant role. 

Through the partnership with the University of Michigan, Almirall's expertise in skin diseases will be combined with the knowledge of the Dermatology Department at the University of Michigan, led by Dr. Johann E. Gudjonsson, to investigate relevant aspects of hidradenitis suppurativa such as chronic disease dissection and fibrosis.

The collaboration with the University of Dundee aims to build on a proprietary immune-based treatment for chronic inflammatory conditions being developed by Dr. John Foerster’s team at the University of Dundee. The goal of the partnership is to fully control the itch associated with skin conditions and achieve a prolonged and deep therapeutic effect for patients. Itch represents one of the most bothersome symptoms in a number of dermatological diseases and has a huge impact on patients’ quality of life1.

“We are very excited to start these collaborations with leading academic groups. These academic engagements with world-renowned innovators such as Dr. John Foerster and Dr. Johann E. Gudjonsson and their teams underline Almirall's commitment to help patients suffering from serious skin diseases to achieve their dream of a healthy life” stated Dr. Thomas Huber, Research Director at Almirall.

These new collaborations are part of SHINE, an Almirall initiative that aims to boost innovation in dermatology by promoting collaborations with centres of excellence. This project is a systematic engagement program with the world’s top-tier research teams that will allow for a deeper understanding of dermatological diseases, access to new technologies and the discovery of potential innovative therapeutic approaches.