Almirall Announces Partnership With Microsoft for Digital Transformation, Development of Skin Disease Treatments

Timon/Adobe Stock

Almirall has announced today a strategic collaboration with Microsoft aimed at advancing digitalization and technological innovation in the field.

The 3-year partnership seeks to advance medical dermatology research, develop next-generation personalized drugs, and accelerate Almirall's overall digital transformation.

Under the agreement, Almirall and Microsoft Industry Solutions, in collaboration with select Microsoft partners, will establish a joint Digital Office. This initiative will capitalize on Almirall's unified data platform, employing generative artificial intelligence (genAI) and advanced analytics technologies to drive digital innovation in drug discovery and development.

The primary focus of the collaboration is to leverage Almirall's extensive research and development expertise in dermatology drug discovery, combined with Microsoft's digital technologies, to expedite the development of innovative treatment options.

Within Almirall's research and development framework, the use of genAI and advanced analytics technologies will be pivotal in accelerating the discovery of new therapeutic targets and synthesizable molecules, according to a news release. The overarching goal is to generate new technologies for Almirall's dermatology pipeline, optimizing operations through data and AI, and constructing an intelligence-driven technology platform.

The collaboration also aims to apply AI technologies to prioritize drug discovery based on novelty and commercialization potential before validation. This approach is expected to streamline the drug development process and enhance the efficiency of bringing novel treatments to market.

"At Almirall, we believe that leading innovation is enabled by collaborating with experts and being at the forefront of science and technology," said Carlos Gallardo, CEO of Almirall, in a news release. "This agreement with Microsoft is a significant advancement in our digital transformation to achieve our goal of delivering novel treatment options for patients. It will empower us to apply latest technologies to transform our ways of working, and accelerate drug discovery."

Alberto Granados, Country General Manager of Microsoft in Spain, highlighted the significance of the partnership, saying, "Through this strategic partnership, Microsoft and its Industry Solutions organization will collaborate with Almirall towards their goal of becoming the greatest dermatology company ever. The aim is to revolutionize dermatological treatments and provide patients with the best possible solutions by leveraging Microsoft's cutting-edge technologies of advanced analytics and generative artificial intelligence to foster innovation in drug discovery and development."

In addition to advancing drug discovery, the collaboration will also see Almirall adopting a new approach to technology-aided data management, with the goal of optimizing access to high-quality data while ensuring data governance, quality processes, and digital identity management.

Reference

Almirall and Microsoft announce partnership for digital transformation to enable the development of novel treatments for skin diseases. News release. Almirall. January 31, 2024. Accessed January 31, 2024. https://www.almirall.com/newsroom/news/almirall-and-microsoft-announce-partnership-for-digital-transformation-to-enable-the-development-of-novel-treatments-for-skin-diseases