On Jan. 29, 2020, 23andMe announced an agreement with Almirall to in-license 23andMe’s bispecific monoclonal antibody designed to block all three members of the IL-36 cytokine subfamily. IL-36 is a part of the IL-1 cytokine family, which is associated with multiple inflammatory diseases, including various dermatological conditions.

Almirall will secure the rights to develop and commercialize the antibody for worldwide use. This agreement will strengthen Almirall’s early-stage research portfolio.