Eligo Bioscience has signed a research agreement with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) for an investigational gene therapy for acne, which could either prevent or treat the skin condition.

Eligo is getting an upfront payment and R&D funding until it can provide preclinical proof of concept. If it does so and GSK exercises its option to continue with the deal, the two companies will agree to a license and collaboration arrangement to jointly work on the product, with Eligo getting up to $224 million in license fees and potential milestone payments as well as royalties on global sales.

Eligo said its Eligobiotics technology can “precisely modify the composition of the skin’s microbiome to treat or reduce the risk of developing moderate-to-severe acne.”