Merrion Pharma receives prestigious Frost & Sullivan Award
The 2008 Frost & Sullivan Osteoporosis Technology Innovation of the Year Award has been awarded to the Irish Company
Merrion Pharmaceuticals (IEX: MERR) for its Almerol (formerly known as MER-103) product.
2008 Frost & Sullivan Osteoporosis Technology Innovation of the Year Award
This award was given in recognition of Merrion’s successful application of its innovative GIPET® technology which has led to the
development of an innovative new product MER-103(Almerol) for the treatment of osteoporosis. The Frost & Sullivan Award was
presented to Merrion in acknowledgment of their technological innovation, their ability to successfully develop and introduce
new/disruptive technology, formulate a well-designed product family, and make significant technology contributions to the
industry.
“MER-103 (Almerol) has drug benefits including improved bioavailability, a more attractive safety profile, and a simplified dosing
regimen, compared to that of the currently marketed formulation. These factors are important in improving drug development in
the osteoporosis area.” said Katheryn Symank, Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan.
As per Symank, approximately 11.2 million Americans have osteoporosis and an additional 46.4 million are affected by
osteopenia therefore, “the importance of new osteoporosis treatment options is more apparent”.
"To be honoured with the 2008 Frost & Sullivan Osteoporosis Technology Innovation Award demonstrates the innovative ability
of our GIPET® technology to develop significant new products, which greatly assist patients, while having great commercial
potential also. This award marks another milestone for Merrion and for the GIPET® technology which has the potential to be
used in many important drug innovations," says John Lynch, CEO of Merrion Pharmaceuticals.
Merrion Pharmaceuticals is a publicly listed specialty pharmaceutical company engaged in the development of oral forms
(tablets/capsules) of drugs that have poor absorption and are generally given by injection. Merrion was established in 2004 to
commercialise various technologies acquired from Elan Corporation, plc. Merrion's patented drug delivery technologies increase
bioavailability, by improving absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, of drugs that are otherwise poorly absorbed. This can provide
substantial benefit in patient convenience and safety, and might also provide enhanced drug efficacy. Merrion utilises its
technology to develop new oral drugs in two ways; it develops its own proprietary drugs using GIPET® and partners with other
pharmaceutical companies in developing oral GIPET® formulations of their products. Previous award recipients in this category
include Sweden-based Demetech who received the 2007 Frost & Sullivan Technology Innovation Award in the European bone
densitometry systems market for its proprietary Dual X-Ray and Laser (DXL) technology.
About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, partners with clients to accelerate their growth. The company's TEAM
Research, Growth Consulting and Growth Team Membership™ empower clients to create a growth-focused culture that
generates, evaluates and implements effective growth strategies. Frost & Sullivan employs over 45 years of experience in
partnering with Global 1000 companies, emerging businesses and the investment community from more than 30 offices on six
continents. For more information about Frost & Sullivan’s Growth Partnership Services, visit www.awards.frost.com.
|