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MerLion Pharmaceuticals Pte Ltd MERLION PHARMA
Therapeutic Focus The company’s current focus is on the discovery and development of anti-infectives as well as personal healthcare products.
Research/Business Achievements MerLion Pharamceuticals has a lead compound called finafloxacin that is progressing through Phase II clinical trials. Finafloxacin is a pH activated antibiotic for the treatment of infections such as those caused by Helicobacter pylori. Senior Management: Dr Antony D. Buss, CEO Current Headcount: 58 (48 based in Singapore and 10 based in Germany)
Company Background MerLion Pharmaceuticals was formed in 2002 through the privatisation of the Centre for Natural Product Research (CNPR), a research unit of the Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, a public research institute. The company is one of Singapore’s first drug discovery and development companies.
Research Focus MerLion Pharmaceutials’ roots are in natural product research. It has one of the world’s largest and most diverse natural product collections. The company has strong capabilities in extract profiling and standardisation, high throughput screening, compound purification and structure identification, biocatalyst isolation and strain improvement.
Research Collaborations MerLion has an expanding number of collaborations with pharmaceutical, biotech and consumer care companies in Singapore and other countries. The collaborations include drug discovery projects, high throughput screening, natural extract profiling/standardisation and natural ingredient identification. The company is currently looking for a global pharmaceutical partner that will complete the clinical development of finafloxacin and bring it to market. It is also seeking partners that are interested to utilise, on a fee for service basis, its natural products discovery capabilities in the pharmaceutical, industrial biotechnology, agroscience, functional foods and personal healthcare areas.
Further Information For further information please contact MerLion at
[email protected] or via its website (www.merlionpharma.com) 41
