Positive results for Merrion's osteoporosis drug

Merrion Pharmaceuticals, a Dublin, Ireland-headquartered specialty pharmaceutical company, has successfully completed a clinical pharmacology study of MER 103, a novel oral formulation of alendronate sodium. MER 103 is an enteric-coated tablet of alendronate and GIPET, Merrion's proprietary platform technology which increases drug absorption. The study confirmed several important improvements for patient convenience and compliance relating to the administration of alendronate, the leading bisphosphonate for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, marketed as Fosamax by US drug major Merck & Co.

The study was conducted in postmenopausal women and compared the absorption of a 6mg dose of MER 103 administered to patient volunteers under three different conditions: in the fasted state, together with a high-fat meal, and at bedtime, against 35mg of Fosamax administered in the fasted state as per label directions.