–– $1 Million Awarded for the Development or Expansion of Innovative
Programs Serving Mental Health and Addiction Communities ––
DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 3, 2016--
Alkermes
plc (NASDAQ: ALKS), a global biopharmaceutical company developing
medicines for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases,
today announced the company has awarded $1 million in funds to
non-profit patient and community organizations as part of its newly
launched ALKERMES Inspiration Grants™ program. The competitive grant
program was designed to fund innovative and high-impact programs to
support people affected by mental health and substance use disorders.
“We have learned that our efforts to develop innovative new medicines to
treat those affected by mental health and substance use disorders only
address part of the needs of patients and their families,” said Richard
Pops, Chief Executive Officer of Alkermes. “To most effectively address
the myriad of other needs of those suffering from addiction and mental
illness, a whole societal infrastructure must be in place and
operational. We often take this for granted, but services for these
disease areas are desperately needed. This program seeks to support
ideas within the community to catalyze change.”
More than 300 proposals were received from local, regional and national
non-profit organizations across the United States. Ten Innovation Grants
(up to $100,000) and five Emergence Grants (up to $25,000) were awarded
to programs demonstrating the potential for high-impact, an ability to
be replicated across the ecosystem and/or inventive, and creative
approaches to support the broader needs of people in the mental health
and addiction communities. To view the full list of recipients and
reviewers, please click here.
“We found both the response to the program and the high quality of the
submissions to be inspiring,” commented Nikki Levy, Vice President of
Patient Engagement at Alkermes. “We are excited to see the impact that
the selected programs will make across the country and look forward to
continuing the program next year. While we are only able to fund a
limited number of the requests, we are confident that all of this year’s
applicants will continue to drive change and support people affected by
serious mental illness and substance use disorders.”
Awards went to large advocacy organizations, academic institutions and
regional organizations. The selected programs include initiatives
focused on peer support; connecting individuals to appropriate care,
wellness and skill development in the criminal justice system; youth
education and support services, as well as programs designed to help
others understand the experience of individuals living with mental
health conditions and substance use disorders.
“The National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) is honored, delighted and
grateful to receive this prestigious award,” said Timothy O. Woods,
J.D., M.A., LL.M., Director of Grants & Contracts at the National
Sheriffs’ Association. “We thank Alkermes for this award to NSA and,
moreover, for Alkermes’ commitment to supporting the initiatives and
good work of organizations nationwide through its creation of the
ALKERMES Inspiration Grants program.”
Selected programs were chosen by Alkermes in partnership with a group of
external reviewers who represent the perspectives of the community.
These reviewers included a patient advocate, a representative from the
criminal justice system, a person in recovery and a caregiver. Proposals
were evaluated based on a standard set of review criteria, which
included potential impact, identification of need and creativity of the
solution, the organization’s ability to execute, and the sustainability
of the program.
For more information on ALKERMES Inspiration Grants program, please
visit www.alkermes.com/inspirationgrants.
About Alkermes
Alkermes plc is a fully integrated, global biopharmaceutical company
developing innovative medicines for the treatment of central nervous
system (CNS) diseases. The company has a diversified commercial product
portfolio and a substantial clinical pipeline of product candidates for
chronic diseases that include schizophrenia, depression, addiction and
multiple sclerosis. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Alkermes plc has
an R&D center in Waltham, Massachusetts; a research and manufacturing
facility in Athlone, Ireland; and a manufacturing facility in
Wilmington, Ohio. For more information, please visit Alkermes’ website
at www.alkermes.com.
ALKERMES Inspiration Grants™ is a trademark of Alkermes, Inc.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161103005293/en/
Source: Alkermes plc
Alkermes Contacts:
For Investors:
Sandy Coombs, +1 781 609 6377
or
Eva Stroynowski, +1 781 609
6823
or
For Media:
Jennifer Snyder, +1 781 609 6166