Charles E. Frosst

Charles E. Frosst & Co. was a foundational Canadian pharmaceutical company established in 1899 in Montreal. The firm gained early prominence for its development of the "222" line of analgesic tablets containing codeine, caffeine, and acetylsalicylic acid. In 1965, the company was acquired by Merck & Co., evolving into Merck Frosst Canada, which served as a global hub for pharmaceutical research and development. The Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research in Kirkland, Quebec, was responsible for the discovery of major medications, including the leukotriene receptor antagonist Singulair (montelukast) for asthma and the COX-2 inhibitor Vioxx (rofecoxib). Although Merck closed the Kirkland research facility in 2010, the legacy of Charles E. Frosst remains a significant chapter in the history of the North American life sciences industry.