Merrion Biopharma

Merrion Biopharma was a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of oral formulations of drugs that are typically administered by injection. The company's core asset was its proprietary Gastro-Intestinal Permeation Enhancement Technology (GIPET), which utilized specific absorption enhancers to significantly increase the oral bioavailability of peptides and poorly absorbed small molecules. Merrion successfully leveraged this platform through high-profile collaborations with industry leaders like Novo Nordisk and Ferring Pharmaceuticals. Despite advancing several candidates into clinical trials, including oral insulin and treatments for osteoporosis, the company faced challenges when partners shifted internal priorities. Following the sale of its GIPET technology assets to Novo Nordisk in 2015, Merrion Biopharma entered a members' voluntary liquidation process in 2016.