- Proceeds will be used to facilitate MerLion`s production and market 
launch of Xtoro(TM) 
 
   Berlin, (18/05/2021) - MerLion Pharmaceuticals GmbH (MerLion), a 
biopharmaceutical company focused on research and development of novel 
antibiotics for the treatment of serious bacterial infections, today 
announced the successful completion of a growth financing round raised 
via a private placement to European strategic investors. 
 
   The funds raised will primarily be used to finance the production and 
market launch of MerLion's US FDA and Health Canada approved drug 
Xtoro(TM) , an otic suspension containing finafloxacin for treatment of 
ear infections. 
 
   In addition to existing investors such as HeidelbergCapital and Vl 
Partners, new strategic investors such as Denk Pharma GmbH & Co. KG have 
taken part in the round. Further details were not disclosed. 
 
   "This is a significant milestone in our mission to successfully launch 
Xtoro, an otic formulation of our antibiotic finafloxacin, in the US and 
Canada," said Dr. Andreas Vente, Managing Director of MerLion. "This 
financing is proof of the high potential of our lead drug and the 
confidence of our investors in our strategy." 
 
   "We invest in projects and technologies that contribute significantly to 
patients' healing," said Stephan Huber, Managing Director at Denk 
Pharma. "Xtoro is an FDA-approved product for the treatment of Acute 
Otitis Externa in children and adults. Its superior, fast acting 
properties will aid patients considerably in their recovery." 
 
   ### 
 
   About MerLion Pharmaceuticals 
 
   MerLion Pharmaceuticals GmbH is a is a privately held company 
biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Berlin, Germany. The company 
focuses on the advanced clinical development of its antibacterial lead 
program, finafloxacin. MerLion is supported by a group of leading global 
investors. For more information, please visit 
https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=PmjBOnLu2EpCTFsUWozejL5dzzvifUf7Sl1KEmzw04tCCPFKx47FOSgdhm_fFZeqby50V8Taed2AlJ-UUPcHqZCUOJffXB1i6z_kljGycwU= 
http://www.merlionpharma.com 
 
   POELLATH, Munich, Dr. Michael Inhester and Adalbert Makos advised 
MerLion on the investment and capital raise. 
 
   About Finafloxacin 
 
   Finafloxacin is a novel fluoroquinolone antibiotic with best-in-class 
features. Finafloxacin combines well-known, significant efficacy and 
resistance-breaking capabilities with an outstanding safety profile. In 
clinical and pre-clinical settings, the compound has shown a 
substantially improved therapeutic profile as compared to the existing 
gold standard and a broad utility in treating many severe infections, 
including those caused by resistant Gram-negative pathogens. 
Finafloxacin is available as intravenous, oral, and topical formulation. 
 
   Finafloxacin's superior profile arises from the compound's unique mode 
of action, being equally active at physiological pH conditions and in 
the acidic environments which occur at most bacterial infection sites. 
Most other antibiotics, including other fluoroquinolones, show decreased 
activity under acidic tissue conditions, which results in a significant 
reduction of their overall efficacy. 
 
   In addition to the FDA-approved liquid suspension formulation of 
XTORO(TM), MerLion has also developed intravenous and oral formulations 
of finafloxacin with equivalent bioavailability, which may offer 
physicians various options for in-hospital and out-patient treatment 
regimens. 
 
   The impact of finafloxacin for the treatment of infections caused by the 
biological intracellular threat agents Burkholderia pseudomallei, 
Francisella tularensis, Yersinia pestis and other multi-drug resistant 
(MDR) pathogens of clinical significance are currently being 
investigated in a joint project with the Defense Science and Technology 
Laboratory, UK (Dstl). 
 
   Contact: 
 
   Dr. Andreas Vente 
 
   Managing Director 
 
   MerLion Pharmaceuticals Gmbh 
 
   Robert-Roessle-Str. 10 
 
   13125 Berlin, Germany 
 
   Phone: +49 (0) 30 9489-4050 
 
   Fax: +49 (0) 30 9489-4051 
 
   https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=CVipQ0sIzJBVJKWBQpgNzb7u4ViZHY8_B_Qu7duzRj8h6D6zXrUqPGBmsHJdcUe0pm5t0bVQWZdaQejqRdsId3H8ECs9xjOyavdQ3YUinyLFnCoUSw6mvHnD_KZBZmIV 
enquiry@merlionpharma.de

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 18, 2021 03:30 ET (07:30 GMT)