It was awards time at the National Museum in Cardiff on the evening of Tuesday 13th December when MediWales hosted their 2016 Innovation Awards gala dinner. This is the largest annual celebration of Welsh life sciences and health tech industry successes, with more than 300 industry and healthcare guests joining in the festivities.

Much to our delight, Neem Biotech received the Innovation Award at this gala event for our work into developing a novel drug to treat chronic lung infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria in people with cystic fibrosis.

A MediWales Innovation Award is presented in recognition of an innovative technology, design or process that has produced a major improvement in business performance. In April 2016, the FDA granted Orphan Drug Designation to Neem’s lead candidate, NX-AS-401, for use as an adjunct that will allow existing antibiotics to be used with greater effect. This designation translates directly into potential for getting a life-altering treatment to patients more quickly.

Neem Biotech’s Managing Director, Michael Graz, received the award saying: “Who would have thought a year ago that we would we would be standing up here tonight? Last January there were 6 of us. Now, with the support of our shareholder, Zaluvida, and the Welsh Government we are approaching 30, in a bespoke facility and with Orphan Drug Designation for our lead candidate”.

“To be recognised by one’s peers in an industry such as the life sciences is a significant achievement. Neem would like to extend a huge thank you to MediWales and the prize adjudicators for recognising Neem’s work in this way and look forward to being able to continue making a meaningful difference to the lives of people with life limiting conditions”.

This award goes a long way to highlighting the fight against antimicrobial resistance and improving quality of life for patients with rare diseases, both of which are causes which are close to Neem’s heart.