Alkermes Announces 3rd Annual ALKERMES PATHWAYS RESEARCH AWARDS℠ Program and 2019 Recipients

DUBLIN, Jun. 29, 2020 /3BL Media/— Alkermes plc (Nasdaq: ALKS) today announced that applications are now being accepted for the annual ALKERMES PATHWAYS RESEARCH AWARDS^SM. The competitive grants program is designed to support the next generation of researchers working on the front lines to advance understanding and awareness of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. In its third year, the Pathways program will provide grants to junior investigators who have demonstrated their commitment to helping those living with substance use disorders (SUD), schizophrenia, or bipolar disorder. The application period is now open and will run through October 30, 2020.

“With millions of people impacted by central nervous system disorders¹, the need for advancements in this field remains critical,” said Craig Hopkinson, M.D., Executive Vice President, Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer at Alkermes. “Alkermes underscores its commitment to addressing the complex challenges patients face by helping promising researchers explore innovative ideas that have the potential to improve treatment options, outcomes, and lives.”

The 2020 Pathways program will provide funding for up to ten research projects with grant amounts of up to $100,000 per project. Alkermes has reserved four awards for research focused on SUD and four awards for research focused on schizophrenia. Two awards have also been reserved for research focused on bipolar disorder, which is a new addition to the Pathways program this year.

In 2019, Alkermes awarded grants to eight recipients in recognition of their outstanding work and creative ideas to advance research and help support those living with CNS disorders. The recipients of the 2019 Pathways program grants include:

• Caroline A. Arout, Ph.D., New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, for assessing effects of repeated high-cannabidiol cannabis administration on experimental pain and abuse liability in humans
• Michael S Breen, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, for research on functional and translational implications of A-to-I RNA editing in schizophrenia
• Xi Chen, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, for In vivo research observing brain lactate changes in first-episode schizophrenia using 3-T magnetic resonance spectroscopy
• Gregory F. Corder, Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania, for research on prevention of neurodevelopmental disabilities associated with neonatal opioid withdrawal
• Victor Philippe Mathis, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, for research defining the role of cortical inputs to the habenula in the control of midbrain dopamine neurons and addiction-related behaviors
• Amanda McCleery, Ph.D., University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, for research on the impact of aripiprazole medication adherence on learning and neuroplasticity in recent-onset schizophrenia: A comparison of long-acting injectable and oral formulations
• Jose M Rubio, M.D., Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, for assessing biomarkers of relapse in schizophrenia during antipsychotic maintenance: A proof-of-concept study
• Cody A. Siciliano, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, for research assessing neural mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction and alcohol abuse vulnerability

“Despite effective treatments for psychotic symptoms, functional outcomes for people with schizophrenia are often disappointing,” said grant recipient Amanda McCleery, Ph.D., UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. “The Pathways grant not only provides me with an excellent opportunity for mentored training in clinical trial methods, but also will allow me to gain a more nuanced understanding of the developmental trajectory of schizophrenia.”

“The Pathways grant will serve as a launching pad for my long-term aspirations of researching novel pathways involved in the control of opioid-seeking behavior and potentially identifying druggable targets for the development of new addiction therapeutics,” said Victor Mathis, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “I am grateful for Alkermes’ commitment to developing the next generation of researchers and striving to improve the lives of those affected by SUDs and other CNS diseases.”

To qualify, junior investigators must be M.D.s, Ph.D.s, or equivalent, within five years of initial academic appointment or current post-doctoral fellows, and affiliated with a medical or research institution within the U.S. Applicants are evaluated by an independent review committee comprised of specialists in psychiatry, neurobiology, pharmacology and behavioral science from academic research centers.

For more information on the Pathways program, including 2020 program information, visit www.PathwaysResearchAwards.com.

About Alkermes plc
Alkermes plc is a fully integrated, global biopharmaceutical company developing innovative medicines in the fields of neuroscience and oncology. The company has a portfolio of proprietary commercial products focused on addiction and schizophrenia, and a pipeline of product candidates in development for schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. 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.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements set forth in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, but not limited to, statements concerning the expected timing, operation and/or potential impact of the ALKERMES PATHWAYS RESEARCH AWARDS^SM program, the funding provided by the program and the research supported by such funding. The company cautions that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Although the company believes that such statements are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its business and operations, the forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and they are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk. Actual performance and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements due to various risks, assumptions and uncertainties. These risks, assumptions and uncertainties include, among others, changes in funding, timing or parameters of the ALKERMES PATHWAYS RESEARCH AWARDS^SM program, the nature of any findings or results arising from the research supported by the program and those risks, assumptions and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2019 and in subsequent filings made by the company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which are available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. Except as required by law, the company disclaims any intention or responsibility for updating or revising any forward-looking statements contained in this press release.

ALKERMES PATHWAYS RESEARCH AWARDS^SM is a service mark of Alkermes, Inc.

[1] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2019). Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP19-5068, NSDUH Series H-54). Rockville, MD: Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Accessed on March 20, 2020 from https://www.samhsa.gov/data/.