Carinthia Innovation and Research Award conferred on Hermes Pharma
Company received the award for its research into hot melt coating (HMC), a novel granulation technology
Hermes Pharma has been recognised for its research into innovative oral dosage forms. The Innovation and Research Award is the highest recognition bestowed by the Carinthian Economic Promotion Fund (KWF) on behalf of Austria’s Carinthian Province in the awards category of innovation and research. The award is endowed with €50,000 in the categories large enterprises, small and medium-sized companies and very small companies, as well as a special award category for innovation culture.
Hermes Pharma won first prize in the category large enterprises for its research project entitled 'Innovative Oral Dosage Forms'; the company and also qualified as first place in the nomination for the country’s coveted 'State Innovation'.
It received the award for its research into hot melt coating (HMC), a novel granulation technology. Hermes Pharma uses HMC to mask the unpleasant bitter or sour taste inherent with many active pharmaceutical ingredients. The implementation of this technology enables the company to develop and manufacture orally-disintegrating granules, a pharmaceutical dosage form that is directly applied into the mouth, does not require any water and is easy to take, even for people with difficulties in swallowing.
Hermes Pharma is an expert in the development and production of user-friendly solid oral dosage forms, including effervescent and chewable tablets, lozenges, orally disintegrating granules and instant drinks.
Peter Kaiser and his deputy Gaby Schaunig, representing the province, participated in the awards ceremony at the Lakeside Park Science & Technology Park in Klagenfurt on 19 November. Dr Siegfried Adam, Head of Quality Assurance, and Managing Directors Dr Andreas Schrepfer and Holger Dietel accepted the award on behalf of Hermex Pharma.
Carinthia is currently involved in a transformation process aimed at improving its research and development rating in order to grow its contribution to gross domestic product significantly by 2020.
