Oct 26, 2018   SOURCE: PR NewsWire

Alkermes Announces Recipients of 3rd Annual ALKERMES INSPIRATION GRANTS®

DUBLIN, Oct. 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Alkermes plc (Nasdaq: ALKS) today announced the recipients of an aggregate of $1 million in grants for the implementation of innovative, high-impact and replicable programs designed to support people affected by mental health and substance use disorders. This year, ALKERMES INSPIRATION GRANTS(®) focused on two key areas: improving or enhancing support or resources for people affected by mental health or substance use disorders, and integrating the perspective of people affected by mental health or substance use disorders into drug development or care delivery.

Alkermes evaluated more than 300 proposals from local, regional and national non-profit organizations across the U.S., and ultimately awarded grants to 14 programs that demonstrate creative approaches to helping to support the needs of people with mental health challenges or substance use disorders.

This year's winners include:

    --  Behavioral Health Innovators
    --  Entertainment Industries Council
    --  The Moyer Foundation
    --  The JED Foundation
    --  Minnesota CIT Officers Association
    --  National Sheriffs' Association
    --  Pets Helping People
    --  Rosie's Place
    --  Ross County Community Action Commission
    --  10,000 Beds
    --  The Fatherhood Project
    --  This Is My Brave
    --  University of Massachusetts Medical School
    --  Voices of Hope, Lexington

"We're inspired by the unwavering commitment of all the grant applicants, who are striving to bring hope, wellness and recovery to their communities, and we are proud to support these impactful programs," said Jim Robinson, President and Chief Operating Officer at Alkermes.

ALKERMES INSPIRATION GRANTS recipients were selected by an external and internal review committee, which included representatives from Alkermes, a patient advocate, a healthcare advocate, an individual with personal experience with mental illness and a caregiver who lost a loved one to substance use disorder. The review committee evaluated proposals based on a standard set of criteria, which included potential impact, identification of need and creativity of the solution, ability to execute, and sustainability and replicability of the program.

"It is a privilege to serve on the ALKERMES INSPIRATION GRANTS review committee," said Carlos Larrauri, a committee member living with schizophrenia. "My recovery has been facilitated by community organizations that support people living with substance abuse disorders and serious mental illness. It is vitally important that we recognize that people struggling with these illnesses require ongoing community support." Larrauri serves as an Adjunct Professor of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing at Miami Dade College Benjamin Leon School of Nursing and is on the board of directors for both the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) as well as the NAMI-Miami Dade County.

The ALKERMES INSPIRATION GRANTS program, now in its third year, is one of the important ways that Alkermes provides support to the mental health and addiction communities. For example, the Center for Open Recovery, a 2017 grant recipient, leveraged its grant funding to expand its 'This is Recovery' campaign, through which it is working to shatter negative stereotypes around addiction, humanize the disease, and inspire investments in long-term solutions for recovery. Ultimately, the organization is now better equipped to help change the way people think about and respond to one of the most urgent public health issues of our time.

"We are inspired by the impactful work that Alkermes is investing in to help those struggling with mental health and substance use disorders, and we are honored to have been selected by the ALKERMES INSPIRATION GRANTS review committee to receive this generous support," said Mary K. FitzGerald, Chief Executive Officer, The Moyer Foundation. "With the opioid epidemic on the rise, this grant comes at a pivotal time, and we look forward to continuing our work to support children and teens that have been impacted by a family member's substance use disorder."

For more information on the ALKERMES INSPIRATION GRANTS program, please visit www.alkermes.com/inspirationgrants.

About Alkermes plc
Alkermes plc is a fully integrated, global biopharmaceutical company developing innovative medicines for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases. The company has a diversified commercial product portfolio and a substantial clinical pipeline of product candidates for chronic diseases that include schizophrenia, depression, addiction and multiple sclerosis. 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.

ALKERMES INSPIRATION GRANTS(®) is a registered trademark of Alkermes, Inc.



       
              Alkermes Contacts:

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       For Investors:       
            Eva Stroynowski, +1 781 609 6823


                             
            Sandy Coombs,    +1 781 609 6377



       For Media:           
            Sherry Feldberg, +1 781 609 6276

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SOURCE Alkermes plc