Merz Therapeutics donates $100,000 to support construction of new rehabilitation center at University of North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. – August 17, 2021 – Merz Therapeutics announced today its U.S. organization has made a $100,000 donation to the University of North Carolina (UNC) Health Foundation to assist in funding construction and capital expenses of UNC Health’s new Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Center (the “AIR Center”), scheduled to open in Hillsborough, N.C. in February 2022.

The donation will be used exclusively to defray construction, equipment and other expenses for the UNC Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation’s (PM&R) residency room at the AIR Center. The PM&R Residency Room will include state-of-the-art technology that will enable virtual and in-person lectures, interviews and collaborative meetings and further the education and training of UNC PM&R specialists.

“At Merz Therapeutics, we’re committed to delivering meaningful value and addressing the unmet needs of patients, families and healthcare providers within the movement disorder community – a key community PM&R specialists serve,” said Kevin O’Brien, president, Merz Therapeutics, North America. “In this spirit, we are thrilled to provide critical funding to ensure PM&R residents at the UNC AIR Center experience a world-class facility focused on healing and helping improve the quality of life for patients, now and into the future.”

U.S. News & World Report included UNC Hospitals in its top 50 Best Hospitals for Rehabilitation, published in July 2021.¹ News evaluated more than 1,000 hospitals and ranked the top 50 based on their care of patients recovering from events such as stroke, traumatic brain injuries and severe burns.

“As leaders in research and medical education, UNC Health and the UNC School of Medicine are committed to ensuring our resident physicians receive exceptional support and an excellent education as they transition from medical school to academic and private specialty practices,” said Joshua Alexander, M.D., Sidna Chockley Rizzo Distinguished Professor and Department Chair, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, UNC School of Medicine; “Generous funding like today’s donation from Merz Therapeutics will provide optimal space and learning resources for the UNC PM&R Residency Program and further support our commitment to both the doctors we train and the rehabilitation patients we serve.”

At Merz Therapeutics, we seek to address the unique needs of people who suffer from movement disorders, neurological conditions and other health conditions that severely impact patients’ quality of life. With our patient-centric approach, cutting-edge research and development efforts, highly-scientific medical affairs resources and dedicated commercial teams, we continue the advancement of new and individualized treatment standards, including botulinum toxin. Merz Therapeutics, a business of Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH, is headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany and is represented in more than 90 countries, with a North America affiliate based in Raleigh, North Carolina. Merz Pharmaceuticals GmbH is part of the Merz Group, a privately held, family-owned company that has dedicated more than 110 years to developing innovations that serve unmet patient and customer needs.

¹ https://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals/rankings/rehabilitation. July 27, 2021.