Parion Sciences Selected as 2014 Tibbetts Award Recipient by the Small Business Administration (SBA)

Award recognizes companies and individuals that promote the mission and goals of the SBIR program and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)

Durham, NC (June 18, 2014) – Parion Sciences, a company dedicated to the development of novel treatments for pulmonary and ophthalmic diseases, announced today that it has received the Tibbetts Award from the U.S. government and the Small Business Association (SBA).  Affectionately referred to as the “Tibbie”, the Tibbetts Awards is named after Roland Tibbetts, who was instrumental in developing the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. Tibbetts Awards are presented to companies who are models of excellence in high technology. Tibbetts Award winners are selected based on technical innovation and economic impact of federal research awards.

“The Tibbetts Award recognizes Parion’s commitment to scientific excellence” said Paul Boucher, Parion Sciences President.  “We are honored to be recognized by the SBA with this prestigious award.  The National Institute of Health SBIR program has been instrumental in the progression of multiple Parion novel therapies from concept to the clinic.”

Parion Sciences has been awarded nine SBIR grants that have supported the development of five different drug development programs for unmet medical needs in pulmonary, ophthalmic, and oral diseases.  Furthermore, the SBIR grants generated key proof of concept data leading to follow on investments through multiple corporate partnerships.

M. Ross Johnson, Parion’s co-founder, and Bill Thelin, Parion’s Executive Director of Research, accepted the award at a White House ceremony Monday (June 16) in Washington, D.C.

About Parion Sciences

Parion Sciences is a development-stage company dedicated to research, development, and commercialization of treatments to restore patient’s innate mucosal surface defenses. Parion’s science driven technologies target ocular and respiratory diseases in which the patient’s ability to protect their mucosal surfaces is compromised.

Parion Sciences was founded based on proprietary ENaC inhibitor technology from The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and has received grant funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics, Inc. Today, while Parion remains at the forefront of ENaC research, the company is leveraging its research and development expertise in epithelial biology to expand into new indications and platforms that further treat additional mucosal defects.  Parion is currently advancing several programs through clinical development including the tPAD platform, P-1037 for pulmonary diseases and P-321 for the treatment of dry eye disease.

Parion Sciences, Inc.
Paul Boucher, President
919-313-1195
[email protected]