Meyer Pharmaceuticals was founded in 1996 by Robert Meyer, a private investor, along with his executive staff and a group of basic and clinical researchers at the University of California, Irvine. Since inception, the Company has been funded entirely by the Robert E. Meyer Trust.

The Company’s charter is to identify, acquire and develop promising therapies originating in academic institutions, and to promote the development of research products for the benefit of human patients everywhere.

Pursuant to this charter, in 1996 Meyer acquired worldwide exclusive rights to two core technologies developed in the laboratories of Dr. Gale Granger at the University of California Irvine: (1) live cell biologic therapies for the treatment of cancer; and, (2) recombinant human protein biologic therapies for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disease.


Meyer initially focused on development of a cellular implant therapy for treating cancer.  We conducted clinical studies in recurrent high-grade brain cancer and unresectable pancreatic cancer. The pancreatic trial was a randomized double-arm study conducted at ten major medical centers in the United States. The test article was manufactured by the Company in its Irvine facility. It was administered to patients directly into the tumor, using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle injection — a method pioneered by Meyer researchers. Though the study results were not sufficient to warrant further development, Meyer proved its ability to manufacture clinical grade biological agents, and to plan and execute large scale clinical studies. 

Since 2001, Meyer has focused exclusively on its anti-inflammatory products, leveraging the clinical and manufacturing experience gained in the cancer program.   Meyer has assembled a scientific staff with a variety of complimentary skills in a broad base of advanced research technologies, including immunology, molecular and cell biology, protein chemistry, process development, and manufacturing.