Medicure

About Medicure

Medicure is a pharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes therapies for the U.S. market, with a specific focus on cardiovascular treatments. The company was founded in 1997 by Dr. Albert D. Friesen and went public in November 1999. Dr. Friesen, who holds a Ph.D. in protein chemistry from the University of Manitoba, has been a central figure in Canada's biotechnology sector and was instrumental in founding several health industry companies.

Medicure's product portfolio includes AGGRASTAT® (tirofiban hydrochloride) and ZYPITAMAG® (pitavastatin). AGGRASTAT is an antiplatelet medication used to reduce the rate of thrombotic cardiovascular events in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). It is the most used glycoprotein inhibitor (GPI) in the United States. ZYPITAMAG is a statin indicated as an adjunctive therapy to diet for adult patients with primary hyperlipidemia or mixed dyslipidemia to manage cholesterol levels. Unlike many other statins, ZYPITAMAG is minimally metabolized by the CYP450 enzyme system, which reduces the potential for certain drug-drug interactions.

The company's business model involves two main segments: the marketing and distribution of its commercial products and a direct-to-consumer channel through its e-commerce and mail-order pharmacy, Marley Drug, which it acquired in 2020. This acquisition allows Medicure to sell directly to consumers, bypassing pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and wholesaler fees, which offers greater control over the supply chain and inventory. The company's sales force markets its products to physicians and other healthcare professionals. Medicure operates through several subsidiaries, including Medicure International, Inc., Medicure USA, Inc., and Medicure Pharma, Inc., to manage its U.S. operations and distribution.