Will integrate Medicure's research into clinical development
initiatives
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - (July 9, 2003) - Medicure
Inc. (TSE:MPH), a cardiovascular drug discovery and development
company, has strengthened its management team with the appointment
of Ahmad Khalil, MD, PhD to the position of Director, Scientific
Affairs. Dr. Khalil's responsibilities will include directing regulatory
strategy and clinical research coordination in conjunction with
Dr. Karl-Gunnar Hidinger, PhD, Vice-President, Clinical Development.
He will also serve as Medical Officer for Medicure's clinical studies.
Dr. Khalil received his MD from the Medical Academy IP in Plovdiv,
Bulgaria in 1986, and his M.Sc degree (1993) and PhD (1997) from
The University of Montreal. He has excellent basic research experience
in the areas of in vivo antithrombotic treatment and ischemia reperfusion,
as well as therapeutic approaches to coronary artery bypass graft
surgery, much of which was done during his tenure as researcher
and lecturer at the renowned Montreal Heart Institute.
In addition, Dr. Khalil has experience as a practicing surgeon
in Europe and has presented at numerous cardiovascular conventions
and published extensively.
"Dr. Khalil's medical and scientific understanding of cardiovascular
medicine is ideally suited to Medicure's current stage of development,"
stated Dr. Hidinger. "His expertise and vast practical experience
in research at the Montreal Heart Institute, as well as that of
a practicing physician, will be most beneficial to us as we advance
our lead compounds, MC-1 and MC-4232, through clinical and commercial
development.
Commenting on Dr. Khalil's appointment, Medicure's President and
Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Albert D. Friesen. PhD, said: "Along
with his many other skills, Dr. Khalil's proficiency in cardiovascular
clinical development will be a valuable asset to Medicure as we
take our drug candidates from the Drug Discovery Program through
the various stages of clinical development to approvals for marketing."
About Medicure
Inc.
Medicure
Inc. is a cardiovascular drug discovery and development
Company focused on developing effective therapeutics for unmet needs
in the field of cardiovascular medicine. The Company's lead drug,
MC-1, is focused on the prevention and treatment of ischemia, ischemic
reperfusion injury, and stroke. The cardiovascular and stroke market
is the largest pharmaceutical sector with annual global sales of
over US $70 billion. In the United States alone, more than 7 million
people suffer some form of Acute Myocardial Infarction (heart attack)
annually, 6.2 million suffer from angina and 1.6 million undergo
bypass surgery or angioplasty procedure.
The Company's second product candidate, MC-4232, is being targeted
for the treatment of hypertension, a common disorder in which blood
pressure remains abnormally high. Approximately 73% of the more
than 50 million adult Americans who have hypertension, are not adequately
treated.
Medicure also has a medicinal chemistry based Drug Discovery program
focused on discovery and advancement of novel anti-ischemic and
anti-thrombotic small molecules towards human clinical studies.
This press release
contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, which may
cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made,
and accordingly may be deemed to be forward-looking statements made
pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements are
made as of the date hereof, and the Company disclaims any intention
and has no obligation or responsibility to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events, or otherwise.
For more information, please contact:
Derek Reimer
Chief Financial Officer
Don Bain
Director of Investor & Public Relations
Medicure Inc.
888-435-2220
204-488-9823 fax
info@medicure.com
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