WINNIPEG, Manitoba - (March 10, 2004). Medicure
Inc. (TSX:MPH; Amex: MCU), a cardiovascular drug discovery and development
company, is pleased to announce the issuance of its tenth patent
by the US Patent and Trademark Office. The newly issued patent,
number 6,677,356, covers methods of treating hypertension with MC-1
in combination with various classes of anti-hypertensive drugs.
It provides claims for composition combining MC-1 with another anti-hypertensive,
including ACE inhibitors.
Entitled "Treatment of Cardiovascular and Related Pathologies",
this patent provides intellectual property protection for Medicure's
clinical product, MC-4232, which is being targeted for treatment
of hypertension. It also provides protection for Medicure's other
combination products currently in the Company's development pipeline.
"This new patent is one of the most significant in our Company's
history," said Albert D. Friesen, PhD, Medicure's President
and CEO. "It represents a major asset for the Company, protecting
the integrity of MC-1 in combination products for the treatment
of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, adding commercial
value to our clinical products and strengthening our drug development
pipeline."
Hypertension is 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. Recent
studies have shown that despite substantial clinical research and
refinements to existing pharmacological therapy, the ability to
control hypertension remains at the same level as in the 1980s.
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.
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 small molecule, anti-ischemics
and anti-thrombotics towards human clinical studies.
This news 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
