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Medicure Announces Collaborative Agreement
With Prominent Research Group
WINNIPEG, Manitoba - (December 10, 2002) - Medicure Inc. (TSX:MPH), a cardiovascular drug discovery and development company, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a collaboration with Dr. Stephen Hanessian's Research Group at the University of Montreal. Dr. Hanessian, PhD, F.R.S.C., O.C., a renowned medicinal chemist and a member of the Company's Scientific Advisory Board, is directing a team in the synthesis of novel Sodium/hydrogen exchanger inhibitors (NHE Inhibitors) designed in conjunction with Medicure's Drug Discovery Team.
The NHE inhibitor discovery project is consistent with the Company's strategy to exploit largely untapped and novel therapeutic opportunities to address injury from ischemia and subsequent reperfusion. The primary objective of the collaboration and the project is that the resulting research will lead Medicure to new cardiovascular therapeutics with high market potential and significant health benefits.
"I am delighted to be working with Medicure and this promising project," stated Dr. Stephen Hanessian. "NHE inhibition is a novel strategy that has attracted considerable interest as a new way to prevent myocardial injury following ischemia and reperfusion."
Dr. Hanessian has been a Professor at the University of Montreal for over 30 years and has an international reputation as one of the world's leading synthetic organic chemists. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to collaborate with an individual of the caliber of Dr. Hanessian," stated Albert D. Friesen, PhD, President and CEO. "Dr. Hanessian brings a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience to this project."
Dr. Hanessian's group is comprised of 13 postdoctoral fellows, 15 graduate students and 3 supporting staff. He is the author of over 400 publications and 30 patents. Over 50 former group members are employed in the pharmaceutical industry in the Montreal area, with more than 250 other alumni working worldwide. The project will run for a minimum of two years with participation from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in a University-Industry Collaborative Research and Development program.
"NHE Inhibitors have been recognized by the pharmaceutical sector as a novel therapeutic approach in cardiovascular disease," stated Dr. Morris Karmazyn, PhD, Professor, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology and Career Investigator of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, University of Western Ontario. "Research has demonstrated that the inhibition of NHE during ischemia as well as reperfusion after ischemia results in a cardioprotective effect." Dr. Karmazyn is an internationally recognized specialist in the field of NHE and Heart Disease and a member of the Company's Scientific Advisory Board.
Sodium/hydrogen exchangers (NHEs) are a family of membrane proteins that transport hydrogen out of the heart cell in exchange for sodium entry. NHEs are involved in heart tissue injury since their activation results in calcium overload following ischemia (associated with heart attacks) and ischemic reperfusion injury. Ischemic reperfusion injury occurs when blood flow to an organ is suddenly resumed following a stoppage, as occurs during medical procedures such as heart surgery.
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 including the prevention and treatment of ischemia, ischemic reperfusion injury, and stroke.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involves 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
Medicure Inc.
888-435-2220
204-488-9823 fax
info@medicureinc.com
www.medicureinc.com