Medicure Announces AGGRASTAT® Shows Promise in Treating Thrombotic Complications Due to COVID-19 in Early Clinical Reports

Medicure Inc., a pharmaceutical company, is reporting that early investigator sponsored clinical reports evaluating the efficacy of AGGRASTAT® (tirofiban hydrochloride) show promise for preventing and treating thrombotic complications due to COVID-19. AGGRASTAT® is not currently indicated for use in patients with COVID-19.

Notably, a non-randomized, case-controlled, investigator sponsored proof of concept study (n=10) evaluating AGGRASTAT® in combination with standard of care in patients with severe COVID-19 and hypercoagulability found that enhanced platelet inhibition improves hypoxemia. Treated patients experienced a mean reduction in alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient and an increase in PaO2/FiO2 (ratio of partial arterial pressure of oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen) at 24h, 48h and 7 days after treatment. Seven other small clinical reports have recently been published exploring the clinical efficacy of AGGRASTAT® in patients with COVID-19.

Medicure is evaluating sponsorship of further US-based randomized clinical studies to rapidly assess the efficacy and safety of using AGGRASTAT® for preventing thrombotic complications due to COVID-19.

"These initial results are sufficiently positive to warrant further investigation to more clearly understand the potential role of AGGRASTAT® to reduce thrombotic effects which are observed in many COVID-19 patients", commented Medicure's CEO, Dr. Albert D. Friesen. "We believe there is reason to sponsor this type of clinical research due to the emerging understanding of the role of thrombosis in the pathophysiology of COVID-19."

The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain COVID-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time. A list of the reports referred to can be provided upon request.

About AGGRASTAT® 
AGGRASTAT® is not indicated for use in patients with COVID-19, nor has the safety or efficacy been established in this patient population. AGGRASTAT® is an IV antiplatelet medication indicated to reduce the rate of thrombotic cardiovascular events (combined endpoint of death, myocardial infarction, or refractory ischemia/repeat cardiac procedure) in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS). AGGRASTAT® is currently the most widely used GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor in the U.S. and has several administration benefits including room temperature storage, a 3-year shelf life and is available in pre-mixed formats. Please refer to the IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION below.

About Medicure Inc.
Medicure is a pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapies for the U.S. cardiovascular market. The present focus of the Company is the marketing and distribution of AGGRASTAT® (tirofiban hydrochloride) injection and ZYPITAMAGTM (pitavastatin) tablets in the United States, where they are sold through the Company's U.S. subsidiary, Medicure Pharma Inc.