Medicure reports positive post coronary bypass results from MC-1 study

By Lisa Kerner

Erie, Pa., April 6 - Medicure Inc. reported positive post operative day (POD) 90 results with its lead cardioprotective product, MC-1, from a double-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 MEND-CABG study of 902 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

MC-1 is a naturally occurring small molecule that reduces the amount of damage to the heart following ischemia and/or ischemic reperfusion injury.

The primary endpoint of MEND-CABG was the reduction in the composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction (heart attack), and non-fatal stroke up to POD 30, according to a company news release.

Medicure said MC-1 was safe and well tolerated, with the incidence of adverse events comparable across both treatment and control groups.

The company reported that the 250 mg dose of MC-1 had a 14% reduction in the primary endpoint composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction and non-fatal stroke compared to a placebo.

"The maintenance of the clinical reductions at POD 90 further supports MC-1's ability to significantly reduce heart attacks in this high-risk patient population and clearly warrant advancing MC-1 into pivotal phase 3 development," president and chief executive officer Albert D. Friesen said in the release.

"These results suggest that MC-1 could represent a major therapeutic breakthrough in the treatment of acute ischemia and ischemic reperfusion injury."

The company said it will discuss the results with the Food and Drug Administration to develop the phase 3 program slated to begin in the second half of 2006.

Medicure is a cardiovascular drug discovery and development company located in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

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