Médunik Canada to help Canadians with rare diseases with two new orphan therapies

BLAINVILLE, QC, Nov. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - Médunik Canada, a pharmaceutical company dedicated to bridging the gap by helping Canadians with rare diseases have access to orphan drugs currently unavailable in Canada, has announced the conclusion of a strategic collaboration agreement with QOL Medical LLC. Under this agreement, Médunik Canada receives the exclusive Canadian rights to make available and distribute to patients and physicians two important therapies for individuals suffering from specific rare diseases: Sucraid^® (sacrosidase) and Ethamolin^® (Ethanolamine Oleate).

Sucraid oral solution is an enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) for the treatment of genetically determined sucrase deficiency, which is part of congenital sucrase-isomaltase deficiency (CSID), a rare, chronic disease. Sucrase-isomaltase deficiency is usually diagnosed during infancy. There is currently no cure for CSID. The only current option to improve the Canadian patients' quality of life is removing sucrose completely and permanently from the diet and limiting starches high in amylopectin. Unfortunately, maintaining a sucrose-free diet is difficult and does not eliminate some symptoms such as watery diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramps. Sucraid^® (sacrosidase), which is approved by the FDA in the United States, allows children with CSID to ingest limited amounts of sucrose.¹

Ethamolin^® (Ethanolamine Oleate injection, 5%, 2mL ampules) is a mild sclerosing agent indicated for the treatment of patients with esophageal varices that have recently bled, to prevent rebleeding. Bleeding esophageal varices are a serious complication of liver disease and have poor outcome. Once the bleeding is stopped, varices can be treated with medicines and medical procedures. Although varices appear in the esophagus, they are caused by disease in the liver.

Éric Gervais, Executive Vice-President of Médunik Canada stated that "We are very pleased to partner with QOL Medical to help Canadians with rare diseases live a normal life by having access to the proper treatments. We, at Médunik Canada, are also committed to deploy our efforts and resources to provide Canadian patients and their physicians with relevant scientific and clinical information aimed at building awareness and promote better diagnosis of rare diseases."

Derick Cooper, Chief Operating Officer of QOL Medical, LLC, stated that "QOL Medical is excited about their new business relationship with Médunik Canada and look forward to jointly making these life changing medications available to patients in Canada.  Our company's mission is to assist in expanding disease awareness to aid physicians with identifying these rare diseases and to assist, directly and with partners like Medunik Canada, in making the proper treatments available to physicians and patients."

About Médunik Canada
Médunik Canada was created in December 2009 with the mission to bring to Canada currently unavailable orphan drugs for women, men and children with rare diseases. Médunik Canada is a natural complement to its sister company Duchesnay Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company providing safe and effective treatment options to pregnant women, who represent a small-size population with special health needs.  Both Medunik Canada and Duchesnay are part of Le Groupe Pharmaceutique Boivin, a Canadian family-owned organization based in the greater Montreal area since 1955.  For more information, visit www.medunikcanada.com.

About QOL Medical LLC
QOL Medical LLC is a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving quality of life for the patients they serve, their families and caregivers. QOL Medical acquires FDA approved drugs that, for strategic reasons, are no longer promoted and/or have potential new indications. For more information, visit www.qolmed.com.

1. United States Consumer Product Safety Commission

SOURCE MEDUNIK Canada - English