In a Rare Move, A Drug Manufacturer Will Bypass the Traditional Approach And Provide Access to Affordable Medications Across the United States Via Marley Drug’s Established Mail Order Pharmacy.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, (December 16, 2020) – With licensing to deliver prescription drugs to all 50 states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, and with an established vision to deliver low-cost generic medications, Marley Drug Pharmacy was the natural choice for like-minded Canadian Drug Manufacturer, Medicure Inc., to further expand distribution of its products within the United States, including its branded statin, Zypitamag® (pitavastatin).
The acquisition allows Medicure to bypass wholesalers and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), in an effort to reduce consumer drug costs and provide patients across the U.S. easier access to Zypitamag, which was extremely difficult for patients and physicians to access because of restrictions and high co-pays dictated by insurers and PBMs. Through Marley Drug Pharmacy, Medicure can now deliver Zypitamag to patients in every U.S. state without customers needing to use their insurance, or worry if the prescription will be covered. Medicure can also provide Zypitamag at a lower price overall, and a fraction of the cash price of a leading branded statin Livalo® (pitavastatin). As a manufacturer, Medicure intends to provide other branded medications using a similar approach, in addition to extremely lo- cost generic medications.
“It’s a perfect and responsible transition for Marley Drug,” said Dr. David Marley, CEO & President of Marley Drug. “Medicure shares our moral mission to cut drug costs for consumers. Since 2012, we have offered Marley’s Extended Supply Generic Drug Program, which was designed to battle the skyrocketing costs of name-brand drugs, and offer patients affordable alternatives, without increasing co-pays or limiting access to popular generics. We worked hard to acquire permits in every state. Now Medicure can offer Zypitamag from coast to coast at a fraction of the cost, without the hassle of PBMs and wholesalers.”
“Medicure and Marley Drug have the same vision. We want to deliver safe, efficacious and cost-effective medicines that benefit patients and healthcare providers. Our goal is to increase patient access to Zypitamag while keeping the process and pricing as simple as possible. Through Marley Drug Pharmacy, we can now provide these benefits regardless of insurance or location,” said Dr. Albert Friesen, CEO of Medicure. “There will be no changes to the hours, location or to the great staff and customer service that Marley has built, and we will look to hire more staff as business grows. Dave Marley will remain a member of the leadership team, and we want Marley Drug to remain a trusted business within the community, and hopefully, this is a game-changing approach that gains attention nationwide.”
To learn more about Zypitamag, visit https://patient.zypitamag.com/
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 ZYPITAMAG® (pitavastatin) tablets in the United States, where they are sold through the Company’s U.S. subsidiary, Medicure Pharma Inc. For more information on Medicure please visit www.medicure.com.
Independently owned, Marley Drug was established in 2003 by Dave Marley, PharmD to offer accessible, cost effective and high quality pharmacy services to employers and other health care consumers in North Carolina. In 2011, Marley Drug expanded its reach, and is serving all 50 states and Washington D.C. with its Extended Supply mail order drug program. Marley Drug is committed to improving the health status of its patients and the communities it serves while reducing overall health care costs for employers and other health care consumers. For more information visit www.marleydrug.com. To learn more about The Extended Supply Generic Drug Program call 866.575.2930 or email marleydrug@bellsouth.net.