Ayerst

Ayerst, originally founded as Ayerst, McKenna & Harrison in 1924 in Montreal, was a pioneering pharmaceutical company known for its significant contributions to endocrinology and cardiovascular medicine. The company achieved global prominence with the 1942 launch of Premarin, a conjugated estrogen therapy that became the gold standard for treating menopausal symptoms. Ayerst also played a crucial role in the development and distribution of Inderal, the first clinically successful beta-blocker, which transformed the treatment of hypertension and heart disease. Following its acquisition by American Home Products in 1943, it eventually merged with Wyeth to form Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories. The legacy of Ayerst continues today under Pfizer, which acquired Wyeth in 2009.