Morẹ́nikẹ́ Ẹniọlá Ọláòṣebìkan, CEO and Founder of Kemet is an Edmonton-based visionary on a mission to fix the global pharmaceutical supply chain to ensure everyone has access to custom made quality medicines.
Founded in 2021, Kemet began operating out of Edmonton Research Park, where they began prototyping a compounding lab and software to gather information about drug shortages, while also working with regulatory specialists to see if potential concepts for shortage resolution were feasible. Their innovative online platform enables pharmacists and other prescribers in Alberta to place requests for assessments for customized or reformulated medication from pharmacies across the province.
Kemet is fixing a broken global pharmaceutical supply chain by creating a global platform that gives everyone access to custom-made quality medicines designed for their specific needs. Kemet is building innovative solutions to supply custom-made medicines and custom-made facilities to make medicines under the tightest regulatory quality controls, with timely delivery at affordable prices.
The following year, Ọláòṣebìkan built a software platform that tackled an immediate crisis in children’s pain medication as part of its larger work to reformulate drugs to improve patient experiences. Oláòsebìkan also tackles drug shortages with Kemet Group, a social enterprise with various entities and paths to success. What Oláòsebìkan is now building is a small footprint facility with digital infrastructure to allow communities to make their own drugs closer to home. “We contributed to resolving some of the acetaminophen shortage for children — I estimate we made 4,200 bottles of acetaminophen, ibuprofen, dimenhydrinate, and amoxicillin to pharmacies that in turn dispensed to children in Alberta so far, from my lab and distributed on my software.”
Most people don’t realize that when a drug is not available or there’s a drug shortage, a private company can help,” said Ọláòṣebìkan. “When someone has to modify their injected hormones or increase the adherence of a cream they apply to their skin or make a pill more palatable for someone having trouble swallowing, we can help them do that. So, for me it just feels like this incredible opportunity to really speak to that fact.”
In 2023, Kemet experienced another year of significant momentum. This included initiating an applied research endeavor with the transgender and queer 2SLGTBQIA+ communities, supported by the Canadian Women’s Foundation. Additionally, the company reconnected with senior leadership in seven African nations, laying the groundwork for forthcoming initiatives focused on executing infrastructure projects for medication manufacturing throughout the continent.
Through new connections and the support of Edmonton Unlimited, Ọláòṣebìkan propelled her entrepreneurial journey through the ERIN (Edmonton Regional Innovation Network) coaching program, which entrepreneurs can now access through Experts on Demand and Post-Secondary Institution (PSI) Business Development Support to help complete her initial market analysis of personalized medicine in Alberta to guide her understanding of Kemet’s value propositions and Kemet’s unique selling points. Subsequently, this program enabled her to synthesize and document Kemet’s Vivid Vision and rebrand.
There's just a quality to Edmonton that allows out-of-the-box thinking to take root and then to have people resource and come around you and support you that way.
To close out 2023, Kemet Group launched an exceptional ad campaign in New York City’s Times Square, part of the company’s push to expand its pharmatech platform to the United States.
Kemet’s current road map includes plans to scale Kemet’s online platform across Canada in 2024 while exploring trade opportunities in the U.S. and select countries such as Botswana, Mauritius, Lesotho, Kenya, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria. Along with their international expansion, Ọláòṣebìkan hopes Kemet can be used to make medications designed for underserved populations, including Black women, Indigenous women, adults over 50, children under 12, those on the autism spectrum, and transgender people.
As 2024 progresses, Kemet’s pioneering work in pharmatech in Edmonton propels the company towards global success. Their research and innovative approach to healthcare promise groundbreaking solutions for medical challenges worldwide. With a focus on collaboration, platform scaling, and accessibility, Kemet’s impact transcends borders, positioning them as leaders in revolutionizing healthcare delivery and leaving an indelible mark on the future of medicine worldwide.
Visit their website to learn more about Kemet or check out their LinkedIn – Kemet Group.