What is "meldonium"

Meldonium (INN), trade-named as Mildronate among others, is a limited-market pharmaceutical, developed in 1970 by Ivars Kalviņš, Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis ( USSR), and manufactured primarily by Grindeks of Latvia and several generic manufacturers. It is distributed in Eastern European countries as an anti- ischemia medication.

Since 1 January 2016, it has been on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of substances banned from use by athletes. However, there are debates over its use as an athletic performance enhancer. Some athletes are known to have been using it before it was banned. It is currently unscheduled in the US.