NuCara Pharmacy

What NuCara Pharmacy does

NuCara Pharmacy is a privately held regional community pharmacy and home medical equipment (HME) operator based in Conrad, Iowa, with operational headquarters and a main warehouse in Des Moines. The company traces its lineage to the 1872 Hammer Pharmacy founded by Alvin Hammer in Des Moines and the 1973 Conrad flagship founded by TJ Johnsrud, with the modern NuCara entity formed through the 2017 acquisition of Hammer Medical Supply. It is a subsidiary of the holding company NuDak Ventures.

The business operates across two interrelated service lines. The retail pharmacy arm dispenses prescriptions, administers immunizations (flu, pneumonia, shingles, tetanus, hepatitis B), performs compounding, offers medication therapy management, runs medication synchronization (NuFill), and provides point-of-care PCR testing for COVID-19, Strep A, and Influenza A/B at select locations. The HME arm (now rebranded Medicap Home Medical) supplies CPAP/BiPAP equipment, oxygen therapy, nebulizers, power and complex rehab wheelchairs, mobility scooters, lift chairs, and home modifications such as stair lifts and grab bars. Adjacent lines include long-term care pharmacy (nucaraltc.com), home infusion therapy, long-acting antipsychotic injection services, mastectomy fittings through the New Image Boutique, and naloxone dispensing. Patient-facing digital support is delivered through the PocketRx mobile application.

The company generates revenue through prescription reimbursements from PBMs and insurers, hardware sales and rentals for durable medical equipment, professional service fees for clinical offerings, and ancillary compounding and immunization billings. Distribution is entirely regional, comprising 30+ retail pharmacy storefronts and 11 HME locations across Iowa and Minnesota, plus mail and delivery services for homebound patients. The GTM motion is community-based and sales-led, emphasizing personalized care and local relationships. The business is currently under stress: in March 2026 the State of Iowa sued parent NuDak Ventures for $22 million over alleged misspending of HIV treatment program funds, and on April 1, 2026 the company closed its founding Conrad location and three other rural Iowa pharmacies, with reports indicating an acquisition by OneroRx is underway.

Name

NuCara Pharmacy

Legal name

NuDak Ventures (d/b/a NuCara Specialty Pharmacy)

Website

https://nucara.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

NuCara Pharmacy is a privately held regional pharmacy and home medical equipment operator serving Iowa and Minnesota communities through 30+ retail pharmacies, 11 HME locations, and services spanning prescriptions, compounding, immunizations, CPAP therapy, and home modifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Pharmacy Services

NAICS

Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (456110), Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (623), Home Health Equipment Rental (532283)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047)

akta.pro primary industry

Prescription Pickup, Delivery & Refill Coordination (HSABALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Long-Term Care (LTC) & Skilled Nursing Facility Pharmacies (HLAFALAF), Compounding & Customized Medication Management Support (HSABALAL), In-Home Infusion Pharmacy Support & Coordination (HSABALAH), Injectables & Specialty Medication Support (e.g., insulin, biologics) (HSABALAG), Medication Adherence, Reminders & Patient Support (HLACAKAF)

Keywords

• Community pharmacy services
• Home medical equipment
• Long-term care pharmacy
• Pharmacy compounding
• Clinical pharmacy services

Headquarters

HQ city

Conrad

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Prescription Dispensing: Traditional pharmacy prescription dispensing services, with prescription reimbursements from PBMs and insurance plans.
2. Home Medical Equipment Sales and Rentals: Sales and rental of durable medical equipment including CPAP machines, wheelchairs, lift chairs, oxygen equipment, and home modifications.
3. Compounding Services: Customized medication preparation for specific patient needs.
4. Immunizations and Clinical Services: Vaccination services including flu, pneumonia, shingles, tetanus, and hepatitis B; point of care testing.
5. Home Infusion Services: Home-based infusion therapy for various conditions including immunological disorders, multiple sclerosis, and other chronic conditions.
6. Lift Chair Sales: Sales of Golden Technology lift chairs with Medicare coverage potentially available for the lifting mechanism.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

NuCara Pharmacy operates a regional network of community retail pharmacies, long-term care (LTC) pharmacy services, and home medical equipment stores across the Midwest. The company dispenses prescription medications, administers immunizations, and provides compounding for personalized medications. It supplies and services durable medical equipment including CPAP/BiPAP devices, oxygen therapy systems, wheelchairs, lift chairs, and home modifications, and delivers clinical services such as medication therapy management, point-of-care testing, and home infusion to individual patients and institutional clients.

Product overview

NuCara Pharmacy operates as a regional pharmacy and healthcare services provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of interconnected products and services across Iowa and Minnesota. The core offering consists of full-service retail pharmacy with prescription fulfillment, immunizations, and compounding services. Adjacent to pharmacy, the company provides home medical equipment (HME) through its Medicap Home Medical brand, including CPAP/BiPAP therapy for sleep apnea, respiratory equipment, wheelchairs, lift chairs, and home modification services for accessibility. Additional clinical services include medication therapy management, medication synchronization (NuFill), point of care testing, home infusion therapy, antipsychotic injections, and naloxone dispensing. The company also maintains a Long-Term Care pharmacy division. Products and services are delivered through 30+ retail pharmacy locations and 11+ home medical equipment locations, with digital support through a mobile app (PocketRx).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nufill: Medication synchronization service that coordinates refill of medications for pickup on a single day each month
• NuRewards
• PocketRx
• Refill Sync
• Medicap

Products and services

• Community Retail Pharmacy Walk-in retail pharmacy services that dispense prescription medications, administer immunizations, perform compounding of personalized medications, and provide pharmacist counseling for individual patients and families. Approximately 30 retail pharmacy locations operate across Iowa and Minnesota.
• Long-Term Care Pharmacy Institutional pharmacy services that dispense, package, and deliver medications to residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and similar long-term care organizations, supplemented by clinical pharmacy support.
• Home Medical Equipment Retail and service of durable medical equipment for in-home use, including CPAP/BiPAP devices for sleep-disordered breathing, oxygen therapy systems, wheelchairs, lift chairs, and home modifications, with approximately 11 dedicated locations and local fitting, training, and servicing.
• Clinical Pharmacy Services and Home Infusion Clinical services including medication therapy management, point-of-care testing, and home infusion therapy delivered to patients at home and within institutional care settings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Patients enrolled in medication synchronization programs are 3 to 6 times more likely to stick with their medication regimen
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• OneroRxminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Reports indicate NuCara is being acquired by OneroRx. This potential acquisition follows NuCara's closure of multiple rural Iowa pharmacies and a $22 million lawsuit against parent company NuDak Ventures.
• Hammer Medical SupplycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017NuCara acquired Hammer Medical Supply in 2017, bringing the total number of home medical locations to 11. Hammer Medical Supply has roots dating back to 1872 as Alvin Hammer's pharmacy in Des Moines, Iowa, expanding into medical supply in 1976.
• McFarland ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll prescriptions from closed NuCara locations (Conrad, Traer, Ackley, and Zearing) were transferred to the Marshalltown McFarland Clinic location following the pharmacy closures.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CVS Pharmacy (CVS Health): Largest US retail pharmacy chain with broad immunization, MTM, and LTC capabilities — competing with NuCara in community pharmacy and pharmacy benefit management dynamics.
• Walgreens: Major US retail pharmacy chain with VillageMD and home health adjacencies — competes with NuCara in community pharmacy and increasingly in home-based care.
• Walmart Pharmacy: Mass retailer with one of the largest US pharmacy footprints including immunizations and OTC — competes with NuCara in community pharmacy across Iowa and Minnesota.
• BrightSpring Health Services: Diversified home and community-based provider with pharmacy, hospice, and home health — comparable as a multi-line operator serving LTC, home infusion, and complex populations similar to NuCara.

Direct peers

• Apria Healthcare: National home medical equipment and respiratory therapy provider (CPAP, oxygen, ventilators) — directly comparable to NuCara/Medicap Home Medical's HME and respiratory therapy operations.
• Genoa Healthcare: Operates pharmacies co-located within mental health clinics, behavioral health, and LTC facilities — directly comparable to NuCara's LTC pharmacy division (nucaraltc.com) and antipsychotic injection services.
• Lincare Holdings: Major provider of respiratory therapy, home oxygen, and DME services — directly comparable to NuCara's oxygen, CPAP/BiPAP, and complex rehab equipment offering.
• PharMerica: One of the largest US LTC and institutional pharmacy operators, serving nursing homes and assisted living facilities — directly comparable to NuCara's Long-Term Care pharmacy business.
• Option Care Health: Largest independent US provider of home and alternate-site infusion services — directly comparable to NuCara's home infusion service for immunodeficiency, MS, RA, and Crohn's patients.

Regional players

• Hometown Pharmacy: Independent Midwest community pharmacy group with compounding and LTC services — comparable small-chain community pharmacy operating model in overlapping rural geographies.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/yournucara
• Facebookfacebook.com/yournucara
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nucara-pharmacy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NuCara Pharmacy