For more than 50 years, Ferring has maintained a level of endeavour in endocrine and peptide research that has resulted in the unique product portfolio we have today. For the future, Ferring plans to continue with a major commitment to organic portfolio growth and long-term financial investment in R&D.

From disease to treatment, Ferring R&D efforts embrace innovative technology platforms and advanced delivery systems to ensure a continuous pipeline of products for unmet medical needs within our speciality therapeutic areas.

Discovery Research

At Ferring, the process of discovery starts with targeting a given disease derived from the accumulated knowledge of underlying mechanisms of that disease. Our discovery efforts proceed from tissue acquisition, to biochemical identification of possible targets, target validation and screening of chemical libraries for ligands and finally drug optimisation. In this way we can identify highly selective, new medical entities based on proprietary targets.

The tools of genomics for target discovery, proteomics and in vitro/in vivo pharmacology for target validation, high throughput screening of proprietary compound libraries and combinatorial/rational peptide and organic chemistry are all incorporated into our research and development effort.

What makes Ferring different in this highly competitive field is our long term and extensive knowledge of structure-activity relationships in the domain of natural and synthetic peptides and peptidomimetics. This provides a unique and proprietary platform for both discovery and product development processes. Our research is focused on basic targets within our core therapeutic areas of endocrinology, urology, endocrine oncology, infertility, obstetrics and gastroenterology.

Ferring’s research efforts have successfully identified compounds that are currently in the drug development stage. Degarelix is a potent and selective GnRH antagonist that has been licensed in the UK for the treatment of prostate cancer.

Ferring has a discovery research site in San Diego, USA. This site allows Ferring scientists global access to scientific information as well as collaboration with local research groups.

Ferring chose the site in San Diego because it is at the centre of a vigorously growing biotechnology hub in Southern California. In this science-dense environment, surrounded by both academic and industrial research in peptides, combinatorial chemistry, high throughput screening, genomics and proteomics, discovery research is nurtured and stimulated.

Development Pipeline

The Ferring development portfolio continues to focus on unmet medical needs with new therapeutic agents and delivery systems in the areas of urology, endocrine oncology, infertility, obstetrics, gastroenterology and endocrinology. While the scale and breadth of our development activities are aligned on a global basis and are conducted in collaboration with leading academic centres and teaching hospitals world-wide, co-ordination of the development effort is maintained from the International Pharmasciences Center (IPC) in Copenhagen, Denmark. The IPC is a purpose built building, which houses state of the art laboratories and development facilities. All development activities for the Ferring Group are co-ordinated from the IPC to ensure an efficient use of global resources.

Urology

Ferring has a major development commitment to the treatment of voiding disorders through the use of our peptide drugs in diabetes insipidus and nocturnal enuresis. We continue to explore a range of potential new molecules for the treatment of these disorders and related conditions.

Endocrine Oncology

Ferring research into the management of prostate cancer has focused on the GnRH receptor, and GONAPEPTYL (triptorelin acetate) was developed as a first generation of GnRH analogues. Ferring scientists subsequently worked to develop a new generation of GnRH receptor analogues. The first in this family of drugs, Degarelix (FIRMAGON), is a potent and selective GnRH antagonist, which has obtained regulatory approval throughout Europe and in the United States for use in hormone dependant advanced Prostate Cancer.

Obstetrics

Ferring has a long tradition in research on the oxytocin receptor and its role in processes involving uterine contractility and onset of preterm labour. The search for oxytocin antagonists through structural modifications of the natural hormone started in the late 1970s and led to the development of the drug TRACTOCILE (atosiban).

TRACTOCILE is the first of a new generation of peptide oxytocin antagonists that has demonstrated clinical efficacy in preventing imminent preterm labour. Ferring's continuing research has provided more understanding of uterine contractility and the role of oxytocin receptors.

In addition to oxytocin receptor antagonists, Ferring has led the search for agonists of the oxytocin receptor. PABAL (carbetocin) is indicated for prevention of uterine atony and excessive bleeding following delivery by Caesarean section with epidural or spinal anaesthesia.

Infertility

Ferring’s approach to reproductive health disorders is by way of endocrine/metabolic research pathways. Treatment of infertility uses endocrine stimulation to secure ovulation induction (OI) and to induce multiple follicular development in women undergoing assisted reproductive techniques (ART). Ferring has a major R&D commitment in this area which has resulted in MENOPUR (menotrophin). More recent R&D efforts by Ferring have concentrated on the development of additional highly purified gonadotropin hormones.

Our current development portfolio includes some early as well as late stage projects. BRAVELLE is a highly purified Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). It complements the Ferring infertility portfolio and allows doctors to better fulfil individual patient needs in ART and OI programmes.

Hp hCG is a more purified version of human chorionic gonadotropin that is in development for the induction of ovulation in oligo-anovulatory, infertile women after treatment with gonadotropins and of follicle maturation prior to oocyte retrieval in women undergoing IVF treatment.

NORPROLAC (quinagolide hydrochloride) is a dopamine receptor agonist, which reduces prolactin secretion in hyperprolactinaemia, which can inihibit ovulation. Products such as NORPROLAC can be used to restore ovulation and the chance for conception. NORPROLAC is a once a day treatment for hyperprolactinaemia which can be taken up to the time conception is confirmed. Ferring is currently looking at wider potential roles for this product in infertility. ENDOMETRIN is a vaginal delivery system containing progesterone, which is being developed to maintain a secretory endometrium and to provide luteal support of pregnancy during OI and IVF treatment.

Drug delivery systems and line extension development

The development of new delivery systems with enhanced efficacy and safety and with a special focus on patient-friendly dosage forms is an important aspect of our efforts in pharmaceutical development. Fertility hormones, peptides and peptidomimetics pose intriguing challenges and our scientists use diverse drug delivery platforms to facilitate their administration, including oral, nasal, rectal, transdermal and parenteral sustained-release systems.

Recent efforts have lead to the current programmes to develop a new metered-dose rectal foam for PENTASA (mesalazine) and a more concentrated dosage strength of ZOMACTON. Further down the pipeline, our pharmaceutical scientists are working on innovative approaches to the oral delivery of peptides; the transdermal administration of fertility hormones; the sustained release of parenterally administered gonadatropin analogues and new devices to improve the administration of injectable peptides and protein molecules.

Health Departments across the world have called for increased focus on formulations of established and new drugs for children. Ferring has been at the forefornt of development of indications for children, with products such as DESMOTABS, indicated in PNE in children, GONAPEPTYL, indicated in central precocious puberty and ZOMACTON in growth hormone deficiency and Turner's syndrome. Ferring continues to research and develop drugs and formulations for children and in 2006, launched a Melt formulation of desmopressin, DESMOMELT which disolves under the tongue requiring no water.