R&D Approach

Therapy areas
Ferring’s work in its four key therapy areas is always driven by the same goals: to develop products that treat unmet medical needs and to develop easy to use drug delivery systems for those products.

Ferring does not however restrict itself to these four key areas, but is open to working to treat diseases in other therapy areas. For example, following the acquisition of Israeli biotech company Bio-Technology General (BTG) in 2005 [url: "/en/newsroom/pressreleases/2005/btg.htm" ], Ferring has become active the area of osteoarthritis through products based on Hyaluronic acid including EUFLEXXA [url: "http://www.euflexxa.com/" ] and BIOLON.

Fertility
Ferring is a leader in assisted reproductive technology (ART) for fertility treatment and produces treatments to prevent premature labour. Ferring is constantly undertaking research in this area to meet the increasing needs of patients, particularly for fertility treatment as increasing numbers of couples need help to conceive.

Ferring has developed MENOPUR [url: "http://www.ferringfertility.com/medications/menopur/" ] (menotropin) and BRAVELLE [url: "http://www.ferringfertility.com/medications/bravelle/" ] (human follicle stimulating hormone) to stimulate the ovaries, DECAPEPTYL [url: "/en/aboutus/locations/production/Germany.htm" ] (GnRHa agonist) to control the timing of ovary stimulation and CHORAGON (hCG) to induce ovulation.

To help manage and prevent premature labour, Ferring produces TRACTOCILE (atosiban) which came out of research and development on oxytocin antagonists.

Urology
Ferring is committed to urological disorders such as antidiuresis, diabetes insipidus1, enuresis2 and nocturia. Ferring’s lead product in this area is MINIRIN which effectively treats enuresis in children and nocturia in adults. Research is continuing to develop further compounds such as the antidiuretic compound FE 106483, which is currently in phase II clinical trials3.

Ferring is also active in the area of prostate cancer through FIRMAGON a long acting GnRH receptor4 blocker to treat prostate cancer.

Gastroenterology
In gastroenterology, Ferring produces PENTASA [url: "http://www.pentasaus.com/" ] (mesalazine) a treatment for inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease5 and ulcerative colitis6. Inflammatory bowel diseases have a significant effect on the quality of life of sufferers as they can be both painful and debilitating.

Ferring’s aim in this area is to further adapt PENTASA [url: "http://www.pentasaus.com/" ] to expand its field of application in the area of inflammatory bowel diseases, in order to reduce the painful and debilitating effect of these conditions.

For more information, please look at the PENTASA [url: "http://www.pentasaus.com/" ] website.

Endocrinology
Ferring produces a recombinant7 human growth hormone (hGH) ZOMACTON [url: "http://www.somatropin.net/ferring.htm" ] (somatropin) to treat growth failure in children and Turner’s syndrome in girls. Ferring is now working on adapting ZOMACTON in order to treat adult growth hormone deficiencies.

Other
In the area of osteoarthritis, Ferring has launched EUFLEXXA [url: "http://www.euflexxa.com/" ], (1% sodium hyaluronate) a highly purified hyaluronan injected into the knees of osteoarthritis sufferers to provide pain relief. Ferring is also working on developing possible new indications for EUFLEXXA [url: "http://www.euflexxa.com/" ] that could expand treatment of osteoarthritis.

For more information, please see the EUFLEXXA [url: "http://www.euflexxa.com/" ] website.

In addition, Bio-Technology General (acquired by Ferring in 2005) is undertaking development work on recombinant biologics.

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[url: "/en/randd/Therapy+Areas.htm" ]Glossary Entries
1) diabetes insipidus - Rare form of diabetes in which the kidney tubules do not reabsorb sufficient water. This can be because (a) either the renal tubules have defective receptors for antidiuretic hormone (ADH, vasopressin) or (b) a class of aquaporin water channel in the collecting duct is defective or (c) there is inadequate ADH production by the pituitary, leading to the excessive production of dilute urine.
2) enuresis - Involuntary discharge of urine after the age at which urinary control should have been achieved, often used alone with specific reference to involuntary discharge of urine occurring during sleep at night (bed wetting or nocturnal enuresis).
3) phase II clinical trials - Phase II trials are performed on larger groups (20-300) and are designed to assess the activity of the therapy, as well as to continue Phase I safety assessments in a larger group of volunteers and patients.
4) receptor - In biochemistry, a receptor is a protein on the cell membrane or within the cytoplasm or cell nucleus that binds to a specific molecule (a ligand), such as a neurotransmitter, hormone, or other substance, and initiates the cellular response to the ligand. Ligand-induced changes in the behavior of receptor proteins result in physiological changes that constitute the biological actions of the ligands.
5) Crohn’s disease - Chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly the small intestine and colon. Crohn's disease increases the risk for colorectal cancer and small intestine cancer. It can also be called regional enteritis.
6) ulcerative colitis - Chronic inflammation of the colon that produces ulcers in its lining. This condition is marked by abdominal pain, cramps, and loose discharges of pus, blood, and mucus from the bowel.
7) recombinant - In genetics, describes DNA, proteins, cells, or organisms that are made by combining genetic material from two different sources. Recombinant substances are made in the laboratory and are being studied in the treatment of cancer and for many other uses.

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