During the drug discovery phase, a wide range of Ferring experts such as medical biologists, chemists, pharmacologists and IT experts work together utilising various state of the art R&D technologies.

• Molecular target selection – researchers choose the molecules with the best chance of eventually becoming medicines
• Target validation - researchers use information from the human genome project to identify potential targets such as proteins and enzymes
• Screen development - the potential targets are then screened and the successful ones are developed into compounds
• Lead discovery - the potential active compounds are screened to confirm they react as desired
• Lead optimisation - subtle modifications are made to improve the potential of the active compounds and to turn them into candidates for product development