San Diego

Ferring Research Institute Inc., San Diego

Snapshot	Ferring Research Institute (FRI) was established in San Diego in 1996 as the company’s centre of excellence for peptide research [url: "/en/randd/Creating+New+Medicines/Ferrings+expertise/Peptides.htm" ] located at the heart of Southern California’s biomedical community. FRI broadly applies its peptide know-how to create value both within and outside Ferring’s preferred therapeutic areas, thus often working with external partners.
Location	FRI, which is building a new, state-of-the-art research facility, is located in San Diego, at the heart of the Southern California’s biomedical community, the fastest-growing biopharmaceutical cluster in the United States. This location provides access to world leading academic institutions, biotechnology, medical devices, and pharmaceutical companies, venture capital firms and supportive trade organizations.
R&D Focus	FRI specialises in molecular target1 selection and drug discovery2 [url: "/en/randd/Creating+New+Medicines/Drug+Development/Drug+discovery.htm" ] based on Ferring’s peptide technology [url: "/en/randd/Creating+New+Medicines/Ferrings+expertise/Peptides.htm#peptec" ] and know-how.
Employees	FRI employs highly skilled biopharmaceutical scientists originating from all around the world and representing more than a dozen different countries, languages and cultures. Keeping with Ferring’s philosophy [url: "/en/aboutus/Philosophy.htm" ] - “people come first” -, FRI recognizes and values its scientist’s know-how and creativity.
Speciality areas	FRI focuses its research efforts on pathological pathways controlled by peptides and proteins, with the objective to design peptide-based, agonists and antagonists molecules, capable to specifically alter the pathological processes within a range of therapeutic areas.
History	1996: Ferring Research Institute Inc (FRI) is established in San Diego, California. 1996-present: FRI discovers five new peptide chemical entities (NCEs) including degarelix [url: "/en/randd/Pipeline/Urology.htm#degarelix" ] FE 200486) a peptidic GnRH receptor antagonist, barusiban [url: "/en/randd/Pipeline/Obstetrics+and+Gynaecology.htm#barusiban" ] (FE 200440), a selective and long lasting peptidic oxytocin receptor antagonist and FE 202158, a selective peptidic V1a receptor agonist. 2005-present: FRI collaborates with external partners, leading to the discovery of FE 200665, a peripherally selective peptidic kappa opioid receptor agonist, developed by Cara Therapeutics [url: "http://www.caratherapeutics.com/" ] and a made-to-order peptidic NCE for a biopharmaceutical company. 2007-2008: FRI is building a state-of-the-art new research facility in San Diego.

Contact details

Ferring Research Institute Inc.
3550 General Atomics Ct.
Bldg. 2 Room 444
San Diego, CA 92121
USA

Phone: +1 858 455 3185
Fax: +1 858 455 3190
E-mail: friinfo@ferring.com [url: "mailto:friinfo@ferring.com" ]

Glossary Entries
1) molecular target - In the context of drug discovery, a molecular target is a specific entity based on the knowledge of a given disease at a molecular and physiological level. Once a molecular target’s role is established in a disease, research begins on the development of compounds that will interact with the target molecules.
2) drug discovery - The process by which drugs are discovered and/or designed. In the past most drugs have been discovered either by identifying the active ingredient from traditional remedies or by serendipitous discovery. A new approach has been to understand how disease and infection are controlled at the molecular and physiological level and to target specific entities based on this knowledge. The process of drug discovery involves the identification of candidates, synthesis, characterization, screening, and assays for therapeutic efficacy. Once a compound has shown its value in these tests, it will begin the process of drug development prior to clinical trials.

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