Introduction

Ferring's corporate philosophy is that "People come first at Ferring", a philosophy which is reflected in the company's approach to research and development. Ferring is a research driven company which invests heavily in its research infrastructure both in terms of people and technology and is committed to developing products that treat unmet medical needs.

Ferring's R&D activities are focused on the following key therapy areas: reproductive health, urology, gastroenterology and endocrinology. Ferring is a world leader in peptide andpeptidomimetic research and this forms an important part of the history of the company. In addition, in all therapy areas, Ferring pays particular attention to developing drug delivery systems that are effective and convenient for the patient.

Specifically, Ferring aims to produce new innovative drugs and to improve existing therapies by:

• Focusing on novel peptide/hormone and protease genes;
• Further developing peptide and peptidomimetic science and technology;
• Adapting existing peptide based medications to meet specific medical needs;
• Developing effective and patient friendly drug delivery systems.

As well as conducting R&D through the four Ferring research centres, Ferring also undertakes research collaboration with scientific research institutes, universities and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies across the world. This cooperation takes place whenever it can help to achieve the end goal of the R&D work and will be beneficial for both parties.

Glossary Entries
1) urology - The branch of medicine that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males.
2) gastroenterology - Gastroenterology is the study of the gastrointestinal (GI) or digestive system, including its problems and diseases.
3) endocrinology - The study of the endocrine system of glands, the regulatory substances (hormones) they produce and disorders of the system.
4) peptide - Any compound consisting of two or more amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. Peptides provide a link between a gene and its function.
5) peptidomimetic - Compounds that mimic the effects of peptides.
6) protease - Any enzyme that conducts proteolysis, that is, begins protein catabolism (breaking down molecules into smaller units and producing energy).