Advances In Infertility
Fort Lauderdale, USA – January 23, 2002 –
Ferring Pharmaceuticals Invites Infertility Experts from Around the World to Review Breakthroughs in Infertility Research
International infertility experts convened at a congress today to preview the newest scientific findings in infertility and to discuss better ways to meet increasing demands from infertile couples for more effective treatments.
‘Hosting Advances in Infertility is our way of showing our commitment to infertility research and development’ , said Ron Nardi, Executive Vice-President of Research and Development at Ferring. ‘It is important for us to be leading the way in this new and exciting therapeutic area.’
Ferring is one of the global leaders in developing treatments for infertility and their product MENOPUR® which is currently available in Europe is the only treatment that contains the essential luteinizing hormone, LH.
The company is making strides to create research alliances world-wide in order to gain access to new research initiatives and additional promising compounds. More than 500 physicians and researchers from 20 countries are participating in this year’s congress.
With infertility on the rise, infertility experts are particularly pressed to find treatment solutions. The World Health Organisation believes that between 60 and 80 million couples in the world are infertile.
Pamela Madsen, executive president of the American Infertility Association, a patient advocacy group, said she commended the company for its interest in supporting medical research and for its educational efforts for patients.
For example, to help online physicians keep up-to-date with the newest techniques and products in infertility, Ferring Pharmaceuticals recently launched a new web site www.FerCenter.com.
While its primary audience is health professionals, www.FerCenter.com also provides information of interest to infertile couples. It offers detailed fact sheets on specific causes, diagnoses, and treatments of infertility; interactive bulletin boards moderated by medical experts; news about infertility technologies and treatments; an international calendar of infertility seminars, conferences, and meetings; and links to other online infertility resources.
‘It is important for pharmaceutical companies to take more of a role in the management and dissemination of new medical research,’ said Madsen, a former infertility patient. ‘Ferring has shown a commitment towards raising awareness of infertility and about its treatability.’
Infertility is a growing disease area because many women are deciding to postpone pregnancy thereby increasing their chances of infertility. Infertility is generally defined as the inability to conceive after one year of trying to become pregnant. Almost 10 percent of all women of childbearing age are infertile.
Yet experts remain positive about treatment.
‘The statistics show that while infertility is a serious medical condition – it can be effectively treated,’ said Dr. Marco Filicori, conference president and head of the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Bologna in Italy.
‘A diagnosis of infertility does not necessarily mean childlessness, often, it just means that becoming pregnant is a challenge’, he said.
Ferring is a research driven, speciality biopharmaceutical group active in global markets. The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of endocrinology, gastroenterology, gynaecology, infertility and urology.
In recent years Ferring has expanded beyond its traditional European base and now has operating subsidiaries in over 40 countries.
To learn more about Ferring, please visit us at www.ferring.com.
* Note to Editors:
A wealth of evidence suggests that LH offers significant benefits in ovarian stimulation protocols. LH activity may also promote the development of larger follicles over small follicles which may reduce the incidence of multiple gestation and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.1 Indeed a number of recent studies comparing hMG with FSH to date have demonstrated a slight improvement in pregnancy rates with preparations incorporating LH which, although not significant, demonstrate a consistent trend suggesting that LH is an important component of ovarian stimulation protocols. Levels below 1IU/l are known to have an increasingly negative impact on oocyte quality and pregnancy outcome.2
Filicori M, Cognigni GE, Taraborrelli S, Spettoli D, Ciampaglia W, Tabarelli de Fatis C et al. Luteinizing hormone activity in menotrophins optimizes folliculogenesis and treatment in controlled ovarian stimulation. J Clin Endocrinol Metabol 2001; 86: 337-43.
Fleming R, Lloyd F, Herbert M, Fenwick J, Griffiths T, Murdoch A. Effects of profound suppression of luteinizing hormone during ovarian stimulation on follicular activity, oocytes and embryo function in cycles stimulated with purified follicle stimulating hormone. Hum Reprod 1998; 13: 1788-92.
For more information, please contact
Press Officer Veronika Engh
Ferring International Center
+45 28 78 71 99
veronika.engh@ferring.com