Ferring donates $3 million to the Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan

Saint-Prex, Switzerland – 31 July, 2009 –

Frederik Paulsen, Chairman, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, announced a $3 million donation to the Royal Textile Academy of Bhutan. This money will be used to fund the creation and development of a new cultural centre in the Bhutanese capital of Thimphu.

Bhutan is globally renowned for the beauty of its textiles, designed and created along traditional lines by local Bhutanese weavers. The Academy will provide educational programmes, research and exhibitions aimed at both raising the international profile of Bhutanese textiles and improving the livelihood of the weavers who make them.

Speaking at the official presentation of the grant to the Royal Textile Academy, and in the presence of Her Majesty Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck, the Queen of Bhutan, Frederik Paulsen said:

“It is the sincere hope of all of us at Ferring that this grant will go some way towards contributing to the future success of the Royal Textile Academy and the future prosperity of Bhutan.

The Academy will act as a focal point for both education and a variety of cultural events. It will include a new, state-of-the-art museum, a textile weaving academy and a conservation centre. It is hoped that the Academy will become a destination for tourists as well as students from all over the world. Both marketing and technical assistance will be provided to the weavers of Bhutan.”

Her Majesty Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck, in response to Frederik Paulsen, said:

“I sincerely thank Dr. Paulsen and Ferring Pharmaceuticals for the great support they have shown to the Academy. This grant will not only benefit the people of Bhutan, especially our weavers, but will also enrich our cultural and economic development. Establishing the Royal Textile Academy is a dream that many of us in Bhutan share. I am confident that with continued support and guidance, we will succeed in creating a dynamic institution that will ensure that the textile arts of Bhutan continue to flourish into the next century.”

– ENDS –

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a Swiss-based research driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets. The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of endocrinology, gastroenterology, gynaecology, reproductive health and urology. In recent years Ferring has expanded beyond its traditional European base and has operations in over 40 countries. To learn more about Ferring or its products please visit www.ferring.com.

For more information, please contact

Helen Gallagher
Ferring Pharmaceuticals
+41 58 301 00 51
+41 58 301 00 39
helen.gallagher@ferring.com

Ferring Research Infertility and Gynaecology GrAnt (FRIGGA) 2010 Theme Announced

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – 30 June, 2009 –

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is proud to announce the second Ferring Research Infertility and Gynaecology GrAnt (FRIGGA) today. The chosen theme for this second award scheme is “Reducing multiple pregnancies following infertility treatment”.

Two winning research institutions will be selected for their outstanding proposals for fundamental research to help gain an increased understanding of the assisted reproduction. The entries will be reviewed anonymously by an independent judging panel, composed of experts from around the world and chaired by global fertility expert Professor Paul Devroey, Professor of Reproductive Medicine at the Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Brussels Free University, Belgium.

FRIGGA is a biennial, global grant for fundamental fertility and gynaecology research that was launched by Ferring in January 2008. The grant is named after Frigga, the goddess of fertility, motherhood, love, family and home from Scandinavian mythology.

The first two institutions to win the grant, were the University Medical Centre Utrecht, The Netherlands and the Universitair Ziekenhuis (UZ) Brussel, Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Belgium.

Both research institutions were selected for their outstanding proposals for fundamental research to help gain an increased understanding of the role of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in assisted reproduction.

Professor Paul Devroey said: “We were pleased by the high standard of entries for the first award and are extremely excited at the prospect of receiving new ideas and hope the next generation of winning proposals will be both innovative and feasible so that they may contribute to our overall understanding of successful fertility treatment.”

The research grant reinforces Ferring Pharmaceuticals’ position at the forefront of world research on infertility research. “We at Ferring are strongly committed to this area of medicine which we believe benefits not just those who wish to become parents, but society as a whole. The Ferring Research Infertility and Gynaecology Grant – The FRIGGA Award – underlines our continuing commitment to take the lead in ART,” says Dr. Pascal Danglas, Executive Vice President, Clinical R&D and Product Development, Ferring Pharmaceuticals.

The announcement of the winners will take place at: the 2010 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) Congress in Rome (27th – 30th June 2010). The deadline for the submission of grant applications is 31st March 2010.

Please visit www.ferringresearchgrant.com for an online application form and guidelines on entering.

For all applications and questions regarding the grant application process please email the secretariat on frigga@greenhouse-communications.com.

– ENDS –

Infertility

Infertility is generally defined as the inability to conceive naturally after one year of trying to become pregnant by unprotected intercourse. Infertility does not mean sterility, but it does signify a reduction in the chances of conceiving a child spontaneously. According to the World Health Organisation, between 60 and 80 million couples in the world are infertile¹, and one in six couples have to seek help to conceive.² The problem is found to lie with the male in nearly half of cases, although many attribute the rise of infertility to women opting to postpone motherhood until later in life, which often results in age-related infertility.

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets. The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of reproductive health, urology, gastroenterology and endocrinology. Ferring’s fertility portfolio of treatments gives infertile couples the chance to have babies and includes its flagship brand MENOPUR®, a recognised high quality treatment for infertility. Ferring has operating subsidiaries in over 45 countries. To learn more about Ferring or our products please visit www.ferring.com.

For more information, please contact

Louisa Revill / Claire Pay
Greenhouse Communications
+44 0207 798 9922
+44 0207 798 9900
louisa.revill@greenhouse-communications.com

References

1. 1. http://www.who.int/en/.
   2. Hull, MG et al. Population study of causes, treatment, and outcome of infertility. British Medical Journal. 1985 Dec 14;291(6510):1693-7.

New Data Supports Significant Economic and Clinical Value of MENOPUR® in IVF

Study could have major impact on the decision-making process with respect to Infertility treatment

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – 30 June, 2009 –

New data from an economic analysis presented today at this year’s European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) congress showed that, within the parameters of the simulation model used, the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment MENOPUR (highly-purified human menopausal gonatropin or HP-hMG) offered considerable cost-savings over recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH).¹ The cost-effectiveness of HP-hMG compared with rFSH suggested by this data could make it a more attractive choice for use in infertility treatment within a fixed healthcare budget.

In today’s difficult global financial situation, the cost-effectiveness of infertility treatments, such as IVF, is more important than ever. Experiencing fertility problems is deeply distressing and isolating for couples and the cost of treatment is one of many considerations for people seeking treatment. A recent audit of European infertility patient groups showed that infertile couples are calling for clear information on the cost-effectiveness, as well as the efficacy of individual treatments.²

HP-hMG and rFSH are two commonly used hormonal therapies belonging to the class of drugs known as gonadotropins that enhance egg production in IVF treatment. HP-hMG, contains both FSH and hCG-driven (human chorionic gonadotropin) LH-activity (luteinizing hormone). In contrast, rFSH is a recombinant product and contains only rFSH.

“Until recently, discussions regarding funding for infertility treatment services have been hindered by a relative paucity of economic studies of the specific treatments”, points out study investigator Dr Jaro Wex from PharmArchitecture, UK.

“Our new study compared success rates and value for money of gonadotropins in IVF and this work is likely to have a major impact on the decision-making process with respect to IVF treatment. The study showed that HP-hMG is a more attractive option than rFSH within a fixed budget, as it offers considerable cost savings over rFSH, not only in terms of costs per treatment cycle, but also in costs per live births.”

Health economic data

The new study determined the cost-effectiveness of different gonadotropins in IVF cycles involving frozen embryo transfers using a simulation model. The economic evaluation compared HP-hMG and rFSH using individual patient data (n=986) pooled from two large, randomised, multi-national, non-inferiority trials (EISG³ and MERiT⁴).⁵

The simulation model used both live-birth data for the compared products and published UK costs of IVF related medical resources. The main objectives were to determine for each patient starting treatment consisting of one fresh and up to two cryo or fresh cycles: (1) number of live-births (2) average cost of treatment; (3) average cost per live-birth; (4) incremental cost-effectiveness; (5) impact of inclusion of maternal and neonatal costs arising from successful pregnancies.

After a sequence of one fresh and up to two frozen or fresh cycles, the cumulative live-birth rate was 53.7% for HP-hMG and 44.6% for rFSH (p<0.005). The use of HP-hMG resulted in a saving of £875 per patient cycle, a saving that could finance an additional treatment for every seven treatments delivered.¹ Furthermore, the cost per IVF baby delivered with HP-hMG was £11,157, compared with £14,227 for rFSH(p<0.001).¹

Within the context of this economic analysis, HP-hMG offered a superior cost-effectiveness  in producing live-births over rFSH in women undergoing conventional IVF and, when available, frozen embryo transfer cycles.¹ Since this study attempts to realistically model the actual situation in patients undergoing infertility management, it is believed that it will have a major implication on the decision-making process when choosing the appropriate gonadotropin for ovarian stimulation.¹

“I think the cost-effectiveness of treatments is a real issue for couples considering infertility treatment such as IVF today”, says Clare Lewis-Jones from Infertility Network UK. “Despite the economic downturn, we see that couples will somehow find the money for treatment, although many have to make sacrifices in order to do this – it’s a question of priorities and the opportunity of having a family is an extremely high priority for infertile couples.”

– ENDS –

MENOPUR

MENOPUR belongs to a class of drugs known as gonadotropins and contains both FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and hCG-driven (human chorionic gonadotropin) LH-activity (luteinizing hormone). HP-hMG is used to stimulate the development of multiple follicles in women participating in an ART programme. HP-hMG is also used to treat infertility in women caused by anovulation (low-level production of eggs). MENOPUR is used by over 75,000 patients each year and is currently licensed in over 50 countries across the world.

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets. The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of reproductive health, urology, gastroenterology and endocrinology. Ferring’s fertility portfolio of treatments gives infertile couples the chance to have babies and includes its flagship brand MENOPUR (HP-hMG), a recognised high quality treatment for infertility. Ferring has operating subsidiaries in over 45 countries. To learn more about Ferring or our products please visit www.ferring.com.

For more information, please contact

Claire Pay / Louisa Revill
Greenhouse Communications
+44 (0)20 7798 9922
+44 (0)20 7798 9900
louisa.revill@greenhouse-communications.com

Helen Gallagher
Ferring Pharmaceuticals
+41 58 301 0051
helen.gallagher@ferring.com

References

1. 1. Wex J et al. HP-hMG versus rFSH in a combination of fresh and cryo cycles in IVF: success rates and economic implications ESHRE. Amsterdam 2009, abstract number O-103.
   2. 2009. Greenhouse Data on file.
   3. European and Israeli Study Group on Highly Purified Menotropin versus Recombinant Follicle-Stimulating Hormone. Efficacy and safety of highly purified menotropin versus recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone in in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles: a randomized, comparative trial. Fertil Steril 2002; 78(3): 520-528.
   4. Andersen AN, et al. Clinical outcome following stimulation with highly purified hMG or recombinant FSH in patients undergoing IVF: a randomized assessor-blind controlled trial. Human Reproduction 2006 Dec; 21(12):3217-27.
   5. Platteau et al. Reprod Biomed Online 2008; 17:190-8.

Ferring launches New International Fertility Media Award (FIMA) 2010

Recognising the importance of and excellence in reporting of infertility issues and treatment

Amsterdam, The Netherlands – 30 June 2009 –

Ferring is proud to announce the launch of its first Fertility Media Award (FIMA) today during the 25th Annual Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) congress. This new award has been created to honour excellence in the reporting of fertility treatment amongst both consumer and medical media.

There are two entry categories:

• Best written article on infertility (print / web)
• Best broadcast report on infertility (radio / TV / film)

Submission for entries opens on 1st July 2009 and closes on 1st March 2010.

The judging panel, chaired by international fertility specialist Professor Paul Devroey (Free University Brussels), will include a fertility patient group representative, a health reporter, Professor Julian Jenkins Ferring’s Director Medical Sciences and Ferring’s Director of Corporate Communications, Helen Gallagher.

Helen Gallagher commented; “We are delighted to announce the launch of the FIMA. The award is designed to honour media excellence, reflecting the importance of media coverage in helping infertile couples understand infertility and the treatment options available”.

The prize for the winning journalist will be an all paid trip to and entry to ESHRE 2010 under the sponsorship of Ferring for winners of the two categories.

The judging criteria have been pre-set and entries will be assessed against the following:

• Excellence in fertility writing
• Demonstration of clear knowledge of infertility treatment and issues
• Perceived value of article to target audience (educational, impactful)
• Topicality of subject matter

Entry forms will be distributed to key international journalists and will also be available on request from FIMA@greenhouse-communications.com.

– ENDS –

Notes to Editors

Infertility

Infertility is generally defined as the inability to conceive naturally after one year of trying to become pregnant by unprotected intercourse. Infertility does not mean sterility, but it does signify a reduction in the chances of conceiving a child spontaneously. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), between 60 and 80 million couples in the world are infertile¹, and one in six couples have to seek help to conceive.² The problem is found to lie with the male in nearly half of cases, although many attribute the rise of infertility to women opting to postpone motherhood until later in life, which often results in age-related infertility.

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets. The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of reproductive health, urology, gastroenterology and endocrinology. Ferring’s fertility portfolio of treatments gives infertile couples the chance to have babies and includes its flagship brand MENOPUR®, a recognised high quality treatment for infertility. Ferring has operating subsidiaries in over 45 countries. To learn more about Ferring or our products please visit www.ferring.com.

For more information, please contact

Louisa Revill / Claire Pay
Greenhouse Communications
+44 (0)207 798 9922
+44 (0)207 798 9900
louisa.revill@greenhouse-communications.com

References

1. 1. https://www.who.int/en/.
   2. Hull, MG et al. Population study of causes, treatment, and outcome of infertility. British Medical Journal. 1985 Dec 14;291(6510):1693-7.