5-ASAs/mesalazine May Lower Colorectal Cancer Risk in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Copenhagen, Denmark – November 8, 2002 –

Data presented last month at the 10th United European Gastroenterology Week shows encouraging results

More evidence that taking your medication does a body good: Results of a recent study from the UK suggests that Inflammatory Bowel Disease patients (IBD) who take their 5-ASA/mesalazine medicine regularly may lower the risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC).

Of the million-plus people across Europe who have IBD as either Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s Disease — one in six will die from CRC, but recent advances in understanding the available treatment could significantly reduce this figure.

“We are extremely encouraged by the new data that shows a positive correlation between long-term use of 5-ASA/mesalazine for maintenance of remission and a reduction in the risk of developing CRC in patients with IBD’, said Prof. Michael Kamm. Kamm is professor and chairman of Gastroenterology Medicine at St. Mark’s Hospital in London.

Mounting evidence touts benefits of 5-ASAs

The most recent meta-analysis to look at colorectal cancer and 5-ASA published in GUT, 2001 examined the effects of 5-ASA on cancers of the colon and the rectum.

Researchers evaluated data published for almost 2,000 men and women aged 15 and over for several years. They tracked the development of either colon or rectal cancer for the participants, who were cancer-free when they entered the study, and recorded participants’ compliance with various medications and doctor’s visits.

The results showed that those who complied fully with their 5-ASA treatment regiment were least likely to develop colon cancer over the study period. In fact those who complied completely with their 5-ASA treatment schedule had the same rate of incidence for CRC as the general public which is approximately 3 percent.

Investigator Dr Jayne Eaden, consultant in Gastroenterology at the Walsgrave Hospital, Coventry, UK, who in 2000 in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics reported on a range of treatments studied, concluding: “5-ASA was the only treatment associated with a statistically significant reduction in the risk of developing cancer.”

The reduction in risk can be as great as 81 per cent or higher, claims Dr. Eaden, but such marked improvement goes hand in hand with improved levels of patient compliance – taking the right doses, in the right manner, at the right time, for the full prescribed course of treatment.

According to Dr. Eaden, the greatest degree of protection from CRC comes to patients fully compliant with their
5 ASA/mesalazine treatment regime; who follow up regularly with their health care provider; and who undergo a colonoscopy – all aspects substantially under the control of the patient. Some GPs and hospitals are leading the way forward through empowering their patients, effectively giving them the knowledge to make informed decisions, breaking down some of the traditional barriers between doctor and patient.

There’s a long way to go. Studies indicate that compliance can be as low as 40 per cent, with six out of ten patients deciding to discontinue treatment, or to take the drugs as and when they prefer, rather than as advised.

Can the effect of mesalazine be explained?

5-ASA/mesalazine is the preferred treatment to induce remission and to prevent relapses in IBD. The long-term added benefit of this treatment with the reduced incidence of CRC is promising.

The anti-inflammatory 5-ASA family of drugs contains mesalazine. Pure mesalazine products are provided in various formulations, or sustained release which requires pH levels between 6-7 to dissolve. Also inert carriers of mesalazine and sulphapyridine carrier (sulphasalazine), where the sulpha moiety may cause a high number of side-effects.

Mesalazine has been shown to significantly enhance the sufferers’ quality of life in both disease specific and general measures, and is used to induce remission in IBD and to extend periods of remission – and with few side-effects.

‘The data is very compelling, because not only can mesalazine prevent bothersome relapses but it may be able to significantly reduce the risk of developing CRC from IBD,’ said Dr. Anne-Marie Grauholt, medical affairs director for Ferring, one of the makers of mesaiazine.

Although the mechanism by which mesalazine may inhibit cancer is unclear, researchers suspect that it may help protect against colon cancer by restoring, at least partially, the natural cell regeneration which is absent in malignant cancerous tumours.

A Unique Link to Aspirin

Researchers think that the drug may help to inhibit their growth and development, increase the cell turnover in malignant cells and to diminish risk of mutations.

Much like its sister product, aspirin, mesalazine has similar molecular targets interfering with inflammation, proliferation and/or apoptosis as aspirin, said Prof. Hubert Allgayer of the Academic Teaching Hospital of the University of Heidelberg, Germany.

In addition, there is close molecular similarity of mesalazine with aspirin differing only in its structure by the presence of an aminogroup at position 5.

Notes to Editors

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is one of the global leaders in developing treatments for IBD and their product PENTASA (mesalazine) provides relief to patients around the world, suffering from IBD, e.g. Ulcerative Colitis and Crohns Disease.

The company is making strides to create research alliances world-wide to gain access to new research initiatives and additional promising compounds. More than 250 physicians and researchers from 20 countries participated in the Ferring sponsored international symposia last week at the 10th United European Gastroenterology Week in Geneva, Switzerland.

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring is a research driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets.  The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of endocrinology, gastroenterology, gynecology, 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 or our products please visit us at www.Ferring.com.

For more information, please contact

Sharmi Albrechtsen
Ferring International Center
+45 28 78 72 09
sharmi.albrechtsen@ferring.com

Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Announce Drug Discovery Collaboration Agreement

Copenhagen, Denmark – October 31, 2002 –

COPENHAGEN, DK. and BOSTON, MASS. — Ferring Pharmaceuticals and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) today announced they have signed a collaborative agreement to discover and develop new drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis.

The collaboration between Ferring and BIDMC investigators Michael Rosenblatt, M.D, Michael Chorev, Ph.D., and Joseph Alexander, Ph.D., will focus on the role of the parathyroid hormone (PTH) and its receptor in bone metabolism, an area of research for which the three scientists, led by Rosenblatt, have made significant advances in recent years.

“Our studies of the molecular pathophysiology and cell biology of osteoporosis have led to a critical understanding of the PTH hormone and receptor as integral components to the process of bone formation,” says Dr. Rosenblatt, who is Chief of the Division of Bone and Mineral Research at BIDMC and the George Richards Minot Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. “This collaboration with Ferring Pharmaceuticals will provide us the opportunity to design and test new activators and suppressors of the PTH pathway in our efforts to develop more effective drugs for the treatment of osteoporosis.”

Osteoporosis is a growing problem throughout the U.S. and the world. The most common of skeletal disorders, the disorder affects an estimated 15 percent of all women and five percent of all men by the age of 80, and is the major cause of disability and death in the elderly. Characterized by a progressive decrease in bone density, osteoporosis causes bones to become brittle, weakened and easily fractured. Since a person’s bone mass naturally begins to decline after age 35, and is accelerated in women following menopause, early diagnosis and treatment is key to preventing serious disability.

Under the terms of the three-year agreement, BIDMC will receive compounds from Ferring Pharmaceuticals to test as activators or suppressors of the PTH pathway. The two parties will then collaborate in the design and testing of new peptide therapies for the treatment and prevention of bone loss.

“This agreement brings to bear Ferring’s expertise in the areas of peptide chemistry, pharmacology and drug-delivery systems,” says Alan Harris, Vice President of Portfolio Planning and Technology Transfer for the European-based company. With research and development facilities in San Diego US, Chilworth UK and Copenhagen Denmark, Ferring Pharmaceuticals was among the world’s first drug companies to produce synthetic peptides on a commercial scale. Today, the company focuses on the research and commercial development of peptides, compounds that play a role in virtually all of the body’s systems.

Prof. Rosenblatt serves on the Board of Directors of Ferring Holding SA

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a major patient care, research and teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a founding member of CareGroup Healthcare System. Beth Israel Deaconess is the third largest recipient of National Institutes of Health research funding among independent teaching hospitals.

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring is a research driven, speciality biopharmaceutical group active in global markets.  The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of urology, obstetrics and infertility, gastroenterology and endocrinology.  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 or our products  please visit us at www.Ferring.com.

For more information, please contact

Sharmi Albrechtsen
Ferring International Center
+45 28 78 72 09
sharmi.albrechtsen@ferring.com

Ferring and Johnson & Johnson Join in a Research Collaboration

Copenhagen, Denmark – 30 October, 2002 –

Ferring announced today that it will collaborate with Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Ortho-McNeil) and Ortho-McNeil’s research affiliate, Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. (J&JPRD), both members of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies, as part of a license agreement, to research and develop Ferring’s inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DP IV) for use in the treatment of diabetes and obesity.

The license rights are subject to an up front payment, to development based milestone payments and royalty fees on net sales. Financial details were not disclosed.

Inhibiting DP IV as an approach to diabetes management is expected to expand the way that Type II diabetes patients are treated and provide diabetic sufferers with a new generation of products. Ferring’s scientists will continue to work on the chemistry and J&J researchers will drive the pharmacology and product development efforts

“Ferring’s research efforts in the DP IV area have led to the discovery of new, proprietary DP IV inhibitors with a potential for offering a new approach to the management of diabetes and obesity. Ferring’s compounds are the result of a combined chemistry and pharmacology research program at Ferring’s discovery unit in Chilworth, UK,” noted Dr. Alan Harris, Vice President, R&D Portfolio Planning and Technology Transfer.

When Ferring’s scientists in Chilworth, UK began working on the enzyme DP-IV in 1992, most enzyme inhibitors on the market were unstable and inactive. However, after several years of investigation, Ferring’s researchers developed reversible inhibitors of DP-IV which were highly active and potent. Since the therapeutic area, diabetes is outside of Ferring’s remit, the company welcomed partners who had experience in this area.

“Working with J&J gives us the additional know-how we need to take this compound from the laboratory to the patient. We believe that DP-IV inhibition is the next generation of Type II diabetes treatment – the collaboration will allow the process of drug discovery to move much quicker,” said Michel L. Pettigrew, executive vice-president of commercial operations.

Type ll diabetes affects more than 18 million Americans and more than 150 million people world-wide. The Type II diabetes drug market world-wide has grown by 30 percent since 2000 and has an estimated value of more than $7 Billion.

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring is a research driven, speciality biopharmaceutical group active in global markets. The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of urology, obstetrics and infertility, gastroenterology and endocrinology.

In recent years Ferring has expanded beyond its traditional European base and now has operating subsidiaries in over 40 countries.

Please visit us at www.Ferring.com.

Ferring appoints new Board member

Lausanne, Switzerland – October 2nd, 2002 –

The Board of Directors of Ferring announced this week that Professor Michael Rosenblatt has been appointed to the Group Board.

Prof. Rosenblatt, M. D., has been a member of the Ferring R&D advisory group since 1994. He has broad medical experience and serves on a number of boards in early stage pharmaceutical companies. For ten years he worked for Merck Research Laboratories, where he was Senior Vice President for Research and led multiple R&D programs.

“I’m honored to be asked to join the Board of Directors of a company that has experienced remarkable growth and maturation over the past years. I will bring in a broad experience in drug discovery and a wide network, which can be used to strengthen the Research & Development efforts in the company”, said Prof. Michael Rosenblatt.

Today Prof. Rosenblatt is a renowned professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and chief of the Division of Bone and Mineral Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He has been at both institutions since 1992 and has served during that time as President and Harvard Faculty Dean for academic programs at the Medical Center. For the first six years of this period, he was the director of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, a joint venture program directed at training physician-scientists and biomedical engineers. During this time, he was also a professor of Molecular Medicine at Harvard Medical School.

From 1996-1999, Prof. Rosenblatt was the executive director of the Shapiro Institute for Education and Research at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Frederik Paulsen, Executive Chairman of the Board commented: “We are delighted Prof. Michael Rosenblatt has agreed to further strengthen his relations with Ferring. At Ferring we are committed to providing products that meet genuine patient needs and believe Prof. Rosenblatt’s input will be very valuable in ensuring we continue to rise to that challenge in the years ahead.”

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

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, gynecology, 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 or our products
 please visit us at www.Ferring.com.

For more information, please contact

Mette Nikolajsen
Ferring International Center
+ 45 28 78 71 98
mette.nikolajsen@ferring.com

Ferring Appoints New Vice-President of Global Marketing

Copenhagen, Denmark – October 1, 2002 –

Ferring would like to announce that Mr. Aaron Graff has been appointed as Vice President of Global Marketing, Medical Services and Business Development.

Mr. Graff joins Ferring after a 17-year career with Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS). At BMS Mr. Graff held positions of increasing marketing and management scope, culminating with leading their $1.7B flagship PRAVACHOL franchise to double-digit growth in the US.

‘The experience and skills of Aaron (Mr. Graff) will help ensure Ferring’s continued success in the highly competitive global market, ‘ said Michel L. Pettigrew, executive vice president of commercial operations. ‘We are extremely pleased that he has joined the Ferring team as he is uniquely qualified to help us lead both the existing and future Ferring franchises globally with his dynamic vision.’

Prior to his work on the PRAVACHOL franchise, Mr. Graff led the BMS Consumer Medicines business in Europe, helping to create the fastest growing analgesic franchise with sales of more than $400MM. While working in Europe Mr. Graff participated in a number of important organizational redesign projects and led the divestiture team to sell several non-core BMS brands. In addition, Mr. Graff has held numerous marketing and sales management positions in the Consumer Group.

Before joining BMS Mr. Graff held a variety of marketing management positions at Citibank and International Playtex. He received his BBA in Finance from the University of Michigan and his MBA in Marketing from New York University.

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring is a research driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets.  The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of endocrinology, gastroenterology, gynecology, 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 or our products  please visit us at www.Ferring.com.

For more information, please contact

Sharmi Albrechtsen
Communication Manager, Ferring International Center
+45 28 78 72 09
sharmi.albrechtsen@ferring.com