Taking the Needle Out of the Injection

Rome, Italy – May 16th, 2002 –

Ferring Launches a New No Needle Device at 2nd Ferring International Paediatric Endocrinology Symposium.

Just the sight of a hypodermic needle during a doctor’s visit can intimidate even the manliest of men.

Not surprisingly, recent data shows that nearly 50 percent of children with growth disorders* who must inject themselves daily are failing to comply with their treatment requirements and are not achieving therapeutic serum levels necessary for the growth hormone to be effective.¹

To take the bite out of the injection, Ferring Pharmaceuticals is launching a new no-needle device designed especially for young growth disorder patients. The device will be unveiled at the 2nd Ferring International Paediatric Endocrinology Symposium in Rome.

More than 200 international endocrinologists from around the world will attend the symposia. The scientific conference promises to showcase some of the latest research and development in the field of endocrinology.

The injection device is the Zoma Jet 2 Vision, which through a high pressure stream of air forces the growth hormone through the skin in less than a third of a second with minimal discomfort. It is a third generation of no-needle devices in this disease area, Ferring was a pioneer when it introduced its first system in 1992.

The new device should revolutionise the process of taking growth hormone for young patients who usually start treatment at age 5 and continue until age 12. Studies have shown that a nearly one-third of patients are taking less than 80 percent the prescribed dosage and this is being directly associated with poor growth.²

‘A good majority of our patients are failing to comply with their treatment; patient education and the suitability of mode of treatment are seen as major contributing factors,’ said Prof. Henriette Delemarre van de Wall of the Vrije University Hospital in the Netherlands. ‘Patients want something that is simple to use and relatively painless.’

According to Professor K. Hartmann of the Institute of Paediatric Endocrinology in Frankfurt, Germany a substantial number of children requiring growth hormone therapy have problems with needle injections and would prefer a no-needle approach.

In a 2000 study of his patients, he found that given a choice, more 80 percent of patients aged 5 to 13 years-old preferred a needle free option.

The Vision 2 needle free device from Antares is especially designed for smaller hands with an easy grip handle and simple coloured dials. Ferring provides the device free of charge to all patients taking the company’s growth hormone, ZOMACTON **.

Notes to Editors

* One out of 2,500 to 5,000 children is born with a growth hormone deficiency. At birth the infants’ height and weight is normal, but later the child’s growth is severely impaired, tooth development is delayed, and the child risks a range of complications while growing up. If this lack of hormone is treated early on, the child can gain several extra centimetres, bringing him into the normal range for height. Ferring offers a long-term treatment for these children.

** ZOMACTON is the brand name for Ferring’s recombinant human growth hormone. This product has been developed for growth failure in children, and is also approved in some countries for girls with Turner’s Syndrome.

Disclosure: This document may contain forward-looking information about the Company’s financial results and estimates, business prospects, and products in research that involve substantial risks and uncertainties. ie significant risks and uncertainties in pharmaceutical research and development. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline products that the products will receive the necessary clinical and manufacturing regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. The company undertakes no duty to update forward-looking statements.

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

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

References

1. 1. Kirk J Prescriber Supplement 1998; 3-4
   2. Hunter A et al Arch Dis Child 2000,82 (Suppl 1):A8

Ferring Appoints New Board Member

Lausanne, Switzerland – May 13th, 2002 –

The Board of Directors of Ferring announced today that Mr. Bernd Wolff has been appointed as a board member. Wolff becomes an outside director to the board.

He previously held the position of head of Company Financing and Controlling, Corporate Business Development, Corporate Treasury and Group CFO ad interim at Headquarters of F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG in Basel, Switzerland.

Mr. Wolff graduated with an MBA at University St. Gallen, Switzerland in 1973. He then served apprenticeships with Deutsche Bank AG in Germany and various assignments for family-owned companies. He joined Ciba-Geigy AG, today Novartis, in 1973 as Country Controller in Basel and for 2 years on different assignments in Singapore and Indonesia.

Mr. Wolff was then appointed as Finance Manager for the Roche Group in Indonesia in 1977. Upon return to Basel in 1980, he has since assumed numerous brief responsibilities including Pharma Marketing, Market Research, Product Management and also within Corporate Finance.

From 1991, Wolff was a member of the Roche Corporate Finance Board and since May 2001, was an ad interim member of the Corporate Executive Board. Since November 2001, Wolff works as an independent consultant for European and US companies.

”We are very happy to welcome Mr. Wolff to our board of directors,” said Frederik Paulsen, executive chairman of Ferring. ”His broad experience in finance and corporate business development will bring significant strength to Ferring and it’s continued growth.”

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

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

FDA APPROVES BRAVELLE™ (urofollitropin for injection, purified)

Tarrytown, NY, USA – May 6, 2002 –

FERRING’S NEW HUMAN-DERIVED FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE FOR INFERTILITY TREATMENT

New Highly Purified Alternative To Genetically Engineered
Infertility Treatments

Ferring Pharmaceuticals, a world leader in naturally occurring protein hormones, announced today that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market Bravelle™ (urofollitropin for injection, purified), a highly purified, human-derived follicle-stimulating hormone (hFSH) for the treatment of infertility. Bravelle™, in conjunction with human chorionic gonadotropin, is indicated for ovulation induction following pituitary suppression.

“With the introduction of Bravelle™, Ferring has expanded its family of human-derived hormones to include a highly purified, well-tolerated hFSH with proven efficacy in ovulation induction, a critical step in many infertility treatment protocols,” said Wayne Anderson, president of Ferring Pharmaceuticals.

“Based on the fact that recombinant technology has shown no meaningful advantage in either efficacy or safety in the clinic, Ferring remains committed to the development of human-derived products in order to seek improvements in ovarian stimulation protocols. Ferring has submitted an application to the FDA seeking additional indications for Bravelle™ in infertility treatment. This application, which is supported by additional clinical studies, brings the total number of patients studied to 577. This application is currently under review by the FDA.”

A Human-Derived FSH Proven as Safe and Effective as Genetically Engineered FSH

Bravelle™ was compared to follitropin beta, a recombinant FSH, in a prospective, parallel group, multicenter trial in 111 oligo-anovulatory patients undergoing ovulation induction. Patients underwent pituitary suppression with a GnRH agonist prior to being randomized to Bravelle™ SC, Bravelle™ IM or follitropin beta SC. Results showed that there were no significant differences in efficacy and safety between the treatment groups.

In addition to the studies supporting the new drug application, Ferring has recently completed two Phase 3B clinical trials involving 24 centers. These trials evaluated the use of Bravelle™ together with Repronex® (mixed protocol), Ferring’s human menopausal gonadotropin, in the same syringe, in two age groups. The first study evaluated the use of a mixed protocol in 108 women ages 18 to 33 years; the second trial evaluated 120 women ages 34 to 40 years. This is the first time a prospective, systematic clinical evaluation of single daily dose mixed protocols has been conducted anywhere in the world.

Bravelle™: The Natural Choice

Bravelle™ is affordably priced, an important benefit since infertility treatment is generally not fully covered by insurance. It is available for both subcutaneous and intramuscular injection. Most patients prefer SC administration because it is more convenient and causes less discomfort.

Added Anderson, “Bravelle™ is ideally suited to meet the needs of infertility specialists and their patients by providing an affordable solution that combines human derived hormone efficacy with recombinant hormone-like purity.”

Only physicians thoroughly familiar with infertility treatment, including the risk of multiple births and adverse reactions, should prescribe Bravelle™. Like all gonadotropins, Bravelle™ is a potent substance capable of causing mild to severe adverse reactions, including ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (incidence of 8.2%), with or without pulmonary or vascular complications, in women undergoing therapy for infertility.

Background on Human-Derived Hormones

The key differences in human-derived and genetically engineered infertility treatments are raw material sources and cost. Human-derived FSH treatments are highly purified follitropins extracted from the urine of postmenopausal women. By comparison, genetically engineered products are derived from the secretions from Chinese hamster ovary cells that are cultured in fetal calf or other mammalian serum, and approximate human hormones. Both are manufactured in compliance with extremely strict standards (including viral inactivation and confirmatory testing), but human-derived products are generally less expensive than their genetically engineered counterparts.

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Ferring Pharmaceuticals, part of the Ferring Group, a privately owned, international pharmaceutical company, markets Bravelle™, Repronex® and Novarel® in the U.S. to infertility specialists and their patients.  The Ferring Group specializes in the research, development and commercialization of compounds in general and pediatric endocrinology, urology, gastroenterology, obstetrics/gynecology and infertility.

For more information, call 1-888-337-7464 or visit www.ferringusa.com.

For more information, please contact

Marilyn Seiger
Kovak-Likly Communications
203.762.8833
mseiger@klcpr.com

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

Building for the 21st Century

Copenhagen, Denmark – March 21, 2002 –

Ferring International Center Opens for Business

The new Ferring International Center in Copenhagen will be officially inaugurated by the Danish Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation and renowned architect Henning Larsen on Thursday, March 21st, 2002.

‘The Ferring International Center is a shining example of Ferring’s many achievements in advancing science and pharmaceutical research and technology, said Minister Helge Sander. ‘Like the bridge just a few minutes away that links two nations, the Ferring International Center stands as a partnership that will only deepen and expand in the years ahead.’

Commenting on the event, executive chairman Frederik Paulsen said “this is a building for the twenty-first century that will enhance Ferring’s capability to continue to address new challenges in the development of innovative medicines*”.

The inauguration of the new FIC building is an important landmark in the company’s effort to consolidate its Scandinavian work force as well as providing global management services for its numerous operating companies world-wide.

‘We now have all of our key functions represented under one roof and can capitalise on the resulting interaction and dynamic flow of information to provide renewed impetus for Ferring’s continued growth and expansion,’ said Michel L. Pettigrew, Executive Vice-President of Commercial Operations.

Over the years, Ferring has developed into a multi-national company with strong European roots. The founder Dr. Frederik Paulsen opened the first offices in Malmoe in the 1950s. Today, Ferring has operating units in the most important pharmaceutical markets throughout the world. Ferring has about 2,200 employees in 40 countries.

Larsen’s building is a prime architectural example of its kind, by combining light and reflection with a masculine geometric building. The building is one of the tallest in Scandinavia.

”We believe it demonstrates how traditional values of Danish architecture** such as simplicity, purity and functionality can be maintained and developed in a contemporary and sophisticated formal way”, said Larsen.

FIC consists of two parts: a 20-story high-rise for offices and communal areas on the western part of the site, and a three-story building for laboratories on the eastern portion.

The main entrance to the building faces the plaza in front of the metro station. A glass wall separating the plaza from the lobby creates the illusion that the plaza continues into the building’s reception area and elevator lobby. Elevators or a stairway access an underground parking area.

The offices are open plan on each floor, allowing for common and user-friendly space as well as providing a congenial working environment for
Ferring staff.

High-speed elevators service the office tower, staff and guest cafeterias, and smaller meeting rooms, as well as a large roof terrace.

The three floors in the laboratory building are constructed around a central corridor that leads from the main lobby elevators in the high-rise to the east facade facing the waterway. Light filters in through gardens. Two wings added to the base of the building house smaller laboratories. It is expected that about 80 people will work in the laboratories and, with time, 300-350 people will occupy the office tower.

* Notes to Editors:

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a world leader in the research and commercial development of peptides, natural compounds that play a role in virtually all of the body’s systems. This is what we mean by “… using innovative methodologies to provide tailored treatments on the body’s own terms.” Ferring’s product portfolio illustrates an exceptionally innovative and successful policy of providing therapy for rare diseases. Our research is focused on basic targets within our core therapeutic areas of endocrinology, urology, infertility, obstetrics and gastroenterology. Our projects include the areas of erectile dysfunction, bladder sensory dysfunction, obstetrics, prostate cancer, obstetric related disorders and disorders in bone metabolism.

** Notes to Editors:

Henning Larsen has been rated as one of the most important architects of his generation. For many years he has influenced – and made significant contributions to – both the Danish and the international architectural scene. Among his major works are the Foreign Ministry building in Riyadh, Trondheim University, the Malmö Central Library, Copenhagen School of Economics & Business Administration, and the addition to the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen. This fall will see the opening of Unibank’s main offices at Christiansbro and the Danish Design Centre on H.C. Andersen’s Boulevard – both in Copenhagen – and next year the Kunsthalle Adolf Würt, Schnäbisch Hall, Baden-Württenberg in Germany.

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, 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.

For more information, please contact

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

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