Merck Serono is the world’s leading supplier of drugs to treat infertility. The division is the only manufacturer of recombinant versions of all three gonadotropin hormones. Sales by the Fertility business unit declined slightly by 0.8% to €519 million in comparison with sales achieved by the former Serono in 2006. This was due mainly to negative currency effects in the United States, where around 25% of sales were generated. The sale of the marketing rights to Crinone®, a progesterone gel, to Columbia Laboratories, Inc. in the United States at the end of 2006 also lowered sales.
Gaining market share in the United States with Gonal-f®
In a stable and mature market characterized by strong competition, Gonal-f® (follitropin alfa for injection) remains the world’s leading female fertility drug. This recombinant form of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is prescribed to supplement or to replace natural FSH and is meanwhile approved in more than 100 countries. Sales rose slightly over the previous year to €434 million. Adjusted for currency effects, the increase was 5.7%. After declining in the United States in 2006, sales recovered and market share increased. More than one-half of sales were generated in Europe. Gonal-f® further expanded its share of this important market. In Japan, where Gonal-f® is currently approved to treat male infertility, a clinical development program is underway to expand the indication to include female infertility.
Merck Serono continues to invest in the further development of its products and delivery devices. A new generation of the Gonal-f® pen was launched in Australia and several European countries. The global roll-out of this new product will continue in 2008.
Market launch of Pergoveris™ begins
Merck Serono has developed Pergoveris™ for the stimulation of follicular development in women with severe luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) deficiency. Pergoveris™ is the first biotech drug based on the combination of both substances in a single subcutaneous injection. Marketing authorization was granted by the European Commission in June and applies to the member states of the European Union (EU), as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The market launch of Pergoveris™ began in the third quarter of 2007.
Sales of Ovidrel®/Ovitrelle® (choriongonadotropin alpha), a recombinant version of the natural pregnancy hormone hCG, continued to grow. In 2007, sales increased by 23% to €28 million. Ovidrel® is used to induce ovulation in women who are not ovulating and remains the leading product in the market for hCG products. It is the first and only recombinant hCG offered in a ready-to-inject, prefilled syringe that is easy to use.
