The Merck Serono division is the global leader with its portfolio of drugs to treat infertility. We are the only company that offers physicians and patients recombinant versions of the three main reproductive hormones that are important for the treatment of infertility. In 2010, sales by the Business Unit Fertility increased by 6.6% to EUR 657 million. We generated nearly half of our sales in Europe, which remains our largest market. In 2010, sales in Europe were slightly higher than in 2009. We recorded double-digit growth in the regions Asia, Africa, Australasia and Latin America, while sales increased slightly in North America.
Growth of Gonal-f® continues
Gonal-f® (follitropin alfa for injection) is a recombinant form of the natural follicle-stimulating hormone. It is approved in over 100 countries and is the world’s leading female fertility drug. The injection device Gonal-f® pen for the self-administration of Gonal-f® is now available in more than 90 countries, including the largest EU markets, the United States and Japan. Sales of Gonal-f® grew by 3.7% to EUR 504 million, primarily as a result of strong growth of 15% in Asia, Africa, Australasia. Positive currency effects were responsible for more than half of the increase in this region. Gonal-f® was additionally approved in Japan in 2009 for the treatment of infertile women with irregular or absent ovulation. Consequently, sales increased sharply in 2010. In North America, Gonal-f® sales remained at the previous year’s level in a declining and hotly contested market. In Europe, which accounts for nearly half of our Gonal-f® sales, we stopped the negative trend of 2009 and maintained sales at the previous year’s level despite unabated cost containment pressure in the health care sector. In Italy, our largest European market for this product, sales remained just as stable as in France, our second-largest market. Spain is the third-largest market in Europe and is dominated by private payers, who continued to feel the effects of the economic crisis. Consequently, sales of Gonal-f® declined by 4.3%. By contrast, Gonal-f® performed well in the United Kingdom. Sales grew strongly in this market, mainly on an organic basis, increasing 31% over 2009.
Our recombinant combination treatment Pergoveris™ is used to stimulate follicular development in infertile women with severe follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone deficiency. It is the first drug to allow the simultaneous administration of the two key hormones for ovarian stimulation in a single subcutaneous injection. Global sales, which are achieved almost exclusively in Europe, increased by 8.4% to EUR 32 million, primarily thanks to growth of 50% in France. Ovidrel®/Ovitrelle® is a recombinant version of the natural hormone hCG and is used to trigger follicle maturation and ovulation. Sales of Ovidrel®/Ovitrelle® grew strongly by 21% to EUR 45 million, thanks to good growth in all regions. Sales of Cetrotide®, a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist used to prevent premature ovulation, also rose sharply by 23% to EUR 38 million.
Grant to promote innovative fertility projects
In June, Merck Serono announced the first recipients of funds from the Grant for Fertility Innovation. We set up this program for innovation in fertility in order to further medical research in this field. Around EUR 1 million was awarded to five innovative applied research projects that aim to help infertile couples improve their chances of conceiving. In the same month, we presented the results of the largest international study aimed at understanding the decision-making process of couples trying to conceive. The findings can help clarify disparities in fertility rates and reveal barriers that may prevent couples with infertility from seeking medical help. More than 10,000 men and women from 18 countries responded to the survey, which was developed in collaboration with Cardiff University in Wales (United Kingdom).