Merck 2010 Annual Report Download - page 57

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.
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In June, Merck Serono announced the first recipients of funds from the Grant for Fertility Inno-
vation. 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).
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The specialized therapies and user-friendly injection devices offered by the Business Unit
Endocrinology can help improve the lives of patients with endocrine and metabolic disorders.
Sales increased by 21% over 2009 to EUR 317 million thanks to strong growth in all regions.
Our top-selling endocrinology product is Saizen ®, a recombinant human growth hormone.
Saizen ® is approved in 79 countries for indications including the treatment of pediatric and
adult growth hormone deficiency, Turner syndrome, growth failure in children associated with
chronic renal failure, as well as to treat children born small for gestational age (SGA). According
to estimates, growth hormone deficiency affects 330,000 children globally and 90,000 adults
in Europe. Sales of Saizen ® increased sharply by 18% to EUR 226 million. Our top-selling
markets were Europe and North America. Latin America as well as Asia, Africa, Australasia
showed strong, double-digit growth, also on an organic basis. The ongoing success of Saizen ®
was favorably impacted by the high acceptance of our electronic injection device Easypod™,
which is now available in around 40 countries, including China, where it was approved in
July. In order to make Saizen ® even more user-friendly, we developed a ready-to-use liquid
formulation that eliminates the need to prepare the powder for injection. Saizen ® solution for
injection was approved in Canada in April. A decentralized procedure was completed in the
European Union in October, allowing national approvals in 18 EU member states in the coming
Merck Serono awards around
EUR 1 million to further
applied research projects
in fertility
Our electronic autoinjector
Easypod™ for the self-
administration of Saizen ®
now also available in China
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