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| |  New Fertility Treatment Results In Healthy Baby Boy GENEVA, May 13, 1997 -- The Ares-Serono Group today reported the first birth following infertility treatment with the three recombinant gonadotropins (fertility hormones) developed by the company, Gonal-F(R) (recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone), LHadi(R) (recombinant human luteinizing hormone) and Ovidrel(R) (recombinant human chorionic gonadotropin). The first pregnancy obtained after the administration of these three recombinant gonadotropins was reported in The Lancet in January 1997(A). A healthy baby boy, Sebastian, was delivered on March 9, 1997 in London. Sebastian's mother, treated at the Middlesex Hospital in London, suffered from anovulatory infertility (absence of ovulation) due to a lack of secretion of two key hormones regulating ovarian function, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). "The birth of Sebastian marks a turning point in the history of drug development in the field of infertility, as we are now able to treat this condition with the full range of recombinant fertility hormones developed by Ares-Serono," said Ernesto Bertarelli, Chief Executive Officer of The Ares-Serono Group. "This new generation of drugs obtained by recombinant DNA technology, which are the best treatment options for various types of infertility, reflect the company's commitment to the development of safer, purer and more patient-friendly gonadotropin preparations." During her treatment, Sebastian's mother received Gonal-F (r-hFSH) and LHadi (r-hLH) by subcutaneous injection to induce growth and maturation of ovarian follicles. Ovidrel(R) (r-hCG) was then administered subcutaneously to trigger ovulation. The patient conceived during her third treatment cycle. "Although Sebastian is the first child to be born as the result of treatment with these new products, I am sure that, in just a few years, biosynthetic hormones will replace all the preparations derived from human urine currently in use," said Howard Jacobs, Professor of Reproductive Endocrinology at the Middlesex Hospital in London. Gonal-F is already available in most European countries. LHadi and Ovidrel are currently being used within the frame of international clinical trials. With Gonal-F(R) now being used throughout Europe and the availability of Ares-Serono's two other recombinant gonadotropins expected before the end of the century, specialists in reproductive medicine will have a versatile range of high quality treatment options to match the specific requirements of their patients and help them fulfill their dream of a child. As recombinant gonadotropins are suitable for subcutaneous injection, patients will be able to self-administer their treatment. Self-administration of recombinant gonadotropins is an important advantage as it helps reduce stress for patients undergoing treatment. The Ares-Serono Group is a leading Swiss developer and marketer of pharmaceutical products with executive headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Ares-Serono operates subsidiaries and manufacturing facilities in more than 25 countries. World leader in the treatment of infertility, AresSerono is also active in the fields of growth, wasting and immunology/oncology.
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