Ferring Pharmaceuticals
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA privately held international biopharmaceutical company focused on reproductive and maternal health, gastroenterology, urology, and selected specialty therapies.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a privately held Swiss multinational biopharmaceutical company with roots in Sweden and a portfolio concentrated in specialist areas of medicine. The company was established in Malmö in 1950 by Dr. Frederik Paulsen Sr and Dr. Eva Paulsen under the name Nordiska Hormon Laboratoriet. It adopted the Ferring name in 1954; the word refers to a person from Föhr, the North Frisian island associated with the Paulsen family’s origins. Ferring’s early work centered on hormone research. A major technical milestone came in 1961, when the company achieved synthetic production of oxytocin and vasopressin. These compounds helped establish the scientific and commercial direction that would later make reproductive health, maternal health, and endocrinology important parts of the business. As Ferring expanded, its headquarters moved first to Copenhagen and later to Saint-Prex, Switzerland, where its global headquarters are located. The company develops, manufactures, and markets prescription medicines and biologic or biotechnology-derived therapies. Its principal areas include reproductive medicine, pregnancy and childbirth, gastroenterology, urology, orthopaedics, and endocrinology. Products associated with the company include medicines used in fertility treatment and obstetrics, desmopressin-based therapies, gastrointestinal medicines such as Pentasa, and urology products including therapies for bladder disease. The portfolio has also included microbiome-related products and investigational gene therapy. Ferring has built a multinational operating structure rather than a single-country commercial model. It maintains subsidiaries in more than 50 countries, markets products in more than 100 countries, and operates or has operated manufacturing and research facilities in Europe, South America, China, India, and the United States. Its research presence has included a peptide-focused institute in San Diego and research and development activity in Copenhagen. The company has also established shared-services and technology capabilities in Portugal. Expansion has been supported by acquisitions, licensing transactions, and partnerships. In 2011 Ferring acquired Cytokine PharmaSciences and its UK subsidiary Controlled Therapeutics, strengthening its obstetric activities. In 2016 it announced a transaction with Seikagaku concerning Condoliase, an investigational treatment for sciatica. In 2018 it acquired Rebiotix, a biotechnology company working in the human microbiome field. In 2019 Ferring and Blackstone Life Sciences announced a joint investment exceeding $570 million in a late-stage gene-therapy program for high-grade, BCG-unresponsive, non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer; the parties created Fergene to advance the program. Ferring remains a privately controlled specialist pharmaceutical company rather than a publicly traded drug conglomerate. Its positioning is built around focused therapeutic expertise, long-term development of medicines for mothers and babies, and the pursuit of treatments for areas where specialist clinical knowledge is important. The business has nevertheless faced product recalls, regulatory criticism, litigation, and public scrutiny involving an executive’s relationship with Russia. These issues form part of the company’s public record but do not change its current status as an active international biopharmaceutical company.
History
Ferring Pharmaceuticals began in Malmö, Sweden, in 1950. Dr. Frederik Paulsen Sr and Dr. Eva Paulsen founded the business as Nordiska Hormon Laboratoriet, reflecting its original emphasis on hormone science. The company was renamed Ferring in 1954. The name has a family and geographic association: in Frisian usage, a ferring denotes a person from Föhr, an island off Germany’s North Sea coast from which the Paulsen family originated. The company’s first major scientific breakthrough came in 1961 with the synthetic production of oxytocin and vasopressin. These peptide hormones became foundational to Ferring’s later specialization in reproductive medicine, obstetrics, maternal health, and endocrinology. Commercial and research growth led the organization to relocate its headquarters from Sweden to Copenhagen, Denmark, and subsequently to Switzerland. Saint-Prex became the location of the global headquarters. Over the following decades Ferring developed an international pharmaceutical infrastructure. It established operating subsidiaries in more than 50 countries and commercialized products in more than 100 countries. Manufacturing and supply capabilities have been associated with facilities in several European countries, South America, China, India, and the United States. The company also created research capabilities outside Europe, including a peptide research group and the Ferring Research Institute in San Diego. A larger San Diego research facility opened in 2009, providing laboratories for medicinal chemistry, biochemistry, bioanalysis, and pharmacology. In Portugal, Ferring developed a center of excellence for information technology and shared functions during the 2020 period. Ferring’s therapeutic scope expanded beyond its original hormone base. Reproductive medicine and maternal health remained central, while gastroenterology, urology, orthopaedics, and other specialty fields became significant areas of activity. The company has marketed or developed products including therapies based on desmopressin, Pentasa, Glypressin, and fertility medicines such as Bravelle. Its research and business-development activities have also moved into the microbiome and gene-therapy sectors. Acquisitions and external transactions became important tools for broadening the portfolio. In October 2011, Ferring acquired Cytokine PharmaSciences and its UK subsidiary Controlled Therapeutics, a transaction associated with the company’s obstetric focus. In August 2016, Ferring announced the planned acquisition of the Phase III sciatica candidate Condoliase from Seikagaku for approximately $95 million. In April 2018, it announced the acquisition of Rebiotix, a biotechnology pioneer in human-microbiome applications. In November 2019, Ferring and Blackstone Life Sciences announced a joint investment of more than $570 million in an investigational gene therapy for patients with high-grade, BCG-unresponsive, non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. A new company, Fergene, was created to advance the therapy toward patients. This initiative illustrated Ferring’s effort to complement its established specialty-pharmaceutical portfolio with advanced biologic and genetic approaches. The company’s public history also includes regulatory and legal controversies. Authorities and industry publications have criticized or questioned promotional information relating to products including desmopressin and Glypressin, and a Pentasa advertisement in a UK journal was reported not to comply with publication rules. In 2015 Ferring recalled Bravelle after testing indicated that the product might not have the stated potency; a class action was filed in 2016. In 2020 the UK medicines regulator highlighted a recall involving all Ferring desmopressin nasal sprays. Ferring has also faced a dispute with Professor Claudio De Simone over the formulation and branding of products sold as VSL#3. Separately, Frederik Paulsen’s former role as Russia’s honorary consul in Lausanne and his relationship with Russian political circles generated scrutiny, including questions examined by Swiss authorities regarding trips involving politicians and possible benefits. Despite these controversies, Ferring remains active as a privately held international biopharmaceutical company. Its enduring identity is that of a focused specialist rather than a diversified mass-market drug corporation, with particular emphasis on medicines affecting fertility, pregnancy, childbirth, the urinary system, and the gastrointestinal tract.
- 2020
Portugal center of excellence
[1]Ferring develops a Portuguese center of excellence supporting information technology and shared corporate functions.
- 2019
Fergene gene-therapy venture created
[1]Ferring and Blackstone Life Sciences establish Fergene around an investigational bladder-cancer gene therapy.
- 2018
Rebiotix acquisition
[1]Ferring acquires Rebiotix to expand its activity in human-microbiome therapeutics.
- 2016
Condoliase transaction announced
[1]Ferring announces an agreement to acquire the investigational sciatica treatment Condoliase from Seikagaku.
- 2011
Cytokine PharmaSciences acquisition
[1]Ferring acquires Cytokine PharmaSciences and Controlled Therapeutics in the United Kingdom.
- 2009
San Diego research facility opens
[1]Ferring opens an expanded research facility in San Diego for peptide medicinal chemistry and related disciplines.
- 1961
Synthetic oxytocin and vasopressin production
[1]Ferring achieves synthetic production of oxytocin and vasopressin, an early scientific and commercial breakthrough.
- 1954
Renamed Ferring
[1]The company adopts the Ferring name, linked to the Paulsen family’s North Frisian origins.
- 1950
Company founded in Malmö
[1]Dr. Frederik Paulsen Sr and Dr. Eva Paulsen establish Nordiska Hormon Laboratoriet in Sweden.
Products and positioning
A specialist, privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on reproductive and maternal health, gastroenterology, urology, and selected high-need therapies.
Reproductive medicine
Reproductive-health medicines
Ferring’s reproductive-health portfolio includes prescription treatments used in fertility care and related hormonal management. The area reflects the company’s historical expertise in peptide hormones and its long-standing focus on helping patients conceive. Products and indications vary by country and regulatory authorization.
Maternal health
Maternal-health and obstetric medicines
The company develops and markets medicines used in pregnancy, childbirth, and maternal care. Its connection to oxytocin and vasopressin research, together with the acquisition of Controlled Therapeutics, has made obstetrics and maternal health a defining specialty.
Endocrinology and urology
Desmopressin
Ferring has marketed desmopressin products in several formulations and markets. Desmopressin is a synthetic analogue of vasopressin used for particular indications in endocrinology, urology, and related care. The nasal-spray line was subject to a UK recall highlighted in 2020.
Gastroenterology
Pentasa
Pentasa is a mesalazine-based gastrointestinal medicine associated with treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Ferring has marketed the product internationally, and a UK journal advertisement for Pentasa was previously reported as failing to meet applicable publication requirements.
Hospital medicine
Glypressin
Glypressin is a Ferring-associated medicine based on terlipressin and used in specialist hospital settings. Public material has included criticism or legal scrutiny concerning the presentation of information about this and other products.
Fertility medicine
Bravelle
Bravelle was a fertility medicine marketed by Ferring. The company recalled products in 2015 after testing indicated that potency might not match the declared level, and litigation, including a class action, followed.
Microbiome and probiotics
VSL#3
VSL#3 was a probiotic product associated with Ferring in several markets. The company later became involved in a legal dispute with Professor Claudio De Simone concerning the use of the VSL#3 name and distribution of a product containing a modified version of the earlier formulation.
Gene therapy · 2019
Bladder-cancer gene-therapy program
Ferring and Blackstone Life Sciences created Fergene to advance an investigational gene therapy for high-grade, BCG-unresponsive, non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The program represented a move into advanced genetic medicine beyond Ferring’s established small-molecule and peptide portfolio.
Controversies
2022
Scrutiny of Frederik Paulsen’s Russia relationship
Frederik Paulsen’s former position as Russia’s honorary consul in Lausanne, his contacts with Russian officials, and politically connected travel prompted public criticism and questions examined by Swiss authorities.
2020
Desmopressin nasal-spray recall
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency highlighted a recall of all Ferring desmopressin nasal sprays.
2015
Bravelle recall and subsequent litigation
Ferring recalled Bravelle after testing suggested that product potency could be lower than stated. A class action was filed in 2016, alleging risks to women using the fertility treatment.
Product-promotion and advertising scrutiny
Ferring was criticized or accused in public and regulatory material of presenting misleading information about products including desmopressin and Glypressin. A Pentasa advertisement in a UK journal was also reported as non-compliant with publication regulations.
VSL#3 formulation and trademark dispute
Ferring has faced legal proceedings brought by Professor Claudio De Simone concerning the continued distribution and labeling of a product marketed as VSL#3 after their earlier relationship ended and the formulation changed.
Brand decisions
2019
Create Fergene for bladder-cancer gene therapyStrategyBackground
Ferring and Blackstone Life Sciences sought to advance a late-stage gene-therapy candidate for BCG-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Action taken
The partners announced more than $570 million in joint investment and established Fergene.
Aftermath
The initiative marked Ferring’s expansion into investigational gene therapy and advanced oncology.
Announced joint investment. More than $570 million (2019)
2018
Acquire RebiotixM&ABackground
Ferring wanted to expand into therapeutic applications of the human microbiome.
Action taken
It acquired Rebiotix, a biotechnology company specializing in microbiome science.
Aftermath
The acquisition added microbiome technology and development capabilities to Ferring’s portfolio.
2016
Acquire Condoliase rights and programM&ABackground
Ferring pursued an investigational Phase III treatment for sciatica.
Action taken
The company announced an agreement with Seikagaku concerning Condoliase for approximately $95 million.
Announced transaction value. $95 million (2016)
2011
Acquire Cytokine PharmaSciencesM&ABackground
Ferring sought to strengthen its international biopharmaceutical and obstetric capabilities.
Action taken
It acquired Cytokine PharmaSciences and its UK subsidiary Controlled Therapeutics.
Aftermath
The transaction broadened Ferring’s specialist and obstetric operations.
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