First Launch Of Organon's Puregon

Organon has launched its recombinant follicle stimulating hormone product Puregon (follitropin beta) in its first market, Denmark. The fertility treatment was given an official unveiling at the 12th annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology earlier this month (Marketletter July 15).

This is the second recombinant FSH product to reach the market for infertility treatment after Ares-Serono's Gonal F (follitropin alpha), which has already been launched in several European markets. Organon will market the drug under the terms of a non-exclusive, royalty-bearing license with Ares-Serono which was agreed last year.

Organon says that Puregon will eventually supersede its urine-derived product Humegon, although the two products will be available simultaneously for some time. Organon maintains that unlike its competitor, Puregon is the only recombinant product which has demonstrated superiority, rather than just equivalence, to urine-derived products.