The creation of new medicines at Ferring follows a number of key stages:
| Drug discovery : Target is identified and evaluated. Selected targets are then validated and if necessary modified |
Drug Discovery |
| Pharmaceutical development: Compound is developed from a target chemical substance into a formulated product (i.e. tablet, injection, spray etc) that has a pharmacological1 effect on the human body |
Product Development |
| Non-clinical development: Compound is put through non-clinical tests to ascertain its safety and pharmacological action | |
| Clinical development [url: "/en/randd/Creating+New+Medicines/Drug+Development/Product+Development+more.htm#clinicaldev" ]: Formulated compound chemical compound is put through clinical trials2 in human volunteers and patients in accordance with regulatory requirements | |
| Regulatory approval [url: "/en/randd/Creating+New+Medicines/Drug+Development/Regulatory+Affairs.htm" ]: Data from non-clinical and clinical studies is submitted to relevant regulatory authorities3 and Ferring asks for a marketing authorisation4 for the new pharmaceutical |
Regulatory Affairs [url: "/en/randd/Creating+New+Medicines/Drug+Development/Regulatory+Affairs.htm" ] |
The challenge that Ferring faces is that the many potential new substances do not make it through all the stages of the process and do not end up as innovative new medicines. To this end, Ferring continually invests in its R&D capabilities both in its highly skilled workforce and state of the art technology [url: "/en/randd/Creating+New+Medicines/R+D+Technology.htm" ], in order to increase the possibility of creating new medicines that treat disease and improve the lives of patients.