Ferring Pharmaceuticals' FIRMAGON® Named Official Sponsor of Ed Randall's Bat for the Cure

PARSIPPANY, N.J., July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc., the makers of FIRMAGON® (degarelix for injection), will sponsor Ed Randall's Bat for the Cure charity, in an effort to "strike-out prostate cancer" with awareness, education, effective management and prevention support at the organization's Minor League Baseball initiative across the country. FIRMAGON® is a hormone antagonist therapy for advanced prostate cancer.

"We are honored to support Ed Randall's Bat for the Cure, which has done so much to educate the public about prostate cancer," said William Garbarini, Vice President, Orthopaedics and Urology Business Unit, Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.  "As the official charity of Minor League Baseball in 2010, Ed Randall's Bat for the Cure can build on its impressive record, increasing awareness among thousands of baseball fans. We are thrilled to help them get the word out."

Since 2002, Ed Randall's Bat for the Cure has worked to ensure that no man dies needlessly from prostate cancer due to lack of information about the disease. Ed Randall's Bat for the Cure educates men on the prevalence of prostate cancer (the most commonly diagnosed cancer in US men), and emphasizes the importance of early detection through screening.

From Boise to Jacksonville and many towns and cities in between, Ed Randall's Bat for the Cure spreads its message during Minor League Baseball games, distributing educational materials and offering free prostate cancer screenings.

"We are proud to partner with Ferring, whose product FIRMAGON is an important novel treatment option for locally advanced prostate cancer patients," said Ed Randall.  "Like us, Ferring encourages men to take a proactive role in their own health through education. We are happy to be on the same team, with the joint goal of striking out prostate cancer for good."

The latest statistics on prostate cancer are saddening: in the time it takes to complete a typical baseball game, more than 9 men, a team's starting lineup, will be impacted by the disease. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death among men with estimates of as many as 240,000 new cases of prostate cancer in the US this year. Overall, one in three men will develop a prostate problem, one in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and for African-American men, 1 in 4 will develop the disease.

About Ed Randall's Bat for the Cure

Ed Randall's Bat for the Cure is a New York based charity raising prostate cancer awareness, promoting early PSA testing and raising much needed research funds to fight the disease. In 2009, the organization held Prostate Cancer Awareness Events at more than 130 Minor League games across the country. Free prostate cancer blood test screenings were also held at Yankee Stadium during a New York Yankees-Tampa Bay Rays game, separately at the Rays' Tropicana Field, at U.S. Cellular Field before a Chicago White Sox game, and at the United Center before a Chicago Bulls game.  Men received their blood work results within 2 weeks of the free tests and could then pursue further treatment with their family physician.

About FIRMAGON

FIRMAGON is a prescription medicine used in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

Important Safety Information

FIRMAGON should not be given to people who are allergic to any of the ingredients in FIRMAGON.  It should not be given to women who are pregnant or may become pregnant.  FIRMAGON can harm an unborn baby when given to a pregnant woman.

Before receiving FIRMAGON, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you have any heart problems, problems with balance of your body salts or electrolytes (such as, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium), or have kidney or liver problems.

The common side effects of FIRMAGON  include: hot flashes, injection site pain, redness and swelling (especially with the first dose), weight gain, increase in some liver enzymes, tiredness, hypertension, back and joint pain, chills, urinary tract infection, and decreased sex drive and trouble with erectile function (impotence).

Please see Full Prescribing Information at www.Firmagon.com.

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a subsidiary of Ferring Pharmaceuticals, a Swiss-headquartered, research driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets. The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of endocrinology, gastroenterology, reproductive health and urology. Ferring Pharmaceuticals offers a line of urology, infertility, gynecology, and orthopaedic products in the U.S. market. For more information, call 1-888-FERRING (1-888-337-7464) or visit www.FerringUSA.com http://www.ferringusa.com/.

SOURCE Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc.