Swiss firm Ferring Pharmaceuticals has announced that Propess^® (dinoprostone) has been approved by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) in Japan for initiation of cervical ripening in patients at term (from 37 completed weeks of gestation). This is the first time in over 20 years that a pharmacological therapy for cervical ripening has been approved in the country.

Around 10 per cent of births globally require induction of labour, which may be required if the health of the mother or baby is at risk. Cervical ripening is carried out prior to induction to prepare the cervix for birth. This approval offers women requiring an induction in Japan greater choice of alternatives to mechanical methods of cervical ripening.

“The approval of Propess in Japan is a big step forward in offering women more choice when it comes to cervical ripening,” said Per Falk, President and Chief Science Officer, Ferring Pharmaceuticals. “There is a lack of research and development of treatment options for women who are pregnant or giving birth, which is why it is important for Ferring to continue to invest and advance the field of Reproductive Medicine and Maternal Health and continue with our purpose of building families worldwide.”

The announcement today follows a close collaboration between Ferring Pharmaceuticals and a local patient advocacy group to ensure the needs and safety of women in labour are addressed in Japan.

“For women giving birth, mechanical methods may not always be the right option and it is important that a woman’s safety and comfort is paramount,” said Mikiya Kitamura, Vice President, Ferring Japan R&D. “Ensuring that a treatment is safe and effective is a priority for us, and we are pleased to have been able to work together with our local patient advocacy group on this significant milestone.”

Propess is currently marketed in over 60 countries and was developed in the 1980s in Scotland where it continues to be manufactured. As leaders in Reproductive Medicine and Maternal Health, this approval demonstrates Ferring’s continued commitment to helping people around the world to build healthy families.