Infertility

Drugs Abandoned Serono generates three-quarters of its sales from the multiple-sclerosis medicine Rebif, which was first sold in 1998, and fertility drug Gonal-f, the first biological copy of a follicle-stimulating hormone, that was approved for sale in 1995.

The company has been buying products to revive growth and boost its pipeline.

It acquired rights to Genentech Inc.

and Xoma Ltd.'s psoriasis therapy Raptiva outside the U.S.

and Asia and experimental cancer drugs from companies including Genmab A/S and Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Some of the drugs the company bought as well as those it developed weren't successful.

It dropped the development of psoriasis treatment onercept and melanoma drug Canvaxin in April 2005 and The board may increase the company's authorized capital at once or in installments, Serono said.

The board will be in a position to determine the opportune timing and the optimal conditions for a share issue, the company said in its invitation to shareholders.

To contact the reporter on this story: Chantal Britt in Zurich at cbritt@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: March 31, 2006 02:12 EST ©2006 Bloomberg L.P.

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