Ares-Serono

Ares-Serono, later renamed Serono, was a Swiss biotechnology and pharmaceutical company with roots in Italy and a historic leadership position in reproductive medicine. The company developed and marketed major commercial products including Gonal-f and other fertility therapies, Rebif for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, Saizen for growth hormone deficiency, Serostim for HIV-associated wasting, and Raptiva in dermatology. It helped drive the transition from urine-derived hormones to recombinant biopharmaceuticals and became one of the largest biotech companies in Europe. The holding company Ares-Serono S.A. changed its name to Serono S.A. in 2000. Serono was acquired by Merck in 2006, with the combination subsequently operating under the Merck Serono brand.