• by Tanya Gazdik , May 6, 2011

Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc., is sponsoring the Great Prostate Cancer Challenge, the fastest-growing men's health event series in the United States.

Now in its fifth year, the event is led by Zero and its "Project to End Prostate Cancer." Washington, D.C.-based Zero is committed not only to reducing prostate cancer and alleviating pain from the disease, but to ending it.

Ferring is the maker of Firmagon (degarelix for injection), a hormone antagonist therapy for advanced prostate cancer.

The challenge brings communities together in an effort to stop prostate cancer, and also to support those who have been impacted by the disease, says William Garbarini, vice president, U.S. marketing, Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc., in a release.

Zero expects more than 15,000 participants across 27 cities in this year's Great Prostate Cancer Challenge events. Cities holding running races and walks include Atlanta, Detroit, Tucson and Albuquerque, N.M. (a first-time city).

The first GPCC event took place in 2007 in an effort to promote prostate cancer awareness, early detection and research. To date, the national event series has raised nearly $2 million. Zero dedicates the proceeds from each event to free prostate cancer screenings in the host community.

Prostate cancer is diagnosed approximately every two minutes, and takes about one life every 18 minutes. It is the most common non-skin cancer, and the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. About one man in six will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime, and one in 35 will die of this disease.

The events are being promoted on a dedicated Web site at http://www.GreatProstateCancerChallenge.com/.

Last fall, Ferring sponsored Zero's Dash For Dads events, which attracted more than 7,000 participants across 13 cities.

Parsippany, N.J.-based Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a subsidiary of Ferring Pharmaceuticals, a Swiss-headquartered, research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets.