THE RISE AND FALL OF THE BRITISH-DRUG-HOUSES-LTD

Steroid research at BDH began in earnest in 1946-1948, when Hartley an d Petrow joined the company. With the need to find new progestational agents to replace ethisterone and progesterone, the company began work . They were the first to discover the vital importance of 6-methylatio n in enhancing the hormonal effects of steroid hormones. Their progest ational studies led them to work on antifertility agents and the devel opment of ovulation inhibitors, the mini-pill, and preliminary studies on the postcoital pill. Their search for new steroids additionally re sulted in synthesis for biological evaluation of new corticoids, anabo lic agents, estrogens, and mineralocorticoids. In 1968 the company, th en known as The BDH Group Ltd., was incorporated into the Glare Group and company research terminated.