FACT SHEET: Neurology
MCS has supported numerous products for a variety of neurological conditions, from the investigational stage to market introduction and beyond. From media relations to internal communications to relationship building with thought-leaders and third-party patient and professional organizations, MCS has provided our clients superior strategic counsel and product communications programs to support, establish, maintain and grow their positions in the marketplace.
From Development Through Approval
MCS supports Prestwick Pharmaceuticals' pipeline of investigational CNS products, with a focus on the company's lead compound, tetrabenazine, a novel dopamine depletor for the treatment of chorea associated with Huntington's disease. MCS has helped raise awareness of tetrabenazine and movement disorders by:
- Providing public relations support of tetrabenazine clinical data presentations at major neurology conferences, including the American Academy of Neurology, the American Neurological Association, the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics and the International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders
- Conducting PR support related to the filing of a New Drug Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Growing a relationship between Prestwick and the leading advocacy organization in this category, the Huntington's Disease Society of America.
Partnering with Celebrities
On behalf of MedPointe Pharmaceuticals, U.S. marketers of Zomig®, MCS embarked on a media campaign with gold medal-winning Olympic soccer player Cindy Parlow prior to the 2004 Summer Games to raise awareness of treatment options for migraine headache. As a migraine sufferer, Cindy provided compelling testimony about her experience with migraine and the dramatic difference seeing a neurologist and getting a prescription medication had made for her. Cindy was partnered with leading neurologists to provide accurate medical information to viewers in a broadcast campaign that included a satellite media tour and video news release.
Influencing Shift in Treatment Behaviors
Before the approval of Genentech's Activase® for the management of acute ischemic stroke - the first treatment to receive this indication - the medical community had little to offer patients beyond palliative care and rehabilitation. To encourage consumers and healthcare professionals to see stroke as an emergency condition that could be treated if help was sought quickly after the onset of symptoms, MCS developed a partnership with the American Heart Association to create the Metro Stroke Task Force.
The Task Force provided stroke education to both of these audiences in mid-sized U.S. markets through community education programs, a member newsletter and professional development seminars. Neurology and emergency medicine thought-leaders around the country were available to speak throughout the duration of this grassroots campaign, which helped persuade physicians of the benefits of using Activase for stroke.
This eventually changed the standard of care in the industry. Today, MCS still provides public relations support for the product, helping local stroke centers educate their communities on the signs and symptoms of stroke and the need for immediate treatment.
