Cohn & Wolfe takes on hepatitis C and substance misuse brief
pharmafile | May 15, 2009 | News story | Medical Communications | Cohn&Wolfe
PR agency Cohn & Wolfe is to handle communications for Schering-Plough's substance misuse and hepatitis C portfolio.
It will work on two brands: the first is Suboxone (buprenorphine hydrochloride/naloxone hydrochloride), which is used to treat opiate dependence.
The second is hepatitis C antiviral Viraferon-Peg (peginterferon alfa) – the brand known as PegIntron in the US and much of the rest of the world.
Hepatitis C affects 180 million people worldwide, making it over four times more prevalent than HIV.
Drug use and hepatitis C are closely linked, with hepatitis C transmitted primarily through blood or blood products.
"We're trying to look at the crossover between the two," said C&W associate director Lisa Henry.
Heroin is the most frequently reported illegal drug of misuse and it is thought that injecting drugs may be the source of the infection in as many as 80% of hepatitis C sufferers.
Around half of all drug users may be infected with hepatitis C, with many of these unaware of their condition and are therefore not receiving treatment.
C&W director Jo Spadaccino said: "The health needs of intravenous drug users are complex, and in particular the prevalence of HCV is high and will continue to rise and be a ticking time bomb unless it is addressed."
Communications work will be primarily aimed at health professionals.
Spadaccino leads the account team, with Henry and fellow associate director Vicky Kelham.
The latter will provide what C&W describes as "specialist NHS and Department of Health input to the programme".
From last year, hepatitis C patients in Europe have been able to receive Roche's rival treatment Pegasys for longer if at first they don't respond to the treatment.
It is the first pegylated interferon that can be given to patients for up to 72 weeks (previously 48 weeks), in combination with Copegus (ribavirin).
Suboxone has been approved since 2006 for maintenance treatment of opioid dependence.
Standard maintenance therapies methadone and buprenorphine both bind to the opioid receptors in the brain.
But Suboxone comprises naloxone and buprenorphine, which is designed to limit the potential for misuse and potentially lower the street value.
Patients have been known to misuse medication by taking it in a non-prescribed way, thus increasing the "high", while others may try to sell on their prescriptions.
