Clew to promote Novartis’ Aclasta
pharmafile | May 31, 2007 | News story | Medical Communications |Â Â Â
Novartis has appointed Clew Communications to run a pre-launch and launch PR campaign for its new osteoporosis drug.
Aclasta (zoledronic acid) is a once-yearly infusion for women with postmenopausal osteoporosis and is expected to receive European regulatory approval later this year.
For Aclasta, the agency has been tasked with demonstrating the continuing difficulty of compliance in osteoporosis and the burden of the disease.
A major problem with osteoporosis is that patients very quickly stop taking their medication – often within six months – whether they have been prescribed daily, weekly or monthly pills. Although Aclasta has to be administered through a drip, this only takes 15 minutes to complete.
Novartis submitted the treatment to regulators earlier than expected after phase III trial data showed it could reduce the risk of new spine fractures by 70% and the risk of hip fractures by 41% over three years compared to placebo.
Osteoporosis currently accounts for 60,000 hip and 120,000 spinal fractures a year in the UK, mostly among post-menopausal women, but the numbers are rising.
Clew has previously worked with Novartis on Prexige, its Cox-II painkiller for symptomatic relief in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee and hip.
Clew has also won two accounts from Cambian Healthcare and Cambian Education, which manage private hospitals for the mentally ill and residential schools for children with autism.
Cambian Healthcare runs 10 hospitals specialising in psychiatric rehabilitation and six schools for children with autism and severe learning difficulties.
Psychiatric rehabilitation is the process by which mentally ill people from psychiatric hospitals or low-secure units are prepared for re-entry into the general community. Patients generally stay for a year or 18 months and are taught social skills, as well as receiving treatment.
To accommodate Clew's growing number of accounts and staff, its two founders – Mary Hicks and ex-Guardian medical correspondent Chris Mihill – have re-organised directorial roles within the company.
Chris Mihill has moved from managing director to chairman and Mary Hicks becomes managing director. Stuart Mayell, formerly account director, becomes associate director.
Commenting on the changes Chris Mihill said: "Clew is growing and it seemed a good time to re-think internal roles. The changes mean Mary steers the ship day-to-day and I can devote more time to the strategic direction of existing accounts as well as looking for new business and publicising the expertise of Clew."
