Launched groundbreaking therapy with a high-stakes communication plan
7/9/2025
Client: Confidential Biotech Firm
A biotech firm was preparing to launch a revolutionary but controversial new gene therapy. The launch required a carefully orchestrated communications plan to educate the public, manage ethical concerns, and build trust with patients and physicians.
Objective
To launch a new, controversial therapy in a way that maximizes patient access, builds public trust, and establishes the company as a leader in ethical innovation.
Approach
- Developed a comprehensive launch plan that integrated media relations, patient advocacy, and government affairs.
- Created a multi-stakeholder advisory board to guide the ethical and clinical rollout of the therapy.
- Launched a major public education campaign to explain the science behind the therapy and its potential benefits.
- Worked closely with patient advocacy groups to ensure the patient voice was at the center of the launch.
- Prepared the company's leaders to be effective and empathetic spokespeople on a complex and sensitive topic.
Outcome / Impact
- The launch was met with overwhelmingly positive media coverage, focusing on the therapy's potential to save lives.
- Patient demand for the therapy exceeded initial projections, and the company secured broad reimbursement from insurers.
- The company's stock price doubled in the six months following the launch, reflecting strong investor confidence in its future.
Services used
Velthros helped us navigate a complex and emotionally charged landscape with grace and precision. They were essential to our success.
Background
A biotech firm was on the verge of launching a new gene therapy that had the potential to cure a rare and fatal disease. However, the therapy was also expensive and raised complex ethical questions. The company needed a communications strategy that could navigate this challenging landscape and ensure the therapy reached the patients who needed it most.
What we did
We developed a communications plan that was grounded in the principles of transparency, empathy, and education. We worked to build a broad coalition of support for the therapy, bringing together patients, doctors, ethicists, and policymakers. We focused on telling the human stories behind the science, and we prepared the company’s leaders to engage in a thoughtful and open dialogue about the ethical considerations.
Result
The launch was a major success. The therapy was embraced by the medical community and received broad support from the public. The company was hailed as a pioneer in the field of gene therapy, and its work has paved the way for a new generation of life-saving treatments.