Redefining a Mental Health Treatment Paradigm

Scenario.

• Client was approaching the launch of a new product for treatment of a mental health disorder. Despite promising trial data, successful adoption of their therapy would be challenging for a number of reasons.
• The product had a unique MoA and frequency of administration which was significantly different from the current standard of care (episodic / acute treatment vs chronic treatment).
• They were also entering a very competitive, and saturated therapeutic area with highly entrenched and historical treatment practices.
• While data was available, it was unclear who their target of communication was, what the key messages were, as well as when and where they would tell their scientific story.
• Additionally, further insight was needed to understand what the flow of communication should look like in order to strategically shift the treatment paradigm.

The Ask.

• A comprehensive communication strategy was needed to both prepare the market for launch as well as educate on the disease state and new therapy.
• Client was aiming to change how treaters saw the disease, in order to change how they would treat it.

Our Solution and Value Delivered.

In order to change an established paradigm, especially one in a crowded therapeutic space, it’s critical to understand the needs of the audience and ensure that any communications resonate with that audience. Effective communication is about the story we want the audience to hear and understand, not simply about the information we want to tell them. Therefore, we took a strategic approach to communication and the subsequent materials that were developed to disseminate Client’s story and shift treatment practices.
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1. Strategic Working Group Sessions – We designed and facilitated a series of virtual sessions with KOLs, we pressure test Client’s data and MOA to develop a high-level scientific narrative. We also gathered insights on what was important to different treaters to ensure the communication strategy was developed with key considerations incorporated.
2. Communication Strategy – A communication strategy was also developed; whereby key communication pillars and messages were aligned on, and target HCPs were identified. A comprehensive communication activity grid was crafted to outline activities including publications, symposia, as well as target conferences and field activities that would support story evolution over time.
3. Narrative Guidance Document – Guidance documents outlining the scientific narrative of the therapy and disease state were developed to serve as the basis of scientific communication alignment across the organization – the strategic working group of KOLs was also leveraged to incorporate treater perspectives into content development.
4. Field Core Slide Decks – Based on these guidance documents, we identified the need for field core slide decks that could facilitate discussions and support communication of the new treatment paradigm in the field.

Meet the Authors.

Patrick Hillan
Principal, Science & Strategy