Monthly Archives: November 2011

Advanced Cell Technology, Leader in the Human Embryonic Stem Cell Space

Posted on November 28, 2011 by | 1 Comment

Two weeks ago our client, Advanced Cell Technology (ACT), strengthened their position as a leader in the field of embryonic stem cell research when Geron, citing economic conditions, announced that it would shift its focus to developing the company’s later-stage oncology therapeutics and no longer pursue its human embryonic stem cell (hESC) programs. Geron and ACT were the first two companies to initiate clinical trials in the United States using hESCs.

ACT recently initiated the first-ever European clinical trial using stem cells, specifically using retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) derived from hESCs to treat Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy (SMD).  Additionally, the company is currently conducting two Phase 1/2 clinical trials in the United States using hESC-derived RPE cells to treat SMD and dry age-related macular degeneration, respectively.

When Russo Partners received the news that Monday morning, we immediately sprang into action, knowing this was a key opportunity for ACT to control the company’s messages surrounding Geron’s announcement when the public would want to know what implications this industry shift would have on ACT’s clinical programs. We proactively reached out to the media, securing interviews with multiple top-tier outlets, as well as financial wires, scientific magazines and trade publications.

By speaking with the media, ACT was able to communicate core messages surrounding the announcement, including emphasizing the strengths of its ongoing hESC programs and the company’s future development plans. In addition, the company was able to provide insight into Geron’s decision as well as information about the stem cell space in general.

Below are links to sample coverage we secured for ACT following Geron’s news:

New York Times

AFP

Bloomberg

The Scientist

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Inviting the Media to Life Sciences Summit 2011

Posted on November 21, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Interested in bringing novel therapeutics to patients? Want to discuss more efficient ways to develop drugs?

Then the Life Sciences Summit 2011 was the conference for you.

Held in New York last week, the conference was a forum for key opinion leaders from industry, academia, medical research foundations and other major stakeholders to explore new paradigms of drug development, examine barriers to success and to discuss strategies for improving efficiency and productivity in therapeutic development.

Russo Partners’ objective was to raise awareness of the conference in the media community, a task we were happy to undertake.

Our first step was to develop a media advisory describing the event, as well as potential sources in attendance, and then to distribute the document to select media contacts. Russo Partners continued working to facilitate connections between the media and attendees, both in advance of and during the conference.

We are pleased to report that the conference was well attended by both media and companies alike, and we are looking forward to assisting Life Sciences Summit in their media outreach next year.

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Introducing OrbusNeich’s Combo (TM) Dual Therapy Stent

Posted on November 15, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Press conference for OrbusNeich's late-breaking data

Last week in a late breaking session at Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2011, OrbusNeich presented data for the company’s first-of-its-kind Combo Dual Therapy Stent, which combines a drug elution with the pro-healing healing GenousTM technology.

While the current standard of care for patients with coronary artery disease, drug eluting stents (DES), have reduced the risk of restenosis (narrowing of the artery), even the most advanced DES can cause delayed healing. The Combo Dual Therapy Stent is the first dual therapy stent to offer the best of both worlds, a stent combining pro-healing technology with a drug elution.

Data from the REMEDEE (Randomized Evaluation of an abluMinal sirolimus coatED bioEngineered stEnt) trial demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the dual therapy stent (DTS) compared to a clinically proven DES. The primary end point of the study was in-stent late lumen loss at nine months, which is the difference in diameter of the stented area before and after the procedure.

Russo Partners was on-site in San Francisco to support and maximize awareness of OrbusNeich’s data announcement in the medical community. Our efforts included securing and coordinating in-person media interviews as well as the use of social media, utilizing Twitter to alert followers to OrbusNeich’s news releases and presentations.

We are excited by this promising data and the potential benefits it has for patients, and we are looking forward to additional data announcements from OrbusNeich when we can continue to provide guidance as well as support for their communications activities.

Below are examples of coverage generated from the data announcement:

Medical Device Daily

MedPage Today

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Media Relations: The Importance of Dialogue

Posted on November 7, 2011 by | Leave a comment

A cornerstone of our media relations philosophy is to always engage in a dialogue with a journalist, taking the time to find out their specific interests and preferences and to build a strong relationship.

So when we received an opportunity to attend Business Wire’s 50th anniversary event, Meet the Media, featuring an expert panel of local journalists discussing characteristics of effective pitching and current trends in journalism, we had to make sure we were in the audience.

As we expected, it was well worth our time.

The format led to an excellent discussion that ranged from insight about uses of social media to best practices for pitching a story, with actionable steps surrounding each topic. Key points either reinforced what we already knew or brought up interesting points that were not immediately apparent, such as the importance of easily-accessible photos in the increasingly digital age. Each insight re-emphasized our belief that an ongoing dialogue with the media is crucial to be able to work effectively and efficiently together.

We would like to extend a special thanks to the panelists, Keith Darcé, biotechnology writer for The San Diego Union-Tribune, Bruce Bigelow, editor of Xconomy, and Joe Guerin, editor of the San Diego Daily Transcript, as well as moderator Katie Easkins, vice president of Lewis PR, for their time and participation. We hope you found it as helpful as we did!

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Ringing the NASDAQ Closing Bell

Posted on November 2, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Two of our Russo Partners team members, Martina Schwarzkopf and Elliot Fox, attended the ringing of the NASDAQ closing bell today, hosted by Amarin (AMRN), a biopharmaceutical company using lipid science to treat cardiovascular disease.

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