Mere weeks after earning the FDA’s signoff on the new drug Winrevair to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), Merck has kicked off an educational campaign around the rare disease.
The
“Outnumber PAH” initiative is aimed
primarily at people diagnosed with the disease, which stems from the more
common condition of pulmonary hypertension and is estimated to affect around
40,000 people in the U.S. The disease causes blood vessels in the lungs to
narrow, leading to increased blood pressure and, eventually, heart failure, and
it progresses rapidly, with a survival rate of less than 60% within five years
of diagnosis if left untreated.
Merck’s
new campaign is focused on providing information and resources to PAH patients
to help navigate their diagnosis and daily life with the disease, with an
overarching theme of encouraging them to build a support system that’ll
“outnumber” the disease. The site features the stories of seven people with PAH
who have found support systems in their friends, family, care teams and each
other, and some of whom are helping others do the same through advocacy work.
In
addition to the patient stories, the Outnumber PAH hub offers information about
the disease—from general statistics to common symptoms and the diagnostic
process—plus tips for adjusting to a new diagnosis, seeking out the right care
team and “building a life around PAH,” including support for lifestyle changes
that may be needed as the disease progresses.
The
site also provides two printouts: a conversation guide to help patients talk to
their doctors about their care and explain the condition to their friends and
family, and a contact sheet aimed at keeping a list of every member of a
patient’s support team—and how they can be reached—organized in one place.
Merck
developed the campaign in partnership with three nonprofit organizations, all
of which are listed as “advocacy partners” on the site: the Pulmonary
Hypertension Association, the National Scleroderma Foundation and the Phaware
Global Association.
In
addition to the patient stories, the Outnumber PAH hub offers information about
the disease—from general statistics to common symptoms and the diagnostic
process—plus tips for adjusting to a new diagnosis, seeking out the right care
team and “building a life around PAH,” including support for lifestyle changes
that may be needed as the disease progresses.
The
site also provides two printouts: a conversation guide to help patients talk to
their doctors about their care and explain the condition to their friends and
family, and a contact sheet aimed at keeping a list of every member of a
patient’s support team—and how they can be reached—organized in one place.
Merck
developed the campaign in partnership with three nonprofit organizations, all
of which are listed as “advocacy partners” on the site: the Pulmonary
Hypertension Association, the National Scleroderma Foundation and the Phaware
Global Association
Though
the Outnumber PAH site includes Merck branding, it doesn’t feature any
references to Winrevair—or any other specific treatments for PAH.
Winrevair’s
approval last month marked a new era in care for the condition.
Previously approved therapies, which include Johnson & Johnson’s Uptravi
and Opsumit, and United Therapeutics’ Adcirca, are focused on alleviating
symptoms rather than actually attacking the disease. Winrevair, meanwhile,
targets the proteins associated with PAH’s inflammatory processes and was
proven in a phase 3
trial to significantly improve exercise capacity and extend the
time to clinical worsening events while also reducing right heart size and
improving right ventricle function and hemodynamic status.
Analysts
have estimated that the drug—which Merck has priced at $14,000 per vial, with
single- or double-vial doses, depending on a patient’s weight, needed every
three weeks—has a peak sales potential of at least $2 billion, with some
forecasts as high as $4 billion.
https://www.fiercepharma.com/marketing/arrowheads-plozasiran-could-reach