February 2010 saw the pan-European launch of Mepact (mifamurtide), the first new treatment in 20 years to improve survival rates in patients with osteosarcoma.

LEC became extensively involved very early on in the pre-launch phase, soon after Takeda America acquired IDM Pharma, Inc., in May 2009.

Our strategic brand development activities included the organisation and facilitation of a series of cross-functional, multi-disciplinary ‘brand immersion’ workshops where all Mepact data and brand dynamics were examined and reconfigured to create a set of durable and compelling core brand values.  These core brand values were then used as the basis for colour palettes, logo design, concept development, core sales materials development and other brand collateral such as stakeholder information materials and exhibition panels.  LEC also co-ordinated the translation, production and printing of all materials for use in EU markets, as well as a full EU field-force briefing at the launch conference to ensure that a full understanding of the relevance of all Mepact brand values was established throughout the entire organisation.

Osteosarcoma is a rare and often fatal disease, with approximately 1,200 new cases diagnosed in Europe each year; primarily children and young adults.1 The standard treatment for osteosarcoma is surgical removal of the tumour (resection) with combination chemotherapy before and after surgery. Mepact is used in combination with these other anticancer medicines after the cancer has been removed by surgery.2

Mepact works by activating the body’s immune system to kill microscopic fragments of tumour cells - or micro-metastases - that can break away from the main site of the osteosarcoma in the bone. These fragments can be carried in the blood to other parts of the body, particularly the lungs, allowing the disease to develop further. Disease progression in the lungs is in fact, the primary cause of death in osteosarcoma.3

Data from the largest independent clinical study ever completed in osteosarcoma (662 patients) conducted by the Children’s Oncology Group in the USA, showed that when combined with chemotherapy, Mepact reduced the risk of death by almost one third compared with chemotherapy alone. In addition, 78 percent of patients survived after six years of follow-up after treatment with Mepact and chemotherapy, compared with 70 percent receiving chemotherapy alone.4

A press release from Takeda can be viewed by clicking here and prescribing information here

References:
1. European Medicines Agency. Assessment Report for MEPACT. Accessed 2 November 2009Mifamurtide Summary of Product Characteristics 2009.
2. Mifamurtide Summary of Product Characteristics 200.
3. Meyers PA, Gorlick R: Osteosarcoma. Pediatr Clin North Am 1997; 44:973-989.
4. Meyers PA, et al. Osteosarcoma: The Addition of Muramyl Tripeptide to Chemotherapy Improves Overall Survival – A Report From The Children’s Oncology Group. J Clin Oncol 2008; 26:633-638
 

Leading health care agency Lane Earl Cox is delighted to announce the appointment of Alison Squire as International Account Director.

Alison joins from HC&B Healthcare and has previously worked at leading agencies including Torre Lazur McCann Healthcare, Sudler & Hennessey and Paling Ellis KPR.

Alison is renowned for her strategic, communications analysis and project management skills. She is heavily results driven, a powerful motivator and an energetic team leader who is valued for her simple, straightforward and direct style. She will be leading the Abilify and Sustiva accounts for BMS and Caelyx for Schering-Plough.

Alison enjoys a challenge and has recently taken up canoeing with her first open water trip planned for early April.

LEC Scooped ad of the year in the Nursing Journal Advertisement of 2009 as judged by the target audience. The entry was "Good Hair Day" for Schering-Plough’s CAELYX which also was recognised in three other categories. The whole campaign comprising advertisement, detailing aid and mailing, was Highly Commended in the Craft Award for Hospital Campaign, the sales aid was nominated in the Detailing Aid category and came sixth in the target audience judged Hospital Journal Advertisement category.

Mike Lane, LEC’s Managing Director was highly delighted with the recognition and the fact that the campaign had done what it set out to do - stimulate sales.

As an IPA member since 2005, LEC has achieved IPA Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Accreditation for the second year running for the year 2008.

 Peter Hudspeth, LEC’s Client Services Director, said ‘...we are delighted with this news. IPA Continuous Professional Development Accreditation is a tribute to everything that has been accomplished with the agency’s people development activities’.

The past nine years of IPA CPD have given training and development a significantly higher place on the advertising industry’s agenda and has established a framework for best practice in attracting, retaining and developing talent.

The IPA’s CPD scheme encourages member agencies to provide developmental opportunities for staff, across all departments and skill disciplines. Individuals and their agencies share responsibility for ensuring that skills are constantly honed so that everyone operates at peak performance.

 LANE EARL COX, one of the UK’s leading healthcare communications companies, is pleased to announce two senior appointments to its creative and creative services departments.

Harry Armfield, Deputy Creative Director - Copy, joins from Langland where he worked on a number of key accounts. Harry has also worked at leading agencies such as Pan Communications, FCB Brussels, Saatchi & Saatchi and JWT Deltakos. Harry has experience across a broad range of therapy areas including: bacterial infection; HIV/AIDS; obesity; oncology; respiratory; urology and women’s health. Harry will be teamed with Kim Hughes, Deputy Creative Director - Art, at LEC.

Brian Cottee, previously at Grey Healthcare Group, joins LEC as Creative Services Manager. In addition to managing LEC’s busy internal studio, Brian will also oversee all aspects of production and further develop its comprehensive digital offering.

Jeff Daniels, Creative Director at LEC, commented: "Recent growth has stimulated us to expand our creative department significantly. Our strong client/agency relationships are predicated on our ability to deliver creativity across the board. The addition of Harry and Brian to our team will expand that capability. I have had the pleasure of working with both of them at previous agencies, and they will be working, variously, across our entire client portfolio."

The Directors of LEC are delighted to announce the appointment of Jeff Daniels as Creative Director of the agency.

Jeff has been involved in three other successful agencies in our sector - Publitek, Pan Communications and most recently held the post of Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer, Europe, for the healthcare division of Grey Global Group.

An Art Director by training, Jeff has augmented this by studying and specialising in strategic brand development and positioning. He has been involved in the overall creative implementation and tactical introduction of a number of major brands such as: Crestor (AstraZeneca); Exubera (Pfizer); Singulair (Merck Sharp & Dohme); and Spiriva (Boehringer Ingelheim/Pfizer), to name but a few. Jeff has built up excellent relationships with his clients over the years and enjoys participating in - and often leading - international cross-functional brand analysis and development teams on behalf of major blue-chip clients in the UK, the United States, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the throughout the Middle East.

Jeff serves as a permanent member of the Board of Judges for the New York Festival ’Global’ Advertising Awards, as well as being a regular HAAG and PMS Awards judge, and he has won more than 40 UK and international creative awards, and that’s not counting the dozens of other awards won by various creative teams working under his direction.