WideTrial, a startup focused on expanded access programs (EAPs), partnered with ZingPR to announce its role in a major NIH-funded EAP for ALS. The challenge was to generate excitement while establishing credibility and navigating the constraints faced by many startups.

Through targeted messaging, media outreach, and compelling content, ZingPR helped WideTrial achieve significant media coverage in prominent publications. This success demonstrates the value of strategic PR for healthcare startups, highlighting how a clear message and targeted outreach can help overcome challenges and achieve business goals.

A familiar story for healthcare startups

Picture this: you're a healthcare startup with a groundbreaking solution. You're on the cusp of announcing a major partnership that could transform patient care. But you're also facing the challenges that many startups encounter: limited resources, tight timelines, a high-profile partner that you cannot mention, and an urgent need to establish credibility in a crowded market.

How do you navigate these obstacles and ensure your message resonates with the right audience?

This was the situation facing WideTrial, a company ready to ramp up its innovative solution for expanded access programs (EAPs), specifically focusing on streamlining and simplifying the EAP process. WideTrial was about to announce its participation in a major NIH-funded EAP for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a devastating disease with no known cure, using the investigational drug ibudilast. The CEO wanted to generate awareness about WideTrial’s involvement, but he also needed manage expectations and avoid overstating his company’s role.

Why Expanded Access Programs matter

Before we dive into WideTrial's story, let's talk about why EAPs are so important. EAPs provide a pathway for patients with serious or life-threatening conditions who cannot participate in clinical trials to access investigational drugs. These programs offer a glimmer of hope to patients who have exhausted all other treatment options.

EAPs also offer benefits to drug developers. They can help generate real-world data on the safety and efficacy of investigational drugs, which can be used to inform clinical trial design and accelerate the drug development process.

The strategy: purpose and precision

ZingPR partnered with WideTrial to craft a strategic PR and media relations approach that addressed these unique challenges.

The strategy centered on:

• The narrative: We ditched the jargon and spoke human. We focused on the real-world benefits of expanded access programs for patients with serious illnesses, emphasizing the patient-centric approach that WideTrial values. We highlighted WideTrial's expertise in navigating the complexities of EAPs, their commitment to providing wider patient engagement, and the potential for discovering response-predictive biomarkers through these programs.

• The media: I hand-picked the publications that mattered – the ones read by the movers and shakers in clinical trials, neurology, and health tech.

• The message: We developed a press release that was deliberately informative, engaging, and refreshingly free of hype. We gave journalists the facts they needed, and presented them in an impactful way.
  

Navigating constraints — every startup’s reality

Startups often operate with limited resources and tight timelines. WideTrial was no exception. We had to be creative and resourceful to ensure these PR efforts were effective and within a modest budget. We prioritized media outreach to publications that were most likely to be interested in WideTrial's story, maximizing impact with limited resources.

Results

The media campaign netted coverage in several top-tier publications, spreading the word about WideTrial's mission and expertise. Collectively, these stories helped establish credibility for WideTrial —  generating buzz and carving out a space for themselves in the competitive expanded access field. This initial campaign also proved helpful in driving interest from potential partners and talent.

WideTrial's story is a testament to the power of strategic PR for healthcare startups. By focusing on clear messaging, targeted outreach, and compelling content, ZingPR helped WideTrial overcome the challenges faced by many new ventures and achieve their business goals.

If you're a healthcare innovator looking to make a splash, let's chat. I've got a knack for getting companies noticed – for all the right reasons. Drop me a line and let's see how we can chart a course for success together.