Caitlin Marsh
Associate Director, Ruconest Marketing
Pharming Healthcare, Inc.
Innovations Driven by Patient Needs
In today’s ever-changing landscape, biopharma marketers have to innovate constantly in order to keep their brands relevant. Caitlin Marsh understands that and combines all the qualities needed to succeed in this dynamic context. She is a courageous innovator, a passionate patient engager, and an open-minded listener—qualities that serve the Ruconest (C1 esterase inhibitor [recombinant]) brand well. Her ability to keep many moving targets in focus has delivered remarkable results in the form of trailblazing online video and mobile app strategies that won industry-wide recognition.
For example, Caitlin developed and launched the HAE & Me App to provide a convenient way to track painful, sometimes dangerous, swells associated with hereditary angioedema (HAE) and to share reports with the patient’s healthcare team. The app is designed to securely store medical documents, prescription refill reminders, and upcoming HAE events. Unlike most branded apps, this app can be used by patients who are currently being treated with other products. This approach offers Pharming a chance to be a valued partner to the HAE community and to better understand HAE patient needs and challenges. Since the app’s launch in June 2020, there has been significant uptake and use by patients.
There has also been significant uptake across Ruconest’s branded social media channels. The Ruconest Facebook page has 146 followers, Instagram has 181 followers, and the YouTube channel boasts 16.7k views this year with 327 subscribers. Sizable numbers when considering the small patient population.
In everything she does, Caitlin’s focus is squarely on patients and caregivers. She spares no effort to seek feedback to guide decisions and actions, ensuring strategic alignment to the brand plan. There are several channels Caitlin routinely and consistently engages for feedback which include patient ambassadors, a patient roundtable, and feedback across social channels.
By continuously learning from and engaging with the community, Caitlin recognized that there is a major opportunity for social media engagement, so she successfully advocated for opening up commenting on all of Ruconest’s three social media channels. This, too, is a testament to Caitlin’s eagerness to engage in a two-way dialog, with the ultimate goal of empowering patients and improving health outcomes.
