Krazati Marketing Team
Mirati Therapeutics
Agency Partner: PRECISIONeffect
Mirati Team Members:
Michelle Richards, Head of Mirati Marketing
Marie Sandman, Senior Director, Krazati Brand Lead
Chris Davidson, Associate Director, Omnichannel
Sarah Donner, Associate Director HCP Marketing
Robert Baque, Patient/APP Marketing
Brandi Marchel, Senior Product Manager
Jeff Skladzien, Marketing Operation Director
Kristen Eck, Marketing Operations Product Manager
Jen Moller, Director of Customer and Market Insights
(Photo Above) From left to right: Brandi Marchel, Michelle Richards, Marie Sandman, Sarah Donner, Chris Davidson, Kristen Eck, Robert Baque, and Jeff Skladzien.
Prepping a Company’s First Launch
In the final week of 2022, within two years of its founding, Mirati Therapeutics launched Krazati, a targeted treatment option for patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with a KRASG12C mutation. KRAS mutations impact approximately one in eight people with NSCLC, and there are limited targeted oncology treatment options for these patients. Promising early clinical data led to an accelerated approval based on an objective response rate and the duration of response. Yet the team knew it had an enormous hill to climb at launch because a large, established player was first to market.
Preparation for the launch depended on a team of nine. Since this was the company’s first commercial launch, the squad sought to create an infrastructure for active communication (across three different time zones) and rely on each individual’s strength. By the time of launch, the team created more than 100 assets of high-quality content, including two robust brand websites with an interactive MOA, an omnichannel platform, interactive core visual aids, and a robust library of support resources, including a thoughtful patient welcome kit.
But as with any drug launch, there were bumps. In one instance, days after presenting the launch materials at the national sales meeting, there was a shift in messaging that required a redo of a significant number of promotional materials just weeks from the launch readiness date. However, the team handled this with tenacity and grace, and swiftly moved to prioritize active communication, and strategize how to pull through the critical revisions and retain the impact of the work already completed.
The results? The FDA granted an accelerated approval of Krazati in December 2022, and the drug is now second to market behind Amgen. Early customer feedback at launch exceeded expectations, with 40% of early details indicating intent to prescribe and branded websites logging 11,000 sessions by the end of the first week.
“I’m so impressed with the progress and the quality output from the entire crew,” says Senior Director Marie Sandman. “With this launch, everything constantly changed and moved like a roller coaster, but the energy, drive, and focus never dipped.”
