CASE STUDY

A Trial of Medical Proportions:
Designing for Impact in a Restrictive Environment

The Situation: Myocor®, Inc., a clinical-stage medical device maker, had developed an innovative treatment for Functional Mitral Regurgitation (FMR), a condition in which left ventricular dysfunction allows blood to flow in the wrong direction through the mitral valve back into the left atrium of the heart. Enrollment in an essential clinical trial was progressing slowly... too slowly. To increase enrollment, Myocor® engaged Neuger Communications Group on a project-by-project basis to develop graphic materials to promote the trial and provide information to physicians at the trial sites.

The Communications Challenge: The target audience was a complex mix of primary care physicians, cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, all of whom had influence over whether or not to refer a patient for the study. In addition, regulatory restrictions constrained the language used in promotional materials, while requiring certain disclaimers and notifications on each piece.

Strategy: The starting point was a logo and wordmark to establish an identity for the trial itself. Here, the goal was to develop artwork that represented the desired state—a repaired mitral valve—that the device was designed to achieve, an illustration doctors would recognize. The result was a depiction of the leaflets of a heart valve with a drop of blood flowing in the proper direction.

The approach with subsequent materials—an enrollment poster and trial information card, tri-fold brochure and symposium promotions—centered around cutting through the visual clutter of the medical field and positioning the new device as superior to the most common current treatment of the disease. Bold, clear use of the logo and colors drew immediate attention and identified the content as related to the heart. Prominent use of the valve names, highlighting the mitral valve, helped the physician audience “place” the device.

Results: Myocor® deployed a series of materials that were visually appealing, technically informative and compliant with all legal requirements. Visibility and awareness within the field, as well as enrollment in the trial, increased and the company looks to be on track to complete trial enrollment on schedule.