First-of-its-kind patient, healthcare provider support program for management of HE

Jul 16 2010

Concentric Pharma Advertising, an independent healthcare advertising and marketing agency, announces the creation of Salix Pharmaceuticals' (SLXP) Hepatic Encephalopathy Living Program (H.E.L.P.) (www.HELPenroll.com). H.E.L.P. launched May 24, 2010, and coincides with the launch of Xifaxan550^® (rifaximin) for the management of patients 18 or older at risk for overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE) recurrence. It is a first-of-its-kind patient and healthcare provider support program for the management of HE, and will provide patients with educational materials, co-pay assistance, treatment adherence support, and a 24-hour toll-free hotline.

“Concentric's discovery, strategy and sophisticated approach insured we created a one-of-a-kind disease management program that carried the potential to build extensive awareness of a complex and under-treated disease.”

Hepatic encephalopathy is a serious disorder caused by chronic liver failure that results in neurologic impairments in cognition, mental status, and motor function. HE frequently occurs in patients with cirrhosis as a result of end-stage liver disease and encompasses a wide spectrum of often reversible neuropsychiatric abnormalities, including disruption in sleep patterns, changes in personality and intellectual capacity, and coma. There are reported to be approximately 200,000 patients in the United States who suffer from episodic overt HE.

According to Mike Banner, EVP, Managing Partner & Director of Client Services with Concentric: "We discovered that doctors don't spend a lot of time discussing HE with their patients because they are naturally more focused on the underlying liver disease. It's a difficult disease to manage even with the best of efforts, and many HE patients aren't disposed to proper long-term self-care. Proper communication and additional patient support can go a long way in the treatment of this disease."

Though the H.E.L.P. launch coincides with the availability of Salix Pharmaceutical's Xifaxan550 in U.S. pharmacies, patients do not need to be prescribed Xifaxan550 to take advantage of the open program.

"Our goal was to create a new and innovative program to help patients living with HE," says Matt Mitcho, Associate Brand Director, Salix Pharmaceuticals. "Concentric's discovery, strategy and sophisticated approach insured we created a one-of-a-kind disease management program that carried the potential to build extensive awareness of a complex and under-treated disease."