Takeda kicked off 2024 by reeling in an approval for HyQvia in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), and it’s closing out the year by launching its first direct-to-consumer campaign for the new indication.
CIDP is a rare autoimmune disorder in which the body attacks the myelin sheaths that insulate and protect the peripheral nervous system, leading to tingling, weakening and loss of feeling in the arms and legs. It develops most commonly among people aged 40 to 60, and it affects men at about twice the rate of women.
HyQvia was approved by the FDA in January as a maintenance therapy to prevent relapse of neuromuscular disability and impairment in adults with CIDP. The drug—originally approved in 2014 to treat primary immunodeficiency—combines immunoglobulin and hyaluronidase and is meant to be administered up to once a month as a subcutaneous infusion.
To boost awareness of CIDP and of HyQvia’s availability as a treatment for the condition, Takeda last month launched a multimedia marketing campaign. According to the company, the campaign marks not only the first DTC push for HyQvia in CIDP but also the first-ever connected TV commercial for an approved CIDP maintenance treatment and for any plasma-derived therapy.
The TV ad takes an angling angle, depicting a father-son fishing trip while providing information about Takeda’s therapeutic.
“Did you know there’s another option for your CIDP treatment? Say ‘Hy’ to HyQvia,” a voiceover says, as the pair are shown arriving at a lake, baiting their hooks and settling in for a peaceful day of fishing.
Throughout the minute-long commercial, the older man—who appears to fit the primary demographic of CIDP patients—sips from a thermos with a “World’s Greatest Dad” sticker, cracks up as his son reels in a comically tiny fish, takes in a picnic lunch and, finally, reels in a decently sized catch of his own.
Meanwhile, the voiceover and text onscreen highlight HyQvia’s convenience factors, including that it’s delivered under the skin, rather than into a vein, and that its two-hour infusions can be performed in a doctor’s office, infusion center or a patient’s own home—before following up with the requisite information about side effects and contraindications.
A QR code remains on the screen throughout the TV spot and leads to the CIDP-specific HyQvia website. The ad ends with the voiceover encouraging viewers to scan the code for more information and to talk to their doctors about the treatment option.
In a statement sent to Fierce Pharma Marketing, Rick Ascroft, head of U.S. plasma-derived therapies at Takeda, said the campaign’s overarching goal is two-pronged: to raise awareness of CIDP and spur conversations between patients and their doctors about managing the disease.
“Importantly, we believe that representation matters, and bringing visibility to people living with CIDP is at the core of this campaign,” Ascroft said. “Extensive research informed the campaign’s creative approach, including patient preferences to highlight the ways CIDP affects them. We hope the ad will help to build awareness, empathy and support for those affected by CIDP.”
HyQvia’s FDA approval for CIDP came after a phase 3 study of 122 adults found that only 14% of those on Takeda’s treatment experienced relapses, compared to 32% of the placebo group.
Its greenlight in the indication is part of a recent wave of subcutaneous treatment options for the disease, which has traditionally been treated with intravenous immunoglobulin infusions. The first subcutaneous option arrived in 2018, with the approval of CSL Behring’s Hizentra immunoglobulin medication.
It was followed by HyQvia at the start of this year and then, in June, a nod for the Halozyme Therapeutics-partnered subcutaneous version of argenx’s Vyvgart, dubbed Vyvgart Hytrulo, which roped in more than $570 million in sales in its first quarter on the market.