• by Les Luchter , April 10, 2023

Acorda Therapeutics has launched a streaming commercial for Inbrija, a four-year-old rescue inhaler for Parkinson’s sufferers, delivered only to viewers who have self-identified as being impacted in some way by Parkinson’s disease.

The spot focuses on what Ron Cohen, Acorda’s president and chief executive officer, told investors last week is the “emotional impact” of “off periods": the time between doses of a patient’s regularly scheduled Parkinson’s medication.

“In Parkinson’s disease, unexpected return of symptoms can hit you at any time,” says the spot’s narrator, “bringing thoughts of ‘I can’t,’ ‘I shouldn’t,’ or ‘I won’t be able to.’ But don’t let symptom return keep you from doing what you love. Fight returning Parkinson’s symptoms with Inbrija.”

The ad buy “cost a small fraction of what it would cost us to do a broadcast commercial,” Cohen told investors, adding that the spot should also be “more effective because it’s so targeted.” He said it will only be shown to people “who we have good reason to believe have an interest in information about Parkinson’s disease and therefore will be more receptive to it…Other people watching the same show will be getting a different commercial.”

The commercial backs up an online ad campaign, which Cohen called “digital surround sound,” that uses paid search, Facebook, and other locations “where people with Parkinson’s are likely to be viewing” to reach Inbrija’s target audience that also includes caregivers and healthcare providers. 

Acorda is projecting 2023 U.S. Inbrija revenues of $38 million to $42 million, versus $28 million in 2022. Cohen said this can be accomplished largely by increasing market penetration -- since under 2% of some 380,000 people in the U.S. who could use the product are on any kind of a rescue inhaler. With two competitors in the field, Inbrija now has 67% of the market, Cohen said.

With Tuesday also being World Parkinson’s Day, here’s a roundup of other marketing-related developments concerning the disease:

The World Parkinson Coalition has selected the top 12 user-generated videos in a competition designed to “capture what many with Parkinson’s feel every day as they live with this disease.” The winner will be announced at the World Parkinson Congress in Barcelona on July 4.

The Parkinson's Foundation has launched an awareness campaign, “encouraging everyone to #Take6forPD by highlighting action steps anyone can take in six minutes -- the time it takes to make a cup of coffee -- to advance research, improve access to care, empower and educate.”

Later this month he American Parkinson Disease Association will launch its annual multicity Optimism Walks, which are sponsored by Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Avion Pharmaceuticals., both of whom market drugs containing levodopa, which is also used in Acorda’s Inbrija.