Plasma biotherapeutics firm CSL Behring calls in Pegasus for UK brief

The pharma firm researches, develops, manufactures and markets biotherapies, which are treatments derived from human plasma or a recombinant equivalent. These treatments are used instead of chemicals to treat serious and rare conditions such as haemophilia and immune deficiencies.

Pegasus has been brought in as CSL Behring’s retained agency and will work directly with the in-house comms team, led by comms and e-business executive Becky Turner, for the ongoing brief.

Turner said the plasma protein industry ‘differs greatly from the traditional pharmaceutical sector and, therefore, has its own set of communications challenges’.

Due to the nature of rare coagulation and immunology diseases, the plasma therapeutics industry treats a small population of patients compared with the vast numbers served by traditional pharmaceutical clients.
This challenge is further reflected in production costs for plasma-derived medical therapies, which amount to 70 per cent of the selling price, compared with a 19 per cent production cost for chemical-based pharma products.

Jo Spadaccino, director of pharma and life sciences at Pegasus, will lead the account.

In October, the agency bolstered its pharma and life sciences team with three hires – Simon Grist as associate director, Darren Foan as account manager and Joanna Hobbs as a junior account executive.

This article was first published on prweek.com