Owlstone Medical has a vision is to save 100,000 lives by realising the enormous promise of breath-based diagnostics through the development and application of Breath Biopsy®, a unique platform capable of both biomarker discovery and use in routine clinical testing. The Company’s Research Products and Services are now being deployed at over 100 sites around the world with large pharmaceutical companies including AstraZeneca, Actelion (a J&J company), and GlaxoSmithKline, and leading academic institutions.
To support Owlstone Medical with the development of a strategic PR and communications plan to initially establish the new spin-out as a standalone company and raise awareness with new investors, customers and potential partners in industry and academia. The programme also needed to evidence breath analysis as a proven diagnostic test and position Owlstone as the leader in the field.
With the company’s continued success and development, the objectives prioritised positioning Owlstone Medical as an established and growing, multinational company with proven technology and international investors and profiling the Company’s dual strategy for biomarker discovery – Endogenous metabolites and Exogenous ‘EVOC’ probes.
Most recently, the launch of OMED Health expanded the Company’s focus to include digestive disease and gut health, maximising patient benefit of the Owlstone Medical breath testing technology.
Our approach has included:
- Facilitating a messaging workshop to define Owlstone’s proposition and key messages that resonate with each key audience; drafted clear and consistent messaging to be used across all communications
- Providing strategic communications advice, in line with the communications objectives including recommendations for the launch of a new website
- Increasing coverage in business and trade press (life science and health science) with targeted press releases, award submissions, technical articles and face to face meetings with journalists where possible
- Maximising effectiveness at key conferences and high-profile industry events with media relations activities, including arranging interviews and media briefing meetings
- Building social media profiles, to engage with the target audiences and drive traffic to the website
- Secured interviews for Owlstone’s CEO, Billy Boyle, with national and international press resulting in coverage from The New York Times, The Financial Times, The Sunday Times and The Economist
- Supported communications announcing the launch of significant clinical trial with CRUK, to generate outstanding level of interest from key audiences.
- Reviewed website and made recommendations for development of a new site; worked alongside Owlstone’s marketing team and web design agency to deliver a refreshed website to better meet business and communications objectives
- Worked with B2C marketing agency to support launch of OMED Health at home solution with patients and healthcare professionals including developing communications strategy and messaging that resonates across technical, consumer and investor audiences
- Supported entries for multiple industry awards and accolades with notable successes
Zyme has provided us with strategic guidance and a very proactive approach in developing our PR and communications programme. Zyme’s industry knowledge and network of media contacts has created opportunities for us to build our profile and establish breath as a new diagnostic modality. We have been very impressed by the breadth and quality of media coverage achieved on a regular basis, in key trade publications and global business press.
Billy Boyle, Co-Founder and CEO, Owlstone Medical