Just Health PR wins Caris Life Sciences tumour profiling brief

By Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith, prweek.com, Monday, 11 February 2013 10:00AM

Caris Life Sciences, the global biosciences company, has drafted in Just Health PR to lead an integrated PR and public affairs campaign as it looks to introduce a new tumour profiling technology into the UK market.

Technology: The tumour profiling targets metastatic cancers

It is the first time the medical company has hired a dedicated comms and public affairs agency in Europe, as it looks to expand outside of the American market.

The brief focuses on Caris’ molecular intelligence services division, which examines the genetic and molecular make-up that is unique to each patient’s tumour.

The technology uses the information taken from a biopsy and cross-references it with clinical evidence from existing science literature, to produce information that helps oncologists identify the drugs most likely to succeed with most metastatic solid tumour (spread from one organ to another) cancers.

Just Health was hired without a pitch and is charged with driving awareness of the technology, with the aim of inc­reasing survival rates through personalised medicine.

The agency has begun work on the ongoing pan-European account and has started conversations with key policymakers including the Downing Street Policy Unit, the Department of Health (DH), UKTI and the Technology Strategy Board.

Jon Spiers, head of political relations at Just Health, will lead the account, reporting to Ian Walker, the vice-president of Caris Life Sciences. The agency will continue to engage with cancer advocacy groups such as Cancer Res­earch UK and Breakthrough Breast Cancer, DH and bodies involved in oncology policy.

This article was first published on prweek.com