Every pharmaceutical asset begins with a nonproprietary, generic name, or an International Nonproprietary Name (INN). This name could potentially be the first strategic decision you make for the commercial life of your brand.

But what exactly is an INN name and why do they exist?

Since the inception of the INN naming system in 1950 it has been providing health professionals with a way to uniquely and universally identify each pharmaceutical substance. INN’s are not only important in identifying a drug’s pharmaceutical ingredients but in providing safe prescription and dispensing of medicines to patients, and communication between health professionals worldwide. The World Health Organization (who manages & issues INN’s) issues INN’s in English, Latin, French, Russian, and Spanish, and more recently Arabic and Chinese versions are also being issued.

Here Vince Budd, Senior Vice President at Addison Whitney, speaks of the importance INN’s have on the success and lifecycle of a drug:

“Although INN’s aren’t actually considered intellectual property, developing an INN is without a doubt a strategic endeavor that many commercial, medical and regulatory officers take very seriously. First, the commercial team of an organization sees this as the first opportunity to put some sort of face or image to the asset. Although WHO would like manufactures to use trivial or fantasy letter strings when building generic names around INN stems, many approved INN’s are actually quite suggestive about the product. This helps some of the branding activities that soon follow. Also, many manufacturers must think about the life cycle of the asset and potential generic competition, which also impacts the type of INN name that is sought. The bottom line is INN development is serious business and the wrong or right name can certainly have an impact on the future success of a drug. “

According to WHO there are roughly 8,000 INN’s listed today, and that number grows by approximately 120-150 each year. Every INN must be submitted to and approved by WHO, and must follow their general principles for developing INN’s.

Source: World Health Organization

If you plan to purchase cigarette packs after September 2012 you may be surprised, or even disturbed by what you see. The Food and Drug Administration is requiring graphic warning labels with images ranging from a man exhaling smoke through a tracheotomy hole in his neck to a diseased lung to be placed prominently on cigarette packs. Cigarette marketers also will be required to place 1-800-QUIT-NOW numbers on new packaging.

The vivid images are the biggest change to cigarette warning labels since the mid 1980s, when the government began requiring tobacco companies to put health warnings on cigarette packs and tobacco ads. Targeting the cigarette packages themselves shows that the FDA understands the importance of compelling package design. Consumers are influenced by the entire experience of a product. The design of the outside of a package is just as important as what’s inside. A package is more than just a container; it is an asset that can motivate a purchase. Having an effective package design in a crowded marketplace is essential to making a product stand out.

So where does a tobacco company go from here? How does one market a product with packaging designed to shock consumers and discourage them from using the product? “The cigarette companies are in an environment where their product is seen as dangerous,” Brannon Cashion, president of Addison Whitney, told USA TODAY. He points out that tobacco marketers have done a good job dealing with growing anti-smoking efforts. What they need to do is stress innovation, such as developing low nicotine and electronic cigarettes.

“In order to continue to manufacture the product, they have to continue to put innovations in place that can do everything possible to make as safe an environment as possible for those who smoke and the people most affected with their smoking.”

For more information on the new FDA cigarette health warnings, click here.

While the results are temporary, I have a feeling BOTOX® is here to stay.

Did you know BOTOX is the most popular non-surgical beauty treatment in the world? It is also one of the world’s most versatile and most widely researched medicines in the world.

Botulinum toxin, a purified protein derived from the bacterium Clostridium botulinum has been researched for over 100 years.  Since it was identified in 1895, researchers have been intrigued by its potential therapeutic uses. 

In 1987, Jean Carruthers discovered that injections of botulinum type A could erase lines and wrinkles.  Botox was first approved on March 14^th, 1990 for the treatment of misaligned eyes, uncontrollable blinking and nerve disorder.  Soon to follow would be approvals to reduce the symptoms of muscle contractions in the neck and foot deformity.  Most recently, in July 2004, BOTOX was granted approval in the United States to treat the symptoms of severe underarm sweating.  A similar product is BOTOX Cosmetic®, which is approved for the treatment of frown lines between the eyebrows, forehead wrinkles and crow’s feet. 

Today, BOTOX is one of the most popular physician-administered aesthetic prescription procedures and researchers are exploring many medical uses for BOTOX.  It is currently seeking approval from the FDA for migraine headaches.

Why is the product so popular?  Many believe this is because of its ability to achieve predictable and measurable results through a relatively simple treatment that requires no surgery. 

Happy Birthday, BOTOX!  Make a wish!

Contributed by:  Ashley Popham

Have you ever asked yourself how hospitals in your city seem to be everywhere these days? Here in Charlotte some have commented on how Carolinas Medical Center went from one hospital in the center of the city to a network of centers all across town. There is even a CMC branded facility in a newly built YMCA down by our office. In the last few months hospital administrators have tapped our brand consultancy to provide insights on strategic branding plans.

According to a recent article, there are four ways most hospitals across the country are achieving brand recognition. The first is through specialization. In this scenario focus is placed on building a practice around a very specific niche and all the communications reinforces that area of expertise. If an ailment comes up having to do with that specialty, a properly executed brand message would reinforce how specialization is synonymous with being the best in treating the condition. The Cancer Treatment Centers of America comes to mind in such a scenario.

We have also observed organizations, such as HealthSouth and Kindred, utilizing their master brands across multiple locations. No matter where you go, the same brand seems to remind you who the dominant healthcare player is in the area. Repetition of a brand identity is known to establish high levels of brand recognition under unaided market research. A new building brings with it a new place to expose the name.

Similar to the previous strategy, some medical groups have decided to build a brand in multiple directions. In this method multiple practices across numerous specialty areas are acquired and during the brand transition the previous brand goes away while master brand takes priority. The thought process here is to have your target audience think of you first when they get sick regardless of medical condition.

A fourth option can be illustrated by examining The Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. The two have extended their brand well beyond the physical territory they serve with the establishment of a technology partnership. Mayo has a venture with Microsoft and Cleveland with Google. In this type of collaboration all parties benefit by providing target audiences with an online tool featuring healthcare resources in what is perceived as trusted brand names.

If we think ahead don’t be surprised to hear about future branded partnerships when it comes to the new online personal health records being proposed.

Contributed by Ninh Nguyen