Deadly. Devastating. Progressive. Incurable. Until now, there was little more physicians could offer their patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) than improvement of short-term, day-to-day functioning. But, with the launch of OPSUMIT, a change in perspective could shift the treatment paradigm. Physicians could move beyond purely managing the decline to promising long-term outcomes and a future of possibilities.

The OPSUMIT global campaign is about the promise of time ? enhancing and extending patients' lives. On the pages of an open book, physicians can help patients write future chapters. With carefully chosen scenes showcasing milestone events and important accomplishments, the campaign conveys more than words. This campaign has provoked an emotional response from internal and external audiences and has motivated a change in prescribing behavior within months of a multi-region launch. Achieved with sophistication and excellence, the creative needs for all audiences and all avenues of media were successfully anticipated prior to execution.

From the start, launch goals in multiple countries have exceeded company and analyst expectations. Physicians have begun to prescribe OPSUMIT as their first-choice endothelin-receptor antagonist (ERA) for new patients as well as in combination to current therapies. Hope for a future with PAH is real.

The first use of the creative campaign was in January of 2014 in the United States. To date, the campaign has also launched in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Nordic countries. Over the course of the next several years the campaign will continue to rollout across the globe.

Implementation began months prior to market debut. To ensure uptake on a country-by-country level multiple touch points were held to generate enthusiasm and solicit buy-in and support. Launch of the campaign to internal stakeholders occurred at themed global summit meetings. Over 200 marketing and medical directors were educated at OPSUMIT University. Corporate OPSUMIT Pride events included over 800 employees and showed the infrastructure of Actelion that the future of PAH had arrived. To ensure sustained communication and passion for the future of OPSUMIT, countries are participating in transferable learning summits to share experiences and knowledge as the worldwide launch continues.

OPSUMIT surpassed expectations from day 1 across the globe. Within 3 months, prescriptions in the United States exceeded even the most optimistic expectations by more than 300%. Within 3 weeks of launch in Germany, physicians were prescribing OPSUMIT as their first choice ERA for more than 50% of new patients. 9 out of 10 physicians asked in dedicated market research on PAH cited they would try OPSUMIT. Physicians were even beginning to switch patients from their current ERA to OPSUMIT ? an achievement that was well beyond launch goals.

OPSUMIT had begun to change long-ingrained physician perspectives. The promise of long-term outcomes was replacing short-term expectations. Physicians now believe they can promise their patients a future. OPSUMIT has begun to set new standards in the treatment of PAH.