Contact: Peter Finn Ruder Finn 212/593-6400 Ruder Finn Announces $1.5 Million in New Healthcare Accounts in its UK Office New York, June 26, 1997 - Ruder Finn's international healthcare practice has experienced significant growth in the past few months, particularly in its London office. Six new healthcare accounts, to be managed by Ruder Finn's UK office, were announced today with total estimated billings exceeding $1.5 million. The Agency has been appointed by Knoll Pharmaceuticals to handle the international pre-launch and launch programs to support their forthcoming treatment for obesity. The assignment involves professional and public relations, international media relations, international communications and general communications support. The account was awarded following a competitive bid involving four other agencies. Janssen Cilag International has hired Ruder Finn to work on a pan-European public relations campaign to support the pre-launch and launch marketing activity for a new stroke treatment. Activities include an educational stroke awareness campaign and general international communications support for the company. Pfizer, Inc. has retained Ruder Finn for an international program for a Pfizer-sponsored clinical trial in the area of hypertension. The program involves launching the trial, working with the clinical trial executive committee in the UK and Sweden and supporting patient recruitment activities in the UK. Pierre Fabre has selected Ruder Finn to manage and coordinate its UK corporate launch and to introduce their first product, a chemotherapy agent for breast and non small cell lung cancer. Pierre Fabre is France's second largest privately owned pharmaceutical company. Ruder Finn will implement a UK program for Zeneca Pharmaceuticals involving a hospital-only intravenous antibiotic used to treat a variety of serious infections, including those in cystic fibrosis patients. The Agency will liaise with the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, assisting with its national meetings for key target prescribing groups and running an advisory board. Ruder Finn will manage and coordinate Takeda's UK corporate launch together with their first UK product launch for a new hypertension treatment. Takeda is one of Japan's largest pharmaceutical companies. Commenting on the run of new business wins, Lee Tomkins, managing director Ruder Finn, UK said today, "The London office is now developing a momentum, with clients of all sizes coming to us as we are developing programs which not only address product issues, but are designed to consistently feed back into the corporate philosophy and positioning here in Europe. It is obvious that pharmaceutical houses are now looking for agencies that can think and work cross boarders, and produce a level of creativity which ensures that international communications programs really do deliver and serve the needs of a company at all levels." Ruder Finn has been a leading communications, counseling, and service agency for nearly 50 years. With offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Raleigh, N.C., Washington D.C., Beijing, London and Paris and affiliates worldwide, the agency serves the global and local communications needs of more than 200 corporations and non-profit organizations. Back to "In the News"