Top Companies, Marketers, CEOs, Products, and Initiatives Were Celebrated During Trailblazer Gala on October 1st

NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday night, October 1st, at a gala event held at Gotham Hall in New York City, PM360 announced the winners of its 16th annual Trailblazer Awards. In total, PM360, a leading life sciences marketing industry trade publication, recognized 46 gold and 19 silver winners across eight overall categories: Companies of the Year, CEOs of the Year, Products of the Year, Marketer of the Year, Marketing Team of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Brand Champions, and Initiatives.

"We are thrilled to celebrate this industry's top professionals who are hard at work to improve patients' lives. It's our responsibility and our privilege to celebrate the accomplishments and innovation of these incredible people and companies as they drive the world of healthcare forward," says Anna Stashower, CEO and Publisher of PM360. "The Trailblazer winners are changemakers for a variety of conditions, including postpartum depression, lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD), obesity, cortisol dysregulation, epilepsy, and so many more disease areas. We were blown away by the ground-breaking contributions that they have made and the progress they've driven in ensuring access to much-needed medications."

The over 450 attendees were treated to more than just an award ceremony. Actress and comedian Caroline Rhea kept the audience laughing as the emcee and DJ kept the dance party going until midnight.

Each of the winners were judged and selected by the PM360 Editorial Advisory Board, a cross section of experts from across the industry. The judges are asked to evaluate the following criteria for each category: Company of Year (innovation, talent development, and social responsibility); Brand Champions (innovation, leadership, communication, analytical, and organizational skills); Initiatives (content, format, success in reaching targeted audience, and overall quality); Marketer of the Year (the individual who best exemplifies the most insightful, forward-thinking, and transformative marketing ideas and actions in the industry); Marketing Team (the team who best exemplifies those same qualities); Products of the Year (innovation in treating patients, the uniqueness of the branding strategy, and their ultimate and contribution to the overall healthcare system); CEOs of the Year (ability to thrive in all aspects of leadership including establishing a company culture, displaying a unique vision for their company, and earning respect from industry colleagues due to their morals, reputation, and character); and Lifetime Achievement (an industry veteran who has transformed the business through leadership, wide-ranging influence, and original contributions.)

This year's Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is Adam Schechter, Chairman and CEO of Labcorp. Prior to this role and over his nearly 40-year career, Schechter held a variety of executive, senior, global and U.S.-focused leadership positions at Merck & Co., Inc., spanning sales, marketing, managed markets as well as business and product development. From 2010 to 2019, he served as Executive Vice President and President of Merck's Global Human and Health Division, leading the company's worldwide pharmaceutical and vaccine business, and serving as a member of Merck's Executive Committee. He has made substantial efforts to support the industry and community, with current leadership roles as Board Vice-Chair at the American Clinical Laboratory Association (ACLA), Executive Board Member of the National Alliance for Hispanic Health, and Board Member at Water.org, and DaVita Inc. He has also served on the Boards of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), where he led the Policy and Access Committee, the Healthcare Leadership Council and the Merial Animal Health Company.

"Adam Schechter is a global business leader who spent an illustrious career holding senior executive roles and board seats in healthcare industry-leading companies. This diversified his already broad expertise in fields from vaccines to pharmaceuticals and marketing to product development, into a pillar of knowledge," said Anna Stashower, CEO and Publisher of PM360. "His work with LabCorp and other frontrunning organizations, as well as his dedication to world-changing initiatives in areas such as clean water, equal healthcare, and animal health, are all worthy of our Lifetime Achievement Award."

Some of the other big winners include Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc. as this year's Pharmaceutical/Biotech Company of the Year, while embecta was named the Medical Device/Diagnostics Company of the Year and Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. took home Specialty Pharma Company of the Year. Additionally, Elevate Healthcare was named the Advertising Agency of the Year and GoodRx was given the honor of Supplier/Vendor of the Year. In addition, Ivan Tornos, President and CEO of Zimmer Biomet, was named the Life Sciences Manufacturer CEO of the Year while Judy Capano, Managing Partner and CEO of Calcium+Company, was named the Advertising Agency or Supplier/Vendor CEO of the Year. As for the Brand of the Year, that honor went to Wegovy®.

PM360 will publish profiles of this year's Trailblazer winners in its November issue and on its website.

This year's PM360 Trailblazer winners include:

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENT
Adam Schechter, CEO & President (Labcorp)

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: ADVERTISING AGENCY
Elevate Healthcare

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: MEDICAL DEVICE/DIAGNOSTICS
embecta

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: PHARMACEUTICAL/BIOTECH
Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: SPECIALTY PHARMA/BIOTECH
Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.

COMPANY OF THE YEAR: SUPPLIER/VENDOR
GoodRx

ADVERTISING AGENCY OR SUPPLIER/VENDOR CEO OF THE YEAR
Judy Capano, Managing Partner and CEO (Calcium+Company)

LIFE SCIENCES MANUFACTURER CEO OF THE YEAR
Ivan Tornos, President and Chief Executive (Zimmer Biomet)

MARKETER OF THE YEAR
Milana Fomin, Director Patient Marketing (Replimune)

MARKETING TEAM OF THE YEAR SILVER WINNER
XDEMVY Consumer Marketing Team (Tarsus Pharmaceuticals)

MARKETING TEAM OF THE YEAR GOLD WINNER
Corcept Therapeutics Team (Corcept Therapeutics)

BRAND OF THE YEAR
Wegovy (ConcentricLife)

MOST INNOVATIVE NEW PRODUCT
AREXVY Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine, Adjuvanted (Razorfish Health and GSK)

PRODUCT LAUNCH OF THE YEAR
ZURZUVAE® (zuranolone) CIV (Sage Therapeutics and Biogen supported by Weber Shandwick and AbelsonTaylor)

BRAND CHAMPION AWARD WINNERS

Autoimmune/Rheumatology:  Wakim Andre, Head of Marketing, North America (Biocon Biologics)
Cardiology: Lali Lobzhanidze, Executive Director, Senior Marketing Strategist, Integrated Marketing (Novartis Pharmaceuticals)
Dermatology: Jennifer Novak, Director, Consumer Digital Marketing, (Sanofi)
Diabetes/Metabolic Disorders: Ginny Blocki, SVP, Global Marketing & Product Management, (embecta)
HCP Engagement: Mayte Cabrera-Dorian, Executive Director, Novartis Patient Support - RLT (Novartis)
Hematology/Oncology: Jennifer Monahan, Associate Director Consumer Marketing (Regeneron)
Infectious Disease/Vaccine Development: Jackie Messinger, US Head of Marketing Respiratory (Moderna)
Innovation/Digital Strategy: Jennifer Spevak, Director, U.S. Vaccines Market Development, Vaccine Portfolio Adherence, Pfizer
Men's Health: Katie Lewandroski, Executive Director, Oncology Marketing Lead (Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.)
Ophthalmology/Optometry: Liz Tempesta, Senior Director, Consumer Marketing, Eye Care Division (Viatris)
OTC Marketer: Vicky Louit, Director of Medical Marketing, Eucerin® and Aquaphor (Beiersdorf)
Patient Engagement: Christine Szymanski, Consumer Strategy Lead, Obesity Marketing, (Novo Nordisk)
Rare Diseases: Bryan Burkauskas, Director, US Oncology Marketing WELIREG (Merck)
Respiratory: Marc Russo, Associate Director, Interstitial Lung Disease Marketing, (Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
Women's Health: Mellisa Hunh, VP Myfembree Marketing Lead (Sumitomo Pharma America, Inc.)

INITIATIVE WINNERS

APP/DIGITAL SOLUTION OR SUITE SILVER WINNER
NovoCare® Cost and Coverage (Novo Nordisk and Avalere Health)

APP/DIGITAL SOLUTION OR SUITE GOLD WINNER
Don't Sweat Inventory Management (Accord Biopharma, Inc. and Asentech, LLC)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/DATA ANALYTICS INITIATIVE SILVER WINNER
Advancing Care: Harnessing AI to Empower the Hard-to-Reach Patient Audience (argenx, Avalere Health and DxCheck)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE/DATA ANALYTICS INITIATIVE GOLD WINNER
LOQTORZI DTP + HCP (Cluep, with Confideo Media for Coherus Biosciences)

CONSUMER WEBSITE/ONLINE INITIATIVE SILVER WINNER
"Dad Genes" (Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine and 21GRAMS, part of Real Chemistry)

CONSUMER WEBSITE/ONLINE INITIATIVE GOLD WINNER
DUPIXENT Eczema Skin Gallery Tool (Sanofi, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and EVERSANA INTOUCH)

DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER CAMPAIGN SILVER WINNER
The Season (Weber Shandwick and Sanofi)

DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER CAMPAIGN GOLD WINNER
KNOW PLAN GO (FCB Health New York, an IPG Health Company, Real Chemistry, & Starpower, part of Real Chemistry)

DIRECT-TO-PATIENT CAMPAIGN SILVER WINNER
Say Yep to VYEPTI (Lundbeck and EVERSANA INTOUCH)

DIRECT-TO-PATIENT CAMPAIGN GOLD WINNER
Life without compromise. (BioCryst Pharmaceuticals and Agency: Inizio Evoke Drive)

HCP EDUCATION SILVER WINNER
APDS Awareness: Educating Healthcare Professionals for Better Identification of Patients with the Ultra-Rare Disease (Equals 5, Rare Expertise, and Pharming Group N.V.)

HCP EDUCATION GOLD WINNER
SPEVIGO Branded Immersive Presentation (Confideo Labs for Boehringer Ingelheim)

INTERACTIVE/IMMERSIVE MARKETING PROGRAM SILVER WINNER
The CRx Experience Center (ConnectiveRx)

INTERACTIVE/IMMERSIVE MARKETING PROGRAM GOLD WINNER
Vertex Pharmaceuticals: Helping an Underserved Community Uncover a Deeper Diagnosis (Spectrum Science)

OTC SILVER WINNER
Reckitt Mucinex Flip the Script inOffice Provider Campaign (InStep Health and Reckitt Mucinex)

OTC GOLD WINNER
Eucerin® Face Immersive Hydration Launch (Deerfield Agency)

PATIENT/CONSUMER EDUCATION SILVER WINNER
Take Care of Your Mental Elf (Spectrum Science)

PATIENT/CONSUMER EDUCATION GOLD WINNER
VMS OneVoice — Re-imagining the Ideal Patient Experience (VMS BioMarketing)

PERSISTENCE/ADHERENCE PROGRAM SILVER WINNER
Transforming the Customer Experience in Rare Disease to Drive Adherence (Inizio Engage)

PERSISTENCE/ADHERENCE PROGRAM GOLD WINNER
Keeping Eliquis Front and Center Among Prescribers and Patients (BMS/Pfizer and ConnectiveRx)

PODCASTS SILVER WINNER
Untold Stories: Life with Myasthenia Gravis (argenx, Avalere Health, iHeartRadio, and Ruby by iHeartMedia)

PODCASTS GOLD WINNER
Swell Conversations: A Promotional HAE Series (Pharming and Precision AQ)

PROFESSIONAL CAMPAIGN SILVER WINNER
Reimagine Survival (Biolumina and Takeda Oncology)

PROFESSIONAL CAMPAIGN GOLD WINNER
VNS Therapy is a life-changer (LivaNova USA, Inc. and Elevate Healthcare)

SALES AID SILVER WINNER
It's Time to Rescue Rescue Unbranded HCP Campaign (AstraZeneca and VML Health)

SALES AID GOLD WINNER
I'm Just a Script: An Rx's Journey from Prescriber to Patient (Xavier Creative House and Johnson & Johnson)

SELF-PROMOTION/CORPORATE CAMPAIGN SILVER WINNER
Self ProMoletion Campaign (SFC Group)

SELF-PROMOTION/CORPORATE CAMPAIGN GOLD WINNER
Challenge Accepted (Elevate Healthcare)

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN SILVER WINNER
Psoriasis Empathetic Language Campaign (dna Communications + Dermavant Sciences, Inc.)

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN GOLD WINNER
Moderna: CMVictory (Spectrum Science)

UNBRANDED CAMPAIGN SILVER WINNER
Live With COPD (Sanofi, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and EVERSANA INTOUCH)

UNBRANDED CAMPAIGN GOLD WINNER
Know ESR1 (Menarini Stemline, Biolumina, and Coppola Photography)

VIDEO/TV CAMPAIGN SILVER WINNER
Say Yep to VYEPTI (Lundbeck and EVERSANA INTOUCH)

VIDEO/TV CAMPAIGN GOLD WINNER
Believe On (Novo Nordisk and ConcentricLife)

About PM360
PM360 is the premier, must-read magazine for marketing decision makers in the pharmaceutical, biotech, diagnostics, and medical device industries. Published monthly, PM360 is the only journal that focuses on delivering the full spectrum of practical information necessary for product managers and pharmaceutical marketing professionals to succeed in the complex and highly regulated healthcare environment.

The journal's targeted and insightful editorial focuses on issues that directly impact critical decision making, including: Planning and implementation of cutting-edge strategies, trends, the latest technological advances, branding/marketing, advertising/promotion, patient/professional education, sales, market research, PR, and leadership. Additionally, the "360" in the title signifies the span of this critical, how-to info with personal and career insights for an enjoyable and thought-provoking read.

By providing the full circle of enriching content, PM360 is truly an indispensable tool for busy and productive marketing professionals to stay at the top of their game.

Contact:
Gabrielle Smith
Associate Editor, PM360
646-300-8113
[email protected]

Gabriela L. Laracca
Associate Editor, PM360
646-300-8114
[email protected]

SOURCE PM360