Launching a Drug’s First DTC Campaign on its 10-Year Anniversary: Q&A with Arun Krishna

Author(s):

Krishna discusses why the time was right to take the marketing directly to the patients.

Arun Krishna
Vice president
Head of lung cancer franchise
US oncology business unit
AstraZeneca

To mark the 10-year anniversary of the drug’s approval, Astra Zeneca launched the first DTC campaign for Tagrisso. Pharmaceutical Executive spoke with Arun Krishna, vice president and head of Astra Zeneca’s lung cancer franchise and US oncology business unit, about the inspiration for the TagrisSO I can campaign.

Key Takeaways

FDA approved Tagrisso 10 years ago.

AstraZeneca marked the anniversary by launching the drug's first DTC campaign.

DTC campaigns allow pharma companies to directly target patient populations.

How do pharma companies effectively utilize DTC marketing?

Pharmaceutical Executive: What made AZ decide to launch the first DTC ad for Tagrisso on its 10-year anniversary?
Arun Krishna: This year marks ten years since Tagrisso was first approved, which makes it a natural moment to reflect on its impact and continued role in care. With more than 66,000 patients in the U.S. treated to date, now felt like the right time to launch the first DTC ad and build broader awareness about EGFR-mutated (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) as a distinct form of lung cancer, the importance of biomarker testing as part of the treatment journey and educate and empower patients who may benefit from targeted treatment options.

Tagrisso continues to play an important role in how oncologists approach the treatment of EGFRm NSCLC. This campaign is also intended to encourage shared decision-making and empower patients to feel more confident starting conversations with their care teams about available treatment options.

PE: Why is it important to highlight the limitations people with NSCLC face?
Krishna: It was important to us that the campaign acknowledges the realities some patients face while living with EGFR-mutated NSCLC. These experiences are often difficult to put into words, but they shape how patients think about treatment and care, and how their lives wrap around their cancer journey.

By focusing on that lived experience, the commercial aims to inspire curiosity about targeted therapy like Tagrisso for patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and support more meaningful conversations between patients and their physicians. It reflects our belief that treatment conversations should start with an understanding of the individual patient experience.

PE: What was the inspiration for this campaign?
Krishna: The campaign was inspired by what we heard from patients about their “why” and finding their way back to it after a lung cancer diagnosis. Their responses to the question “Why do I take Tagrisso?” reflect the small moments that make memories and the things that matter most to them as part of their journey. We wanted to bring that perspective forward in a way that feels authentic and relevant to those living with EGFRm NSCLC.

PE: How does AZ target specific patient populations with DTC advertising campaigns?
Krishna: We approach DTC campaigns with a clear focus on reaching the appropriate patient populations that could benefit from treatment as indicated. For this commercial, we are targeting newly diagnosed or already diagnosed patients and their caregivers and Asian American communities, which can have a higher EGFRm prevalence. Through a multi-channel approach across broadcast TV, streaming/CTV, digital, audio, print and retail, and patient advocacy group partnerships, we hope to educate these groups about the importance of biomarker testing, Tagrisso as a targeted therapy option and inspire patient curiosity and conversations with their HCPs.

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