CAMPAIGN NAME

Rare Disease Connect in Neurology (RDCN)

CATEGORY

Multi-market: Health Effectiveness

CLIENT

UCB

LEAD AGENCY

Ogilvy Health UK

CAMPAIGN DESCRIPTION

The pharmaceutical industry operates in a highly regulated environment, where communication with patients is restricted and engagement with healthcare professionals must follow strict compliance rules.

UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company focused on neurological and autoimmune diseases, entered the treatment area of Myasthenia Gravis (MG), a rare neuromuscular condition that causes severe muscle weakness and fatigue.

Because MG is rare and highly heterogeneous, clinical expertise is limited and dispersed across countries, making knowledge exchange between specialists difficult. At the same time, the clinical landscape is evolving rapidly, increasing the complexity of disease management for healthcare professionals.

To address these challenges, UCB created Rare Disease Connect in Neurology (RDCN), a multi-market educational initiative designed to connect specialists, support peer learning, and improve access to high-quality medical education.

THE CHALLENGE

UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of people living with neurological and autoimmune conditions. The company recently entered the treatment area of Myasthenia Gravis (MG), a rare chronic neuromuscular disease that causes severe muscle weakness and fatigue and significantly impacts patients’ daily lives.

MG is highly heterogeneous, with symptoms varying widely from patient to patient, often leading to suboptimal disease management and outcomes. At the same time, the rarity of the condition means that clinical expertise is limited and dispersed across countries, restricting opportunities for knowledge exchange and professional collaboration.

With few new treatments available over the past decades and a rapidly evolving clinical landscape, healthcare professionals faced increasing complexity in managing MG. Educational needs in this field had historically been underserved by both industry and professional societies.

Against this backdrop, UCB set out to connect the global expert community and create a platform for knowledge sharing, education, and collaboration to ultimately improve outcomes for people living with MG.

STRATEGIC APPROACH AND EXECUTION

Recognising that traditional medical education models were failing to influence clinical practice, UCB identified an opportunity to create value by fostering a stronger expert community around Myasthenia Gravis (MG). The strategy was to move beyond one-off educational events and build a continuous, peer-driven learning platform connecting specialists across markets.

This led to the creation of Rare Disease Connect in Neurology (RDCN), a multi-market, expert-led programme designed to address real clinical practice gaps through outcomes-focused education and collaboration.

At its core, RDCN combines an annual international meeting with ongoing learning modules to support continuous professional development. The programme is guided by an international steering committee of specialists who ensure that the agenda reflects the real needs of the MG community.

The educational design is needs-driven and structured around key practice gaps translated into measurable learning outcomes. Sessions follow evidence-based teaching methods, including case-based learning using real clinical cases from around the world, small-group peer discussions, and structured reflection to bridge the gap between theory and practice.

The annual RDCN meeting in Amsterdam brings together neurologists, neuromuscular specialists, nurses, pharmacists and patient representatives, creating a multidisciplinary environment focused on improving collaboration and ultimately raising the standard of care for people living with MG.