CMI Media Group Launches Rare Disease Center of Excellence to Bridge Precision Marketing Gap for Orphan Therapies
核心洞察
CMI Media Group (搜索), a WPP (搜索) company, formally launched its Rare Disease Center of Excellence (COE) to deliver micro-precision audience strategy for complex, low-incidence therapies.
The COE addresses the growing orphan drug market, where nearly 1 in 2 new pharmaceutical approvals are now tied to rare disease conditions.
The agency has already launched over 67 rare disease brands across nephrology, oncology, ophthalmology, cardiology, hematology, immunology, pulmonology, and rheumatology.
PHILADELPHIA — CMI Media Group (搜索), a global healthcare media strategy, planning, innovation and buying agency and part of WPP (搜索) (NYSE: WPP), announced on August 11, 2026 the formal launch of its Rare Disease Center of Excellence (COE), a dedicated operating framework designed to bridge the gap between niche boutique shops and large-scale media agencies in the rapidly expanding orphan drug market.
The launch comes at a pivotal moment: nearly 1 in 2 new pharmaceutical drug approvals are now tied to orphan or rare disease conditions, creating an urgent need for specialized capabilities to identify hard-to-reach patient populations and navigate increasingly complex clinical pathways.
"Rare diseases require a fundamental shift in strategic planning—you aren't looking for mass scale, you're finding 'needles in a haystack,'" said Dr. Susan Dorfman, President & CEO of CMI Media Group (搜索). "Clients shouldn't have to choose between a high-touch boutique agency that understands their therapeutic nuances and a large network with buying power and advanced data infrastructure. Our Rare Disease COE brings the best of both worlds to lower time-to-diagnosis and drive meaningful outcomes for patients."
Deep Experience Across Therapeutic Areas
While the COE formalizes a dedicated operating framework, CMI Media Group (搜索) brings substantial experience to the rare disease space, having already successfully launched over 67 rare disease brands across a broad range of therapeutic areas, including nephrology, oncology, ophthalmology, cardiology, hematology, immunology, pulmonology, and rheumatology.
The agency has also partnered with Bionews (搜索)' Patient Advisory Board on thought leadership initiatives. Bionews, a leading rare disease news and community network built on over a decade of serving patients and caregivers, provides critical patient perspectives that inform the COE's approach.
"As someone living with Huntington's disease (搜索), I know that words matter," said Tanita Allen, a Bionews (搜索) rare disease patient, advocate, and health and wellness coach. "I appreciate when organizations truly listen to the rare disease community and use our feedback to create meaningful change. Being heard is important, but seeing that feedback put into action is what makes patient advocacy feel truly impactful."
Micro-Precision Targeting and Advanced HCP Reclassification
The COE's dedicated framework addresses the distinct realities of the rare disease journey through micro-precision targeting and advanced healthcare professional (HCP) reclassification. The approach leverages claims data, procedure codes, specialty pharmacy data, diagnostic test orders, and custom research conducted by CMI Media Group (搜索)'s proprietary Audience Intelligence team to map complex referral pathways and distinguish prescribers from referrers.
By engaging Key Opinion Leaders, medical societies, and advocacy groups, the agency aims to help overcome symptom under-recognition and payer hurdles that frequently delay diagnosis in rare disease populations. The overarching goal is to accelerate time-to-diagnosis, empowering patients, caregivers, and physicians to move from concern to confident action.
The Rare Disease COE is currently active across internal planning teams and new business initiatives, supported by dedicated talent pools, AI-enabled tools, and strategic partnerships across the rare disease ecosystem.
CMI Media Group (搜索), a WPP (搜索) company, is a global, full-service media agency focused solely on health, wellness, and pharmaceutical marketing. Its core offerings include Audience Strategy, Planning, Development, and Insights; Data and Analytics; Buying and Investment; and Direct Response and Customer Experience.