How ExtendMed Helped Mediar Therapeutics to Achieve Rapid, Cost-Effective Insights to Advance Fibrosis Treatment in a Virtual Advisory Board

Mediar Therapeutics is a biotech company specializing in treating fibrosis, a condition characterized by the thickening and scarring of connective tissue that can affect various organs, including the liver, lungs and kidneys.

In April 2024, ExtendMed partnered with Mediar to convene a virtual advisory board. Led by Mediar’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jeffrey Bornstein, the goal was to gather strategic insights from an interdisciplinary group of experts in three fibrotic disease areas to prioritize future clinical studies.

Drawing on prior experience running advisory boards at Gilead and Biogen, Dr. Bornstein recognized the need for a more agile and budget-friendly advisory board approach at Mediar. While he had previously used a different platform suited for large firms focusing on asynchronous engagements, Mediar required a more flexible solution and contract for one engagement at a time rather than a 12-month commitment. ExtendMed’s adaptable, cost-efficient platform, Health Expert Connect™, which supports both synchronous and asynchronous methods and includes strategic and tactical support, proved ideal.

ExtendMed facilitated the Mediar engagement through a blend of introductory and closing synchronous meetings and a three-week asynchronous discussion in between them. In addition, ExtendMed used its integrated survey tool to select the most convenient meeting dates for busy advisors and solicit advisor evaluations about the effectiveness of the engagement. This approach enabled deeper, more comprehensive engagement among advisory board members compared to a single meeting or completely asynchronous discussion.

Beyond providing a capable platform, ExtendMed’s team offered planning, execution, project management and technological expertise to ensure a seamless process. Mediar needed quick, high-quality results within budget constraints and without long-term commitments.

This case study explains how ExtendMed delivered precisely that.

The challenges

Dr. Bornstein and the Mediar team faced a few specific challenges in planning and executing their advisory board, ultimately bringing them to ExtendMed.

• Budget and Contract Constraints — Dr. Bornstein's experience using Within3 at larger companies highlighted its limitations for Mediar's needs. Within3 offered only limited strategic support, required a minimum 12-month contract, and its large-scale engagement model wasn't suitable for Mediar's single, high-impact project. Mediar needed a more involved approach with flexible contract terms and a team to augment its in-house resources.
  
  
• A Need for Flexibility and Efficiency — Mediar needed a platform that could quickly and effectively convene a diverse group of specialists with limited time and attention. The team needed to facilitate deep, ongoing engagement with prestigious experts in each therapeutic area through a platform that respected their busy schedules. It allowed them to participate at their convenience.
  
  
• White-Glove Service and Customization — Mediar needed a solution to match Within3’s capabilities with added customization and flexibility to evolve as discussions grew organically throughout the engagement.
  
  
• Efficient Project Management and Technological Expertise — Mediar needed an ad board partner whose tools and team could handle scheduling, communication and data management logistics, ensuring a smooth and efficient process from start to finish. Other platform providers, including Within3, didn’t offer small teams the additional logistical support to orchestrate an engagement.
  
  

Intrigued by ExtendMed’s Health Expert Connect™ platform and recognizing the alignment to overcome these challenges, Dr. Bornstein and his team partnered with ExtendMed to plan and execute the advisory board.

ExtendMed’s solution

Project planning and execution

Initial assumptions and plans

Dr. Bornstein initially envisioned an asynchronous-only approach to convening the advisory board, much like he had done in past engagements. He planned to record a presentation outlining the fibrosis treatment project and use it as the basis for an asynchronous discussion. He intended to segment the advisory board's questions by specialty, directing rheumatology questions to rheumatologists, hepatology questions to hepatologists and so on. His goal was to simplify the process and accommodate the advisors' busy schedules.

However, ExtendMed recognized the limitations of this approach. While effective in certain respects, it risked missing out on the rich, interdisciplinary insights that could emerge from more integrated discussions that combined an asynchronous discussion component net with live virtual meetings. Understanding Dr. Bornstein’s ultimate goal of gaining deep, strategic insights from a diverse group of experts, ExtendMed proposed a more interactive and multidisciplinary approach without introducing added complexity or friction for the advisors.

ExtendMed's strategic and tactical guidance

ExtendMed strategically restructured the engagement to build trust among the previously unfamiliar multi-disciplinary advisory board members. This approach promoted better dialogue and experiential insights into fibrosis treatment. Instead of siloing discussions by specialty, ExtendMed facilitated collaboration among experts from different fields.

Additionally, ExtendMed incorporated both synchronous and asynchronous elements. The plan included introductory and closing synchronous meetings to bookend the engagement, giving advisors the chance to know one another and understand the engagement objectives, and later sharing back the company’s plans based on advisor feedback.

ExtendMed employed a range of tools and features to facilitate effective advisory board engagement, including:

• Surveys to schedule meetings and gather availability.
  
  
• A resource center for sharing pre-reads and other materials.
  
  
• Discussion boards, publications, proposed study designs and targeted questions to facilitate in-depth discussions.

Pre-meeting engagement

Before the engagement began, surveys were conducted to schedule the opening and closing synchronous meetings at times convenient for most advisors, ensuring maximum participation and minimizing scheduling conflicts. Additional surveys were used during the engagement to gather feedback and address any logistical issues that arose.

ExtendMed also established a resource center on the Health Expert Connect™ platform where participants could access recordings of the synchronous meetings, relevant documents and background materials. This ensured all advisors had a solid understanding of the project and could review materials at their convenience. The resource center was continuously updated with new documents as the engagement progressed, keeping advisors well-informed.

Introductory meeting

The engagement began with an introductory synchronous meeting that served several critical functions.

• First, all participants, including the experts from rheumatology, hepatology and pulmonary medicine, introduced themselves, sharing their backgrounds and areas of expertise. This helped build rapport and establish a collaborative atmosphere.
  
  
• Dr. Bornstein and his team then outlined the details of the fibrosis treatment project, explaining its current status, specific challenges and objectives for the advisory board engagement.
  
  
• The opening meeting allowed KOLs to ask questions. Any unanswered questions were moved to the asynchronous discussion and addressed there. ExtendMed assisted Dr. Bornstein in outlining expectations and developing instructions for the asynchronous phase, ensuring all participants were aligned and understood the importance of their contributions—a critical element for motivating subsequent participation.

Three-week asynchronous discussion

The asynchronous discussion spanned three weeks, allowing board members to participate at their convenience and contribute thoughtful insights without the pressure of real-time interactions.

ExtendMed facilitated this process through its platform, ensuring focused and productive discussions.

• The asynchronous format accommodated the busy schedules of advisory board members. They could log in anytime, review previous comments and add their insights without the constraints of real-time meetings.
  
  
• Each of Dr. Bornstein’s questions and topics had its own thread on the platform. This structure allowed advisors to focus their comments on each question in depth.
  
  
• Dr. Bornstein’s active moderation kept conversations on track, ensuring all key points were addressed. To minimize confusion, all Mediar stakeholders had read access to the discussion and could share their feedback to Dr. Bornstein. Bornstein posted follow-up questions, clarified points of confusion and drew connections between different advisors’ comments, creating a dynamic and interactive exchange.
  
  
• The platform supported moderator-directed communications to specific advisors and the entire community. Advisors received email and SMS/WhatsApp text reminders to participate.
  
  
• The asynchronous format surfaced innovative ideas and comprehensive solutions that might not have emerged in a more segmented approach.
  
  
• Executive summaries and reports from discussion transcripts in Health Expert Connect™ helped Dr. Bornstein probe more deeply and uncover consensus points for informed decision-making.

The closing meeting

The engagement concluded with a closing synchronous meeting designed to probe further, ask for clarifications, summarize findings, and plan next steps.

• Summarized findings from the asynchronous discussions were presented, highlighting the main themes, consensus points and significant insights gathered over the three-week period. Dr. Bornstein facilitated the presentation, using visual aids such as slides to enhance comprehension and engagement.
  
  
• Advisors were encouraged to ask questions, provide clarifications, and share additional input on the questions and ideas presented. This interactive discussion ensured all critical points were fully understood and agreed upon.
  
  
• The meeting concluded with a clear set of actionable recommendations derived from the advisory board's collective insights. Dr. Bornstein outlined how the advisory board’s feedback impacted the company’s clinical study priorities. Potential future engagements and follow-up sessions were discussed to maintain momentum.

Addressing specific concerns

Dr. Bornstein had concerns about scheduling the advisory board meetings at times convenient for as many busy advisors as possible in their different time zones and countries. A brief advisor survey identified the best dates for the synchronous meetings. Dr. Bornstein wanted to ensure that the one or two advisors who could not join the first meeting could contribute meaningfully to the asynchronous discussion.

ExtendMed suggested recording the opening meeting. This way, advisors who could not attend the virtual meeting could review the presentation and introductions at their convenience. The recordings were then made available in the resource center on ExtendMed’s platform, ensuring all advisors had access to the same information. Throughout the engagement, advisors could access the resource center to review materials, catch up on discussions, and prepare their contributions.

Another critical challenge was the need for a platform that could quickly adapt to the project's specific needs. Dr. Bornstein required certain features not initially available on the platform, requiring rapid development and implementation. Specifically, during the asynchronous discussions, Dr. Bornstein needed the ability to send targeted questions to particular subsets of advisors.

ExtendMed responded swiftly by developing and implementing a new feature that enabled Dr. Bornstein to send targeted questions to individual and small subsets of advisors. This functionality was rolled out in less than a week, ensuring the discussions remained focused and productive. ExtendMed also enhanced its moderation tools to facilitate the discussions, including features allowing moderators to pose follow-up questions, highlight key points and draw connections between different advisors’ comments.

Nimbleness and white-glove service

ExtendMed’s ability to quickly adapt and provide customized solutions was crucial to the advisory board engagement's success.

For example:

• ExtendMed took the initiative to start Dr. Bornstein’s slide deck, proposing a time sequence, agenda and initial slides to set the stage for the discussions. This augmented preparation support ensured that the engagement began on a strong, organized note.
  
  
• ExtendMed’s team supported the logistical aspects of the advisory engagement so that Dr. Bornstein was free to focus on the content and strategic aspects of the discussions.
  
  
• ExtendMed created executive summaries after each engagement phase, making it easy for Dr. Bornstein to share learnings with internal stakeholders.
  
  
• The quick development and deployment of the targeted questions feature demonstrated ExtendMed’s ability to respond quickly to client needs. This adaptability kept the engagement dynamic and productive, leading to more meaningful discussions.
  
  

Results and impact

The advisory board engagement for Mediar Therapeutics, facilitated by ExtendMed, yielded several significant outcomes that had a lasting impact on the project and the company.

• Higher engagement and participation from diverse specialists: The engagement yielded strong participation from diverse specialists, who contributed an average of 5 hours each, with some providing over 25 individual insights. This multi-specialty approach led to a comprehensive exploration of topics and richer results than traditional formats.
  
  
  
• Enhanced relationships and deeper connections with thought leaders in the field: The flexible, multi-modal virtual format fostered stronger relationships between Mediar Therapeutics and the participating thought leaders, while providing actionable recommendations that significantly advanced the project
  

The Mediar team was impressed with ExtendMed's service and strategic partnership, noting that the engagement significantly advanced their understanding of the project's needs and provided actionable recommendations. The Mediar team also saw the potential for continued use of ExtendMed's platform for future projects thanks to the successful outcomes and high level of service.

"I appreciated both how service-oriented ExtendMed was and how quickly they were able to add features and functionality to the platform to accommodate my needs"

 

— Jeff Bornstein, MD

Maximize the frequency and value of your advisory board interactions at a third of the cost of traditional approaches.

ExtendMed’s Health Expert Connect™ platform is a comprehensive, compliant platform for engaging healthcare stakeholders via virtual advisory boards and enabling their insights to guide efficient planning and action.

Graduate from siloed tools and infrequent, in-person-only engagements by centralizing logistics management among your team, enabling synchronous and asynchronous digital engagement motions and increasing the frequency and quality of your advisory board engagements.

Learn more about our live, hybrid and virtual advisory board solutions and contact us to schedule a free demo.