Cary, N.C. and Morristown, N.J., April 27, 2010 - A campaign designed to help dialysis patients afford and comply with prescribed medical treatment has won a Strategic Patient Adherence (SPA) Award for Shire, a global specialty biopharmaceutical company, and MicroMass Communications, a leader in behavioral marketing.

Winning in the category of Best Integrated Campaign, Shire and MicroMass were honored for Fosrenol On Track, a program developed to ensure that patients have access to and can afford Fosrenol^® (lanthanum carbonate), a phosphorous-lowering medication for dialysis patients with end-stage renal disease.

Elements of the comprehensive patient-support program include a call center staffed by medical professionals, informational literature provided by pharmacists, and nonbranded education materials designed to help healthcare providers communicate the value and importance of adhering to prescribed therapy.

Established to honor pharmaceutical-based programs that improve medication compliance, SPA Awards are given to the top four nominees in each of four categories, with entries evaluated against such criteria as market impact, return on investment, innovative strategies, and overall quality. This year's awards were announced at the ninth annual Forum on Patient Compliance, Adherence & Persistency, which took place April 26-27 in Philadelphia. The awards are co-sponsored by The Center for Business Intelligence (CBI) and Pharmaceutical Executive magazine.

This was the second consecutive year that a MicroMass campaign received a SPA Award. Last year, the agency won in the Best Disease State Adherence Program category for an education and adherence program directed to patients with high blood pressure.   

About MicroMass Communications, Inc.

Founded in 1994, MicroMass offers unrivalled capabilities in the application of behavioral science to marketing challenges. The company brings together under one roof the expertise and services for building sophisticated, multi-channel programs that span the full marketing continuum and build enduring relationships between customers and brands.

Headquartered in Cary, N.C., with a second office in Morristown, N.J., MicroMass is one of the fastest growing agencies in its field. The company's client roster includes some of the most respected names in the life sciences. For more information, visit http://www.micromass.com/.