Digital Pharma - Online patient recruitment drive for GSK’s anxiety drug

GlaxoSmithKline is readying to move its post-traumatics stress disorder candidate orvepitant into phase II trials, a move being supported by an online patient recruitment drive.

The 12-week COPE (Clinical Trial with Orvepitant in PTSD Experiencers) trial aims to enroll around 240 patients across 25 sites in the US.

The COPE website, run on by patient recruitment firm MMG, has a simple, consumer feel without being overly glossy.

It aims to use Facebook to spread its message by giving visitors an easy way to share details about the trial via the popular social media site.

Although not in itself a revolutionary it’s a subtle inclusion that doesn’t scream ‘must use social media’, and instead just gets on with it.

Other features more usually associated with consumer websites are the inclusion of an interactive map highlighting the location of study centres and the availability of downloadable printed materials on the trial.

Dominic Tyer is web editor for Pharmafocus and InPharm.com and the author of the Digital Pharma blog. He can be contacted via email, Twitter or LinkedIn.