WSW Helps Secure the First-Ever FDA Approved Treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy through The Race To Yes

In Brief

Achieved a landmark victory by securing the first-ever FDA-approved treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, culminating a high-stakes advocacy campaign that gave hope to thousands of patients and families.
United a fragmented national community by creating the "Race to Yes" campaign, mobilizing over 1,000 stakeholders for an unprecedented showing at a critical FDA advisory committee meeting and generating over 100,000 petition signatures in under 30 days.
Successfully translated grassroots passion into regulatory action, harnessing the power of patient voices through a sophisticated social media and press strategy that directly influenced FDA decision-makers and ultimately led to the drug's approval.

WSW received national recognition for its work with Race to Yes, a campaign to mobilize the public in support of rapid regulatory action to advance the first-ever FDA-approved treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (Duchenne). When we first began working on the Race to Yes, the Duchenne community was heavily fragmented – a number of organizations that were advocating for Duchenne in various ways, but there was little to no coordination.

WSW developed the Race to Yes campaign as a way to unite and coordinate these groups around a cause that transcended any differences they may have had: urging the FDA to consider and approve safe and effective therapies for Duchenne. By harnessing the power of all the individual groups and deploying a targeted social media campaign, we were able to generate over 100,000 signatures in under 30 days on a White House petition that drew attention to the issue across the country. Building on this foundation, the Race to Yes campaign engaged directly with key Members of the House and Senate, FDA leaders, and other administration officials by giving stakeholders the tools they needed to engage directly.

When the FDA convened an advisory committee meeting to consider the first Duchenne treatment, WSW helped mobilize and organize more than 1,000 Duchenne patients, caregivers, physicians, and researchers to attend the meeting and share their stories and experiences. This unprecedented attendance at an FDA advisory committee was coupled with press outreach and social media to augment the community’s presence at the event. Ultimately, the campaign proved to be a success when the drug became the first FDA-approved treatment for Duchenne.