Rhone-Poulenc Rorer (Rilutek)

Hitting a Homerun

We revived interest in what was the first FDA-approved treatment for ALS (commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) with a CIPRA Award-winning grassroots campaign to educate neurologists and patients about the drug. An ALS patient — who sang the national anthem at all Major League Baseball parks — carried the message. The number of neurologists prescribing Rilutek rose to 79% from 52% in one year. Rilutek is now maufactured by Sanofi-aventis.