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Revitalizing Pharma Collaborations: The Reblozyl Case Study

December 22, 2025

In this episode of IDEA Collider, hosts Mike and Rick revisit a pivotal project from over a decade ago, the Reblozyl project, undertaken in collaboration with Acceleron and Celgene. Rick, the head of Growth and Innovation at IDEA, reminisces about the early days leading to the successful positioning and market shaping of luspatercept across different hematological indications.

The episode features insightful contributions from Robin, Jane, and Tracy, key players from Acceleron and Celgene, who share their experiences and the collaborative efforts that enabled them to redefine the market. The discussion covers the strategic approach to overcoming competitive benchmarking, the importance of a unified messaging strategy, and the critical role of internal and external collaboration. They also reflect on the impact of their efforts on the lives of many patients and offer advice for future teams working on complex drug development projects. The episode concludes with a recognition of the rare and valuable collaborative human elements that drove the success of the Reblozyl project.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:27 Rick’s Background and Project Overview

02:31 Client Team Introductions

05:32 Collaboration and Challenges

13:29 Defining the Mechanism and Market Positioning

23:52 Communication and Alignment

27:48 Navigating Internal and External Communication

33:15 Launch, Reflections, and Lessons Learned

41:14 Final Thoughts and Acknowledgements

Keep up with the guests;

Robyn Blackburn – Director Global Commercial Strategy CAR-T at Kite Pharma- https://www.linkedin.com/in/robyn-blackburn-805b8b13/
Jayne Butler – Director of Strategic Initiatives at Fingerpaint Branding – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaynebutler/
Tracey Sacco – Former SVP Global Strategic Marketing at Acceleron – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracey-sacco-53 2a034/
Rick Ritacco – Head of Growth and Innovation – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rritacco/