biotech website redesign on tablet

Biotech Website Redesign for Clinical-Stage CNS Biopharma

Neuro-Pharmaceutical in Boston, MA gets a biotech website redesign.

Website project overview

Industry
Biopharma, CNS Disease

Client
Minerva Neurosciences

Solution
Website Design Makeover

A clinical stage central nervous system (CNS) disease biopharma required a new biotech website redesign to clarify their shift from a multi-asset startup to a Negative Symptoms (NS) biopharma. Negative symptoms include the inability to show emotions, apathy, difficulties talking, and withdrawing from social situations and relationships. 

The Minerva team was keenly aware of the opportunity to be first-to-market with a FDA-approved NS drug, but they needed help with a unique, modern website design and clear messaging. So, the creative challenge was to zero in on the critical areas of change in order to reshape the website to reflect Minerva’s novel focus on NS disease.

Biotech
Website Redesign
Challenge

Minerva’s unique ability to innovate and address unmet needs for patients in large CNS disease groups (schizophrenia, MDD, insomnia and Parkinson’s) presents a significant commercial opportunities to investors and partners. Originally a multi-asset CNS biopharma, they realized a shift in focus to NS disease was important because NS is disease agnostic and disease symptoms often overlap. 

And since Minerva is the only biopharma with a demonstrable headwind in negative symptoms, it became obvious they needed to change the emphasis on their site to a NS focus. They needed help identifying their key audiences and defining personas to speak to their needs.

Minerva required a unique approach to combine science and art into a new, clean, easy-to-navigate website. 

Our challenge was to come up with a creative solution to boldly position Minerva as a first-to-market opportunity for potential big Pharma partners.

Biotech
Website Redesign
Solution

The biopharma marketing experts on our team first had to learn more about the negative symptoms. We did this by asking 10 questions as part of our in-depth discovery process. We clarify expertise and goals and begin to define the audience personas and what makes them tick. We then create designs and craft content to speak to the target personas. 

The second step required the creative lead to present several design variations with different functionalities. Each design was discussed and evaluated, ultimately settling on a design that most clearly express Minerva’s goals and focus on NS disease.

The client collaborated through each step of the biotech website redesign makeover, from page design to content (text and graphics) to WordPress development and QA. Our process allowed the client to fine-tune the messaging to speak to potential partners and adjust the design and animations to create an frictionless user experience.

One subtle solution was the use of conceptual images of trees. These images provide a softer expression of NS disease than that of photos of patients suffering from schizophrenia or depression. This provided colorful, curiosity-provoking images to balance the clear, explanatory text on the web pages.

The new site is both sensitive and clear, which is exactly what they client was looking for.

Is your biopharma pivoting? We are experts at navigating the complexity of helping you express a new, redefined focus through your websites or digital brand. Contact us to discuss your biotech or biopharmaceutical website makeover.

Need help with your biopharma web design project?

Self-Imagery

Biotechs and site visitors shy away from photos of people suffering. In the case of Minerva, they decided they were comfortable with a conceptual style of images.

There are five styles of photos a biotech use to avoid ‘uncomfortable’ images. It all comes down to defining your biotech’s persona.

transformative cns therapies download
Baby Steps

Every biotech website tells a story and sets up ‘the ask’. For many biotech startups, there’s considerable discomfort when it comes to asking site visitors to take the next step.

An ‘ungated’ (meaning the site visitor doesn’t have to fill out a form) PDF is a simple way to repurpose some of your existing pitch content.  It allows you to share a bit more about your company, track engagement and stretch your ‘sales comfort zone’.

Font Facelift

Scientists are all about the data, but art transforms that same data into something much easier on the eyes and brain.

A designer with typography skills guides site visitors through your information. Through the clever use of font sizes, weights and posture, your data comes to life and actually carries more gravitas than just straight, unformatted text. 

regulatory focused biotech website page
Be Bold

Nobody can afford to be ignored in a crowded niche like biotech. And true as it is that your science carries the day, you need to stand out first. Huge, compelling images can do that for you. Embrace it and you’ll find it much easier to become an irresistible choice.

Be bold or ignored. Your choice. 

cns investor relations page
Investor Relations

As far as integrating an IR section into your site goes, it’s surprisingly uncomplicated. All it requires a subdomain, some shared styles and careful coordination at launch.

However, since public biotechs are highly regulated, the whole process takes a long time. Start the process with your IR vendor early. You should have an IR vendor selected a minimum 3 months before launch.

Shape Shifting

Pipelines summarize the current stage of development of your assets. Most biotechs use bar charts, but how about using your pipeline to reinforce your brand?

In this case, the hexagon motif found in the logo is echoed in the chart to create a more memorable pipeline. Overlapping hexagon shapes are a subtle way to stand out and trigger an inquiry.

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