Work

Burke Neurological Institute

Highlighting a New Approach to Treating Alzheimer’s Disease

When Burke Neurological Institute (BNI) partnered with the Alzheimer’s Disease Cooperative Study (ADCS) at UC San Diego and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, they introduced a groundbreaking clinical trial to evaluate benfotiamine—a synthetic form of vitamin B1—as a treatment for mild cognitive impairment and early Alzheimer’s disease. With support from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the clinical trial was launched at 50 medical centers across the country.

Many existing treatments or drugs in development only treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, but do not address the root cause of the disease. Benfotiamine has been shown to improve memory and diminish plaques, tangles, inflammation, and oxidative stress in animal models. In addition, unlike many of the other recently approved treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, benfotiamine can be taken by mouth and does not require infusions. If successful it would be available in pill form, making it a widely available, affordable treatment.

To amplify the reach and awareness of this effort, BNI turned to Thompson & Bender to lead a comprehensive communications campaign.

PROJECT INFO

Challenge

With more than 5.8 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s—and limited treatment options addressing the root causes—BNI’s trial marked a significant departure from traditional approaches. However, a novel treatment using vitamin B1 required building public understanding, professional credibility, and patient trust. The BenfoTeam (as the parties involved in creating and running the trial called themselves) needed a compelling narrative, national media attention, and strong community support to drive interest and participation.

Approach

Thompson & Bender executed a multi-tiered communications and media strategy that included:

Coordinating regular meetings with multiple stakeholders in locations ranging from New York to California
Outreach to science, healthcare, and mainstream media outlets
Development and promotion of clear, compelling materials about benfotiamine’s potential and safety
Coordination of a press conference with key stakeholders and media

Press Conference Highlights

We partnered with the Benfoteam to plan and execute a successful press event at Burke Neurological Institute, which drew strong attendance from public officials, business leaders, and healthcare advocates, including:

Tom Roach – Mayor of White Plains
Ken Jenkins – Deputy Westchester County Executive
Marsha Gordon & John Ravitz – Business Council of Westchester
Meg Boyce – Alzheimer’s Association of the Hudson Valley
Vicki Presser – White Plains Common Council
Larry Gottlieb – Robert Martin Company

We also facilitated remote participation via Zoom and managed post-event communications and follow-up.

Results

Our campaign generated outstanding media coverage and positioned this Alzheimer’s clinical trial as a major development in Alzheimer’s research.

Media coverage included:

WABC Eyewitness News, News 12, and Journal News/LoHud coverage
PR Newswire/Associated Press pickup, with the release reaching over 347 outlets and a potential audience of more than 207 million
Feature segments on WAMC Radio and coverage in the Business Council of Westchester newsletter
Interview with Dr. Gary Gibson on the Practical Neurology podcast

The Path Forward

With the trial actively enrolling participants nationwide and strong support from research institutions, public leaders, and the medical community, the BenfoTeam initiative is well-positioned to redefine the future of Alzheimer’s treatment. Thompson & Bender’s strategic communications campaign helped bring national visibility and credibility to this important work—turning complex science into a hopeful, human-centered story.