Development and deployment of a communications strategy for a USD 40 million financing package
Morphocell Technologies Inc. is a Montreal-based biotechnology company specializing in stem cell driven tissue replacement therapies, with a focus on severe liver disease. Founded in 2018 by three physicians and scientists, Morphocell strives to meet the urgent needs of patients suffering from liver disease. The company is led by Dr. Massimiliano Paganelli, a pediatric hepatologist at CHU Sainte-Justine, as well as a professor at Université de Montréal. Morphocell combines cutting-edge medical expertise with technological know-how to develop innovative therapeutic solutions.
Morphocell’s flagship product, ReLiver®, offers a promising alternative to liver transplantation by replacing liver function without the risk of immune rejection. In 2024, Morphocell approached Exponentiel to develop and deploy a communications strategy to announce a financing of USD 40 million, with the aim to accelerate human clinical trials and commercialization.
Objectives
The communications plan was designed to achieve three main objectives:
Increase national and international awareness: Reinforce the company’s visibility to attract new investors, partners and clients.
Recruit international talent: Use the financing announcement to position Morphocell as an attractive employer, in a context of strong growth.
Reinforce credibility with investors: Utilize the financing announcement to solidify the confidence of current and future investors.
Strategies
The partnership with Exponentiel took place in two phases. First, Morphocell asked Exponentiel to organize a visit to the company’s offices, involving the Minister for the Economy, the Mayor of Laval, representatives from Investissement Québec, and the Québec Ministry of the Economy, Innovation and Energy. This visit acted as a key opportunity to demonstrate Morphocell’s importance in Québec’s biotechnology ecosystem, and to build strong relationships with political and economic decision-makers.
Following this, Exponentiel put in place a communications plan to maximize the impact of the financing announcement. This was based on several complementary axes.
Firstly, a media strategy was devised to approach, in a highly targeted manner, specialized journalists, who have knowledge of how to understand the strategic opportunities involved in this financing and its importance in the development of a technology like Morphocell’s. The objective was to maximize media coverage among investors, partners and the general public, highlighting the potential of ReLiver® and Morphocell’s expertise. Exponentiel also reviewed and harmonized communications from Morphocell’s partners to align messages and coordinate the timing of the announcement.
Simultaneously, Exponentiel designed and launched a sponsored campaign on LinkedIn, targeting biotech talent in strategic hubs like Boston, San Francisco, Vancouver, Berlin, Basel and Paris. The objective was to increase Morphocell’s visibility among industry professionals and reinforce its attractiveness as an employer of choice in these markets.
In addition to this campaign, Exponentiel developed an organic communications campaign to announce the financing, reinforcing the engagement of the Morphocell community on LinkedIn.
The key to success
PFor all of its projects, Exponentiel works in close collaboration with in-house teams. Co-creation is at the heart of our approach. For this mandate, regular contact and rigorous follow-ups, at every stage of development and deployment of the communications plan, were essential to maximize positive results. This type of mandate requires a high degree of agility in order to respond to every need that arises, predictable and unpredictable.
Impact
Morphocell has stood out from the crowd in a market largely dominated by big players. The size of this investment, the immense life-saving potential of its technology, and a passionate management team make it a company of interest.
Highlights
- Total global campaign reach : 2,067,145
- 309 new subscribers in 12 days on LinkedIn
- 1 236 interactions during the organic campaign
- 4 press articles, including one in Les Affaires. An article is also in development with a major Canadian daily newspaper that has shown a strong interest in Morphocell and has met with its teams on several occasions.
