CG Life
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IMUNON is a late-stage biotechnology company pioneering non-viral, DNA-based therapies designed to transform treatment for cancer and infectious diseases, including COVID-19.
During my strategic communications internship at CG Life, IMUNON was one of the clients I partnered with most closely, giving me a front-row seat to the momentum of their clinical development and corporate storytelling. I supported the account across several core communications functions: monitoring media coverage around key corporate and clinical milestones, drafting and scheduling social content through Sprout Social, but most importantly developing rounds of proactive media outreach.
My task was to craft tailored pitch angles for life science reporters, editors, and podcast hosts that could break through a competitive biotech news cycle. Each pitch needed to spotlight the promise of IMUNON’s TheraPlas platform, build anticipation around emerging Phase 2 data, and position CEO Stacy Lindborg as a compelling scientific voice.
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Craft targeted, story-driven media pitches that elevate IMUNON’s TheraPlas platform and translate complex immunotherapy science into clear, compelling value for reporters
Shape a cohesive media narrative that builds anticipation around IMUNON’s Phase 2 topline data, while reinforcing the company’s position as an innovator in DNA-based therapeutics.
Drive strategic earned media outreach by identifying high-impact life science journalists and podcast hosts, tailoring outreach to their interests, and securing opportunities that amplify IMUNON’s breakthroughs.
Coordinate all interview logistics and craft a focused media brief that equips CEO Stacy Lindborg with aligned messaging, key data points, and narrative framing to deliver confident, high-impact conversations.
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Client + Team Sync - Met with IMUNON’s communications team and CG Life account leads, reviewed brainstorm notes, and drafted multiple pitch angles tailored to the CEO’s expertise. Built a targeted media list of life science reporters with personalized messaging for each contact
Refining the Narrative - Incorporated team feedback to consolidate the strongest concepts into a unified messaging strategy. Developed polished, media pitches aligned to each reporter’s beat and interest area
Proactive Outreach - Distributed pitches, executed follow-up rounds, and managed all incoming media interest. Ultimately secured engagement from Karen Jagoda of the Empowered Patient Podcast through proactive targeting
Media Activation - Oversaw the full interview process by drafting a comprehensive media brief for CEO Stacy Lindborg, coordinating scheduling and logistics, and ensuring a smooth handoff to executives on the account as my internship concluded.
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The final product of our June proactive media pitching for client IMUNON? Activating a key media target, Empowered Patient Podcast, that further connected CEO Stacy Lindborg with patient communities impacted most by IMUNON’s immunotherapy work. This project solidified my ability to translate complex science, navigate pharma-specific media regulations, and manage C-suite media opportunities
Pharma regulations, and scientific complexity didn’t limit creativity, but instead pushed me to craft more strategic, differentiated narratives, ultimately demonstrating my ability to drive earned media results in a highly specialized biotech environment
Media Pitch
Karen Jagoda
Karen Jagoda is the host of the Empowered Patient Podcast, founded in 1998.
Might you be interested in speaking with Dr. Stacy Lindborg, CEO of IMUNON, a small biotech company in late-stage clinical research developing novel non-viral, DNA-based therapies for cancer and infectious diseases such as COVID-19, for an upcoming podcast episode?
IMUNON has two DNA-based technology platforms: TheraPlas and PlaCCine. They are designed to use DNA as a therapeutic to code for proteins, which our body can then use to produce medicine where needed.
TheraPlas is designed to harness interleukin-12 (IL-12), a powerful cytokine and well-validated target for cancer immunotherapy, to teach the body’s immune system to fight cancer at the tumor site.
PlaCCine is designed to prompt the body’s immune system to create a vaccine response against infectious diseases such as COVID-19 without needing a virus or device to deliver it.
IMUNON recently announced positive Phase 2 data of its IL-12 immunotherapy (IMNN-001) based on TheraPlas technology in advanced ovarian cancer. The company is the first to demonstrate that an IL-12 immunotherapy has the potential to achieve a clinically effective response in ovarian cancer, while alleviating side effects often seen with other immunotherapies. Many IL-12 immunotherapies have failed in the past, so how is IMUNON able to take on the challenge and succeed, while creating a favorable safety profile for patients that has not been seen with other immunotherapies?
Currently, the first two trial sites for Phase 3 Ovation 3 trial have been initiated in May 2025, alomg with study enrollment. Participants will be randomized and include women newly diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer. With a patient population with limited options, how is IMUNON balancing navigating clinical study coordination as they seek a potential path to commercialization?
Recent Phase 1 data of its DNA-based vaccine (IMNN-101) leveraging PlaCCine technology in treatment of COVID-19 indicate that it may be a viable alternative to mRNA vaccines and able to target the Omicron variant as well as any emerging variants in the future, while offering advantages in terms of manufacturing and storage. How is this technology positioned to better protect against rising pathogens and a potential future outbreak?
Dr. Lindborg can do a deeper dive on these technologies and their unique mechanisms of action, historical challenges in oncology and infectious diseases and unmet needs, and what’s next for the company.
Hope this is of interest!
Thanks,
Rhiju Chakraborty
Account Executive, CG Life
rchakraborty@cglife.com