NEW YORK—Marina Maher Communications (MMC) has taken on oversight of Omnicom sister firm Rx Mosaic, in a bid to create a broader healthcare offering.

A boutique consultancy that focuses on specialty pharmacueutical brands, Rx Mosaic was formed by Omnicom a decade ago. For the past four years, the agency has reported into healthcare ad agency LLNS.

The transfer of oversight sees leadership of Rx Mosaic pass to MMC health and wellbeing EVP Diana Littman Paige. MMC MD Michele Schimmel will run Rx Mosaic on a day-to-day basis as deputy MD.  

The move comes three years after MMC was acquired by Omnicom. Melissa Weible, an Rx Mosaic co-founder who also served as president, has left the business.

Rx Mosaic will retain its separate brand and positioning. However, Littman Paige told the Holmes Report that the combination will bring benefits for both firms, amid a rapidly shifting healthcare landscape.

"The Affordable Care Act has literally rewritten the rules for the healthcare industry," said Littman Paige. "We have to be more sophisticated in terms of the way we are communicating.

"MMC clients will benefit from Rx Mosaic’s high-science approach to communications and experience in advanced medical therapies," she added. “And Rx Mosaic clients will have access to broader resources, including MMC specialists in health and consumer lifestyle marketing, creative services, strategy and insights, experiential events and social and mainstream media."

The two firms already collaborate on shared clients, including Teva, Eisai and Pfizer. MMC will be hoping that its impressive record of healthcare growth over the past seven years — it was named Healthcare Agency of the Year in 2012 — rubs off on Rx Mosaic. 

"We have an excellent track record of growth in healthcare," said Littman Paige. "I think we have a lot to bring them and this ensures better resources to deliver more innovative healthcare work."

The addition of Rx Mosaic means that MMC's healthcare practice now numbers around 60 staffers, generating around half of the firm's estimated fee income of $40m. 

Rx Mosaic has also made a number of appointments recently. Kevin Davidson was elevated to group SVP while Joshua Mansbach joined as SVP of science strategy after holding a similar role at Edelman.