Medical Animation for Avidity: Explaining AOC Delivery for Muscle Disease

We created a hand-drawn medical animation for Avidity to help explain their novel approach to treating myotonic dystrophy using AOCs—antibody-oligonucleotide conjugates. The goal was simple but not easy: make a complex mechanism of action understandable to scientists, collaborators, and non-specialist stakeholders alike.

Avidity Biosciences is advancing RNA therapeutics by solving one of the biggest challenges in oligo-based treatments: cellular delivery. Their AOC platform links antibodies to oligonucleotides, allowing precise delivery to muscle cells. This opens the door to effective treatment for diseases like myotonic dystrophy.

Medical Animation Style and Story

In this biotech explainer video, we guided viewers through the journey of a disease-causing gene defect and the innovative solution Avidity is developing:

  • The problem: A gene called DMPK creates toxic RNA loops that trap a protein (MBNL) needed for healthy muscle function.

  • The treatment: Synthetic oligos are designed to bind this RNA and mark it for degradation.

  • The delivery: Avidity’s AOCs ensure these oligos can enter muscle cells effectively—something they struggle to do on their own.

We used a clean, hand-drawn style—with gentle motion and simple diagrams—to highlight the elegance of the biology without overwhelming the viewer. Instead of flashy effects, we focused on storytelling clarity. Each frame was designed to reinforce understanding and retention.

Behind the Scenes: The Avidity Biosciences Animation

When Avidity Biosciences approached us, the goal was clear: create a short, engaging animation to explain their science around Myotonic Dystrophy. But turning this complex biology into something instantly understandable was no small task.

Translating Complexity into Clarity

At the start, the science felt intimidating—even to us. Myotonic Dystrophy and its underlying mechanisms are not easy to grasp quickly, and our first conversations with Dr. Art Levin made that clear. But as with every project, we dove in, asked questions, and absorbed everything we could.

One decision that made a big difference: using simple graphics instead of hyper-realistic 3D visuals. We knew this was a bold move, especially in a field that often leans toward glossy visuals. But together with the Avidity team, we agreed that the message mattered more than the medium. A simple, clean style turned out to be the perfect fit.

“It’s a great example of how simple graphics—not some fancy 3D—can really get the message across.” — Emilia Metzel

A Sharp Eye for Details

We were nearly ready to wrap the video when something unexpected happened—Avidity’s team noticed a critical typo in the disease name: “Myotonic distrophy” instead of “Myotonic dystrophy.” It had slipped past everyone, despite multiple reviews. There was also a second catch: “Muscular atrophy” should have been “Muscle atrophy.”

Thankfully, our approach to versioning meant these edits didn’t require a full voice-over rework. The fixes were made quickly, and the video was updated without delay.

The Final Touch

What made this project stand out wasn’t just the visuals or the feedback—it was the collaboration. Avidity’s team was focused, yet relaxed. They trusted us to handle the creative and technical details, and we kept them involved without overwhelming them.

The result? A short, clear video the team was proud to share internally and planned to post on their website. A few months later, Art sent us a note that still makes us smile:

“You’ve been incredibly responsive. All of us at Avidity are very pleased with your work. We hope to use your services again in the future.”

What We Learned

  • Simple visuals can be more powerful than photorealism—especially in early-stage biotech communication.

  • Typos happen—even on the 10th review. A process for quick fixes makes all the difference.

  • Trust and responsiveness are everything. Working together as partners leads to the best outcomes.

If you’re looking to explain your science clearly and memorably, even when the topic is complex – we’d love to help.