Pharma Product Launches: Strategies for Success
Failed launches.
It sounds a bit harsh, yet when it comes to new product launches, that has increasingly been the pharmaceutical industry’s experience since the recession.
A tighter economic climate, shifting dynamics from prescribers to payers and increased generic competition have all meant that not only are there fewer pipeline drugs, there are fewer successful product launches. And those that do launch are not sufficient to contribute to market growth or even replace revenue from off-patent drugs.
Report Overview
In Pharma Product Launches: Strategies for Success, FirstWord looks at how successful launch strategies can place pharmaceutical companies in a strong position, despite the weak market. The report, based on expert interviews and case studies, explains how and when to initiate launch planning and stakeholder engagement, the importance of creating pre-launch awareness and the importance of product differentiation. In careful detail, the report outlines the key elements of launch programs and highlights the opportunities—and challenges—that the industry faces in launching a new drug in primary care and specialty markets.
Key features
Key Benefits
Key Questions Asked
Who Should Read This Report
Key quotes
“Pharma companies need to excel at both product strategy and launch strategy. The former is concerned with positioning, differentiation, access and clear message. The latter is about driving awareness around unmet medical need, creating anticipation and ensuring an integrated strategy.”
– Doug Moore, Life Sciences Marketing and Sales Consulting Leader, Capgemini Consulting
“Companies in the early stages of development of the launch will have to ask themselves, ‘Are there specific segments within the patient population-- the overall market, the overall patients with this disease that they should be looking to demonstrate differentiated value in?’ This requires a mindset change for companies because the historical paradigm for the primary care sector, at least, has been that you try and go for as many patients as possible.”
– Sarah Rickwood, Director, European Thought Leadership, IMS Healthm
“The key distinction to a successful launch is: does the company have a fully integrated medical affairs and MSL team?”
– Dr. Samuel Dyer, CEO, Medical Science Liaison World
Expert Views
It sounds a bit harsh, yet when it comes to new product launches, that has increasingly been the pharmaceutical industry’s experience since the recession.
A tighter economic climate, shifting dynamics from prescribers to payers and increased generic competition have all meant that not only are there fewer pipeline drugs, there are fewer successful product launches. And those that do launch are not sufficient to contribute to market growth or even replace revenue from off-patent drugs.
Report Overview
In Pharma Product Launches: Strategies for Success, FirstWord looks at how successful launch strategies can place pharmaceutical companies in a strong position, despite the weak market. The report, based on expert interviews and case studies, explains how and when to initiate launch planning and stakeholder engagement, the importance of creating pre-launch awareness and the importance of product differentiation. In careful detail, the report outlines the key elements of launch programs and highlights the opportunities—and challenges—that the industry faces in launching a new drug in primary care and specialty markets.
Key features
- Overview of the changing pharmaceutical landscape and how challenges will affect future product launches
- Breakdown on initiating launch planning and successfully implementing launch strategies
- Discussion of the importance product differentiation
- Case studies detailing product launches for both primary care and specialist markets
Key Benefits
- Detailed outline of the key elements of launch programs
- Expert insight into how and when a successful launch planning should be initiated
- Case studies on successful and failed product launches
Key Questions Asked
- What are the key challenges in the ‘launch space’?
- Despite shrinking launch options, what are the windows of opportunity?
- What are the six pitfalls of product launch strategies?
- What are the roles of the cross-functional team and engaged stakeholders?
- How medical affairs are playing an increasingly important role in product launches?
Who Should Read This Report
- Product launch teams
- Marketing and brand management
- Medical affairs
- Consultants
Key quotes
“Pharma companies need to excel at both product strategy and launch strategy. The former is concerned with positioning, differentiation, access and clear message. The latter is about driving awareness around unmet medical need, creating anticipation and ensuring an integrated strategy.”
– Doug Moore, Life Sciences Marketing and Sales Consulting Leader, Capgemini Consulting
“Companies in the early stages of development of the launch will have to ask themselves, ‘Are there specific segments within the patient population-- the overall market, the overall patients with this disease that they should be looking to demonstrate differentiated value in?’ This requires a mindset change for companies because the historical paradigm for the primary care sector, at least, has been that you try and go for as many patients as possible.”
– Sarah Rickwood, Director, European Thought Leadership, IMS Healthm
“The key distinction to a successful launch is: does the company have a fully integrated medical affairs and MSL team?”
– Dr. Samuel Dyer, CEO, Medical Science Liaison World
Expert Views
- Doug Moore, Life Sciences Marketing and Sales Consulting Leader, Capgemini
- Thomas Forissier, Principal at Capgemini Consulting
- Evgeny Kobin, independent consultant, former Associate Director Global Marketing, Afinitor at Novartis Oncology
- Sarah Rickwood, Director, European Thought Leadership, IMS Health
- Simone Seiter, Country Global Lead Launch Excellence, CoE Leader, Brand & Commercial Strategy, IMS Health
- Dr. Samuel Dyer, CEO of Medical Science Liaison World
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
INTRODUCTION
CHALLENGES IN THE LAUNCH SPACE
Regulatory challenges
Shift in prescribing power
Strong competition in the primary care market
Options available
IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A SOLID LAUNCH STRATEGY
PREPARING FOR LAUNCH
When to Start
Need for a coordinated cross-functional team
Engaging with stakeholders
Payers
What payers want?
When to initiate payer engagement?
Patients
Physicians
Segmenting stakeholders
Pre-launch awareness
Role of medical affairs
FIRST CRUCIAL SIX MONTHS
LAUNCHING A ‘ME-TOO’ DRUG
Product differentiation
Case study – unsuccessful launch of a ‘me-too’ product
Case study – successful launch of a ‘me-too’ product
Lack of drive and resources
Pricing
LAUNCHING IN SPECIALIST MARKET
Case study – Oncology
Case Study – Multiple Sclerosis drug
POST LAUNCH SURVEILLANCE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
INTRODUCTION
CHALLENGES IN THE LAUNCH SPACE
Regulatory challenges
Shift in prescribing power
Strong competition in the primary care market
Options available
IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A SOLID LAUNCH STRATEGY
PREPARING FOR LAUNCH
When to Start
Need for a coordinated cross-functional team
Engaging with stakeholders
Payers
What payers want?
When to initiate payer engagement?
Patients
Physicians
Segmenting stakeholders
Pre-launch awareness
Role of medical affairs
FIRST CRUCIAL SIX MONTHS
LAUNCHING A ‘ME-TOO’ DRUG
Product differentiation
Case study – unsuccessful launch of a ‘me-too’ product
Case study – successful launch of a ‘me-too’ product
Lack of drive and resources
Pricing
LAUNCHING IN SPECIALIST MARKET
Case study – Oncology
Case Study – Multiple Sclerosis drug
POST LAUNCH SURVEILLANCE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
