If you haven’t had a chance to watch the on-demand webinar, “Top 3 Questions Facing New Launches,” but are curious about where to start with the pharmaceutical commercialization process, we’re giving you a recap of the highlights.
Based on Two Labs’ experience supporting 280+ pharmaceutical new product launches, our experts will walk you through the most critical questions to answer when planning a pharma launch strategy.
Question 1: How do we identify our priorities and build a launch plan that supports them?
It’s not easy to get all your stakeholders aligned on the north star of your launch plan, but it’s an essential piece to get in place before tactical planning gets underway. Getting everyone on the same page on the priorities upfront will help clarify the interdependencies between components of your launch, making it easier to answer questions about budgets and resources.
Question 2: What are some qualities my commercial launch plan needs to include?
Cross-functional coordination: Each functional area of the commercialization strategy has their own perspective, knowledge, and ideas about how to contribute to the launch to help each department function to its best. It’s important to make sure none of these perspectives are siloed from one another.
Agility & Operational Excellence: In our experience, the most common challenges are related to the patient journey, competitive intelligence, and data management. The common denominator here is that these functions can feel external to what your company is doing, which is why it is crucial to think about things like barriers patients might encounter, packaging concerns, and market changes … and then be prepared to adapt when necessary.
For more qualities that your launch should include, watch the webinar.
Question 3: What do I need to consider when creating a distribution channel strategy?
A lot goes into deciding what distribution strategy you use, but they can more or less be simplified to five factors.
- Unique aspects of your drug: Consider unique elements of your drug and what services you might need to support patient adherence and safe distribution.
- Patient forecasting: The patient population will be a significant driver of your channel strategy, and it can change depending on what indications your drug is being approved to treat.
- Channel strategy of similar products used: One part of market analysis is looking at what has been successful for similar products in the past. However, we also like to look at how we can do things differently to achieve better results.
- Overall company goals: Keep an eye on how your launch and channel strategy ramps back to the company’s higher-level values and aspirations.
- Pipeline assets: Think about what is coming down the pike for your product and across the market. There’s always a possibility of new market entrants or new opportunities for your product.
Bonus Question: Should I consider having a data aggregation partner?
Partnering with a data aggregator can give you insights into two key areas: the effectiveness of your product and how it fits into the patient journey, and how your partners are performing. The replay of the webinar will dive into the specifics of how data can inform the partner and patient experience.
Ready for a deeper dive into the basics of a new product launch? Check out the full on-demand webinar.
Want to chat with our experts? Reach out to see how our deep experience in pharma consulting can support your new product launch.
About the Authors
Anita Dopkosky, RPh, Vice President of Specialty Commercialization, is a registered pharmacist with over 30 years of experience leading the launch and distribution of specialty pharma products. She helped emerging pharma and biotech manufacturers develop distribution models that best serve patients, caregivers, and prescribers.
Courtney Johnson, Vice President of Commercialization Strategy, has more than 18 years of pharma experience and has supported over 100 product launches over the last eight years, specializing in specialty distribution for products in oncology and neurology.