Moving Dermatology Forward William Griffing, President and General Manager at Bayer HealthCare’s Dermatology Unit, discusses the shifting business model in the dermatology specialty segment. PV: How does changing the company’s name from Intendis Inc. to Bayer HealthCare (BHC) shift the company’s business model? Griffing: The name transition from Intendis Inc. to the Dermatology Unit of Bayer HealthCare (BHC) illustrates a key element of the company’s growth strategy, which considers dermatology an essential BHC specialty segment. During the past five years, we have focused on bringing together the best of both Intendis and Bayer HealthCare to better serve our customers. Clarifying our place in the Bayer family with this name change increases our access to talented experts and resources that will allow us to continue to develop new therapies to improve skin health and the lives of patients with skin conditions.” It sets the framework for our company’s future perspective, strategy, and values, and thus provides orientation and consistency in a time of change and growth. Being organized under the well-recognized Bayer brand presents new opportunities for our company, employees, and stakeholders. PV: What resources do you now have access to? Griffing: While all Intendis branding will be changed to reflect the Bayer brand, there will be no changes in the well-established organization, structure, or product quality of the company. As part of the BHC organization since 2006, our unit has always had access to resources across functions, businesses, and regions. As a key specialty segment within BHC, we have Bayer’s full commitment and support in growing our business as we strive for leadership through delivering best-in-class product innovation. PV: What will this shift to a broader, more value-based approach in healthcare mean for the industry as a whole? Griffing: We’ve realized that to be successful going forward, healthcare companies — especially those in the prescription drug market — need to take a more holistic approach to how they view their customers. Patients, managed care organizations, pharmacies, and other decision makers are all an integral part of the process and thus we, as a company, must provide value to all of these areas as well as to the prescribers of our products. We believe the industry as a whole will follow this approach. PV: How will nontraditional entrants impact healthcare business processes across all areas, including technologies, disease categories, and stages of development throughout the cycle of care? Griffing: Dermatology is a challenging arena because of high barriers to entry, such as patent protection, substantial financial investments, and proprietary technologies. As a result, nontraditional entrants may help shape the market in the same way that, for example, the launch of biologics for the treatment of psoriasis did previously. In the absence of blockbuster drugs or new chemical entities, technologies like advanced delivery systems for targeted delivery of molecules may impact how physicians treat and how their patients receive care. A Passion for Dermatology » Bayer HealthCare’s Dermatology Unit understands skin physiology and is dedicated to providing solutions for skin diseases. The global specialist has a successful track record in developing, manufacturing, and marketing innovative prescription drug products for the treatment of severe skin diseases. » As part of Bayer HealthCare with commercial operations all around the globe, the unit offers a broad spectrum of clinically proven treatments in dermatology, top-quality products to treat acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, hemorrhoids, and fungal infections. » In 2010 — with more than 700 employees worldwide — Bayer HealthCare’s Dermatology Unit reached global sales of $390 million. In the United States, the company markets two products, including Desonate Gel 0.05% , a twice-a-day medication for mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis, as well as Finacea Gel 15%, a topical gel approved for treating lesions and erythema associated with mild-to-moderate papulopustular rosacea. » In the dermatology pipeline, the company is focusing on new molecular entities and enhanced delivery systems, immuno-modulatory and anti- inflammatory products for dermatologic conditions, such as rosacea, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and other skin diseases.
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