Trend: The adoption of digital platforms for gathering and consuming content has removed the traditional expert middlemen who controlled and interpreted information.
The multiplatform content group (MCG) at Chandler Chicco Companies (CCC) uses storytelling know-how and expertise in the science of communications to help clients capture attention and move audiences to action.
“Specific knowledge of strategic communications and the skills of the storyteller are needed today to transform data and information into great content that will be heard, acted upon, and remembered," says Lisa Stockman, managing director of CCC New York. “As we expand the channels and platforms we use in an increasingly wired world, it becomes ever clearer that the heart of our work is the narrative."
A constant stream of words and data funneled through email, Facebook, Twitter, texts, news readers, and dozens of other digital and traditional platforms means the average person processes content equivalent to a small novel every day.
“As technology evolves from Gutenberg to Zuckerberg, our jobs as communicators evolve; we must provide context and framework to explain the stunning swirl of information that surrounds us," explains Sydney Rubin, a former reporter and senior counselor who heads MCG for CCC. “We need to provide a narrative story that entertains, explains, informs, and touches the heart."
Underpinning MCG’s storytelling expertise are insights from research into the science of communications. Over the last decade, an unprecedented amount of data have emerged from research in neuroscience and psychology using technologies such as functional magnetic resonance and eye tracking, all of which provide new insights into how people receive, process, and respond to information.
For more information, visit chandlerchiccocompanies.com.
Pharma Companies Create Nonprofit to Speed R&D
TransCelerate BioPharma is a nonprofit organization formed by 10 leading biopharmaceutical companies to accelerate the development of new medicines.
The initiative’s focus is to identify and solve common drug development challenges with the end goals of improving the quality of clinical studies and bringing new medicines to patients faster.
Garry Neil, M.D., acting CEO of TransCelerate BioPharma and partner at Apple Tree Partners, says the heads of R&D at major pharmaceutical companies agree there is a critical need to substantially increase the number of innovative new medicines, while eliminating inefficiencies that drive up R&D costs.
“Our mission at TransCelerate BioPharma is to work together across the global research and development community and share research and solutions that will simplify and accelerate the delivery of exciting new medicines for patients," Dr. Neil adds.
TransCelerate’s founders are Abbott, AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Genentech, and Sanofi. Through participation in TransCelerate, each of the 10 founding companies will combine financial and other resources, including personnel, to solve industrywide challenges in a collaborative environment. Together, member companies have agreed to specific outcome-oriented objectives and established guidelines for sharing meaningful information and expertise to advance collaboration.
In other news…
MicroMass Communications has added a consulting practice that helps life-sciences companies meet the growing demand for patient-centricity, an approach that drives positive patient experiences and outcomes, both of which are critical areas of focus in the new healthcare environment.
The MicroMass Health Behavior Group specializes in identifying ways of motivating patients and other audiences to adopt behaviors that lead to better health outcomes.
“With patient-centricity affecting the entire healthcare sector, we developed a more robust agency model to help marketers arrive at effective business solutions," says Alyson Connor, MicroMass partner and senior VP of strategic and behavioral sciences. “Many healthcare marketers seek patient insights and strategic counseling for specific campaigns, while others seek insights and counseling to drive their broader marketing efforts."
As VP, health behavior group, Jessica Brueggeman heads the division and oversees the agency’s staff of behaviorists to deliver evidence-based business strategies that can be applied across multiple audiences, including patients, healthcare providers, caregivers, and payers.
“We’re seeing tremendous interest from clients and prospects in crafting a truly patient-centric approach to marketing," Ms. Brueggeman says, noting that the future success of pharma companies will depend on how well they function as agents of behavioral change.
“As pharma shifts its focus from products to health outcomes, it’s essential to understand what motivates patients to take appropriate actions regarding their health," she adds. “Formalizing MicroMass’ behavioral services into a dedicated consulting group gives us the opportunity to partner with clients to help them build new capabilities in behavior change."
For more information, visit micromasshbg.com.
Parexel International has partnered with Salem State University in Massachusetts to offer a postgraduate certificate program in clinical trial management
Parexel is committed to developing the future biopharmaceutical workforce with courses specifically tailored to meet the growing talent needs of the clinical development job market. “Salem State has a progressive outlook in partnering with industries and an impressive track record in building career interest in science disciplines," observes Josef von Rickenbach, chairman and CEO of Parexel. “Parexel has experienced rapid growth in the United States and we are excited to have a major university partner in the Northeast to further develop the much-needed talent pool of candidates in the field."
Parexel has a history of developing close partnerships with regional universities through its Parexel Academy, first established in Berlin in 2001. There, candidates can earn a bachelor of science in clinical research, validated and awarded by the University of Wales. More recently, Parexel entered into an agreement with the National University of Singapore through its National University of Singapore Academy of GxP Excellence to offer an academic program to help meet the increasing demand for talent in the field of clinical research in the Asia region.
For more information, visit parexel-akademie.de.
Razorfish Healthware is a business unit of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG) created by a partnership between Razorfish Health and Publicis Healthware International, offering marketing skills and leadership in the evolving digital health landscape.
Razorfish Health brings an emphasis on creating brand experiences, leveraging a mix of insight, technology, creativity, and industry savvy so that health and wellness industry clients can build healthy relationships that last. Publicis Healthware International’s experience spans developing new technologies, Web, and mobile solutions, as well as e-detailing, CRM, and KOL management.
Razorfish Healthware’s operations are being led by Roberto Ascione. “The emergence of mobile, social, and other interactive channels requires agencies and their partners to rethink their strategies and tactics," Mr. Ascione says. “The combination of these two companies into a single offering allows us to leverage our talents and mobilize more quickly with the best solutions to help our clients to fully embrace their digital transformation."
For more information, visit razorfishhealthware.com.
Ogilvy & Mather has formed a 360-degree healthcare offering connecting Ogilvy PR’s healthcare practice with Ogilvy & Mather’s global healthcare marketing communications group, Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide, to better serve the complex needs of clients in the healthcare space.
The healthcare industry faces many simultaneous forces reshaping everything from its business model, to migration to digital and shared records, to big data driving personalized medicine, to the entry of disruptive, new players.
As the healthcare and pharma industries experience the resulting transformation and consolidation, they are demanding a new agency model, notes Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide Chairman and CEO Matt Giegerich.
“The new [Ogilvy & Mather] model blows up the old-world agency architecture built on separate discipline pillars, and instead pulls together and integrates the experts around their domain expertise regardless of their function: advertising, medical education, direct, PR, or social," Mr. Giegerich adds.
To provide further support to the new model, Ogilvy PR and Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide have unveiled several management changes, including Kate Cronin joining the Ogilvy CommonHealth global board.
She is leading the integration of the global Ogilvy PR healthcare community into the specialized 360-degree offering.
Ms. Cronin previously served in the dual roles of global healthcare practice leader for Ogilvy PR and New York office head.
With Ms. Cronin’s transition into this healthcare role, Robert Mathias, president of Ogilvy Washington and 17-year veteran of Ogilvy PR, has been named New York’s acting office head throughout the search period.
For more information, visit ogilvy.com.
Catalent Pharma Solutions and CTC Bio are collaborating to provide solutions to South Korean pharmaceutical companies seeking to commercialize solid oral dose and controlled release products in the United States and Europe. The combination of CTC Bio’s strong position in South Korea with Catalent’s expertise in controlled release formulations, manufacturing network, and broad experience in global product launches can provide South Korean companies with broad access to international markets.
For more information, visit catalent.com.
Dublin-based Elan Corp. has spun off its discovery science business Neotope Biosciences from the company. The move creates two independent, highly focused public companies that enables investors to align timelines, risk, and returns in order to best achieve their investment objectives.
For more information, visit elan.com.
IMS Health has acquired PharmaDeals, a U.K.-based subsidiary of PharmaVentures and provider of online information about business transactions, licensing, and mergers and acquisitions activity within the global pharmaceutical industry. The addition of PharmaDeals extends IMS’s syndicated analytics and insights that help healthcare clients with their real-time decision-making in the areas of market assessment, forecasting, and lifecycle and portfolio management.
For more information, visit imshealth.com.
Merck Serono, the Geneva-based biopharma division of Germany’s Merck KGaA, has created Quartz Bio, the second spinoff company resulting from its entrepreneur partnership program launched in April 2012. Quartz Bio offers biomarker data management and exploratory biomarker analysis services for the pharmaceutical industry. Quartz Bio is headed by Founder and CEO Jérôme Wojcik, an expert in bioinformatics.
For more information, visit merckserono.com.
Pfizer has announced two agreements that strengthen the global pharma company’s generics presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Pfizer and Mylan have established a long-term, strategic collaboration to develop, manufacture, distribute, and market generic drugs in Japan. Mylan’s responsibilities under the collaboration primarily include managing operations, including research and development and manufacturing, while Pfizer is mainly responsible for the commercialization of the combined generics portfolio and managing a combined marketing and sales effort.
In other moves, Pfizer and Chinese pharma company Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceuticals have launched Hisun-Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, a joint venture to develop, manufacture, and commercialize off-patent pharmaceutical products in China and global markets. The Hisun-Pfizer venture is based in Zhejiang province.
For more information, visit pfizer.com.
PRA has opened a second China-based office in Beijing to accommodate the CRO’s continued expansion in the Asia-Pacific region. PRA established its first China office in Shanghai in 2005.
For more information, visit praintl.com.
Takeda Pharmaceutical International GmbH, a subsidiary of Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. based in Zurich, Switzerland, has completed construction of a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Yaroslavl, Russia. The production plant is expected to be fully operational by 2014.
For more information, visit takeda.com.
Barnett Educational Services has released the PAREXEL BIOPHARMACEUTICAL R&D STATISTICAL SOURCEBOOK 2012/2013 in both hard copy and fully searchable electronic eStats versions. New additions to the 2012/2013 edition include an analysis on the current share of clinical trial spending by region for 2011; studies on the emerging clinical trial markets in India, China, Korea, Canada, and dozens of other key markets and regions; new analyses and actual/projected metrics on the biosimilars market; and forecasting models on biopharma sales, R&D spending, the pharma/biotech markets, and other meaningful industry metrics.
For more information, visit barnettinternational.com.
Activating digital opinion leaders: how the internet, social media and mobile channels are changing the key opinion leader environment is a free, 28-page e-book that includes recommendations and suggestions for engaging with digital opinion leaders within the constraints of a highly regulated environment. The e-book was written by Daniel Ghinn, CEO and co-founder of Creation Healthcare, an independent, London-based consultancy that partners with pharmaceutical and healthcare organizations to help them navigate the rapidly changing communications landscape.
For more information, visit engagementstrategy.com.
Huron Life Sciences has released its INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL DEVICE COMPLIANCE for 2012 to address changing guidelines governing conduct across international borders for the global medical device marketplace. The Web-based, interactive, and searchable edition of the compendium includes a tool kit of compliance guides created by various countries and regions of the world; new codes for Croatia, South Africa, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates; and comparisons of available country-specific code provisions to the AdvaMed Code for dealing with healthcare professionals.
For more information, visit huronconsultinggroup.com.
The Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS) has published FUNDAMENTALS OF EU REGULATORY AFFAIRS, SIXTH EDITION, a reference text on regulatory requirements for healthcare and related products marketed in the European Union. The updated version includes the latest information on EU directives, regulations, and guidelines on human and veterinary medicinal products, biologics, medical devices, cosmetics, and food supplements, as well as applicable international standards and guidance.
For more information, visit raps.org.
According to a book by salesforce effectiveness experts Andris Zoltners, Prabhakant Sinha, and Sally Lorimer, BUILDING A WINNING SALES MANAGEMENT TEAM: THE FORCE BEHIND THE SALES FORCE, organizations across industries need to dedicate time, attention, and resources to develop and maintain a strong team of first-line sales managers.
The book offers actionable insights with real-world examples to guide organizations that wish to nurture successful sales managers and improve their company’s productivity. Mr. Zoltners and Mr. Sinha are founders of global sales and marketing consulting firm ZS Associates.
For more information, visit zsassociates.com.
