Thought leaders drive rapid sales uptake for global pharmaceutical launches

Tthought leader management plays a huge role in the world's best pharmaceutical launches, according to a report from pharmaceutical benchmarking leader Best Practices LLC (Chapel Hill, NC). Companies that fail to identify and segment thought leaders sacrifice rapid sales uptake in the critical product-launch period.

Best Practices in Global Pharmaceutical Launches, the latest analysis from Best Practices, reveals how top pharmaceutical companies manage thought leader development as an integrated, multi-phase process from the start of the new product launch.

The report finds that leading pharmaceutical companies divide through leaders into three major categories: global, national and regional, the report finds. The companies approach each group of influential doctors separately to drive rapid uptake of a new product. Thought leader management is a critical component of the $500 million investment necessary to launch a blockbuster drug.

Best Practices in Global Pharmaceutical Launches identifies the winning strategies, practices and investment patterns that distinguish successful global marketing launches by assessing launches conducted by 16 of the world's top pharmaceutical companies.

Report findings include:

• Cultivating key influencers who drive uptake for a new drug. Report findings show that successful companies build relationships with 250–400 thought leaders.
  
• Segmenting and developing thought leaders according to their influence to optimize resources and drive expert buy-in.
  
• Fostering a dialogue with key thought leaders through advisory boards to instill a commercial perspective into the product development process.

"Thought leader management is a critical driver of launch success," said project manager David Wang. "Companies that successfully manage thought ensure that their new drugs have the attention they need in a crowded market."

Other key elements for product launch success covered in the report include:

• Commercially focused development
  
• Consistent resource allocation
  
• Broad-based market research
  
• Enthusiastic sales force participation

For more information about the report or to speak about other pharmaceutical reports, contact David Wang of Best Practices at 919-403-0251, ext. 233.

Edited by Angelo DePalma
Managing Editor, Pharmacuetical Online
adepalma@pharmaceuticalonline.com