Press Release

Record Number of Pharma Operations Leaders Share Challenges, Solutions at Four TGaS^® Advisors Forums

EAST NORRITON, PENN., November 3, 2008 – Leveraging new technology and social media opportunities while dealing with heightened scrutiny, all in the context of a rapid-fire competitive marketplace, were key themes at four day-long forums facilitated by TGaS Advisors, a leading benchmark and advisory services firm in pharmaceutical commercial operations. The nearly 50 commercial operations executives attending the invitation-only Internet and Relationship Marketing, Marketing Operations, Sales Operations and Marketing Sciences Operations Forums represent more than 30 top U.S. pharmaceutical companies.

The forums, held October 15-16, 2008, in Princeton, N.J., were part of an ongoing forum series that brings together commercial operations decision-makers to exchange ideas on industry issues and learn “How other pharmaceutical companies do ‘it.’”^® These collaborative networks of operations executives, all clients of the firm, select the topics, sharing issues and challenges common to all. TGaS Advisors associates provide relevant benchmark data and insights to facilitate the discussions.

Stephen E. Gerard, Managing Partner, TGaS Advisors, commented on the evolution of the forums from one small gathering of operations executives in 2006 to ten events attracting more than 120 participants this year, including the first ever TGaS Advisors Forum on the West Coast in November. Participants have cited the opportunity to learn from each other as one of the primary reasons for the forums’ growing popularity.

“What is most gratifying is to see an increasing number of clients benefitting from the opportunity to talk with their peers about the most important issues they have in common,” said Gerard. “We create a unique community of operations executives who use shared insights and best practices to strengthen their companies and provide leadership in this difficult economic climate.”

TGaS Advisors also conducted on-the-spot surveys, known as “Virtual Hows,” for each group. Click here for more detailed information.

Internet/Relationship Marketing: Social Media: From Testing the Water to Taking the Plunge

Donna Wray, Management Advisor, TGaS Advisors, led the Internet and Relationship Marketing Forum. The most revealing insight is the speed with which brands are recognizing social networking as an important medium. Current benchmark data indicate that 80% of brand e-marketers agree that social network sites are “a key area where our target audience communicates.” While the January 2008 forum dealt with reservations about social media participation, e-marketers seemed to have crossed the threshold. Forum participants report they are monitoring this channel and all are thinking about or engaging at some level. Uptake is strongest among specialty brands.

Marketing Operations: Medical/Regulatory/Legal Review Needs Structured Process, Top-Down Endorsement

Jim Mercante, Partner, TGaS Advisors, facilitated the Marketing Operations discussion where the medical/regulatory/legal review process was the top issue. This is driven by the political, legal and public spotlight on every communication emanating from companies, even Internet postings over which they have no control, and the sheer volume of digital, interactive promotional pieces that must be reviewed. At the same time, operations groups understand the need to produce information quickly for competitive advantage.

The group shared observations on such pressing medical/regulatory/legal issues as formalized processes, metrics, training, management procedures and co-promotion. The best practice emerging from the discussion was three-part: 1) Establish a robust review process; 2) make sure it’s endorsed and communicated by senior operations management; and 3) build the implementation into performance standards.

Sales Operations: Number and Complexity of Reports, Adding Value to Sales Support are Key Topics

Jeff Wojcik and John Carro, TGaS Advisors Vice Presidents and Management Advisors, facilitated the Sales Operations discussion. This was the largest forum group, involving 24 attendees representing 15 companies and more than $100 billion in annual revenue.

Hot topics included the ever-increasing complexity of reports. TGaS Advisors benchmark data show, for example, that Sales Operations delivers an average of 90 distinct reports each month, nearly half of them going to field managers. Companies dedicate the equivalent of three full-time employees to this process. Participants concluded there is no quick fix, but putting an established governance process in place can help reduce the problem.

Managing sales operations and providing value to the sales organization in today’s dynamic environment was another major topic. Sales Operations groups are formalizing their business planning processes to ensure they can provide strategic solutions beyond traditional support services.

Marketing Science Operations: Market Research Strives to Evolve to Business Partner Status

Bob Shewbrooks, TGaS Advisors Vice President and Management Advisor, facilitated the Marketing Science Operations discussion, which centered on how to increase the value of marketing research as a business partner. As the pharmaceutical industry fine-tunes the selling model and identifies new channels in which to market products, executive management is calling on the research group to validate the changes. The group also agreed that organizational structure, although varied, can help ensure that learning is shared across functional disciplines to enable more informed business decisions.

Additional topics focused on the need to leverage the ever-increasing volume of information that flows through the research department. Integration of disparate data from multiple sources still remains a challenge, according to pharmaceutical executives, but most have begun to improve the process.

Although clearly cognizant of the turmoil that currently exists in the industry, the group indicated their departments play a strategic role within each organization and, for the most part, are likely to remain resource neutral in 2009.

About TGaS^® Advisors LLC

TGaS Advisors, ranked ninth among health-related companies by the Inc. 500, is the leader in benchmarking and advisory services to the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry. The TGaS Advisors roster includes nine of the top 10 and the majority of the top 50 pharmaceutical companies with operations in the U.S. market. The firm’s benchmarking and advisory suite of solutions, PharmaStance^®, provides clients with a way to measure where they stand with respect to their operations and answers the question, “How do other pharmaceutical companies do ‘it’?”^® TGaS Advisors is based in East Norriton, Pennsylvania.

Other 2008:

Operational Challenges, Closed Loop Marketing, Sales Reporting are Key Topics for Pharma Operations Execs at TGaS Advisors First West Coast Forum

“Turning Prophets into Strategists and Leaders” Seen as Opportunity for Market Research; Theme of Pharma Market Research Group Presentation

TGaS Advisors Named to Philadelphia 100^®, Ranked 18th Among Region’s Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies

Sharon Patent Appointed Director, Marketing Sciences Operations Practices, at TGaS Advisors, Adding New Dimension to Analytics Capabilities

Top Pharma Execs Discuss Regionalization and Outsourcing Trends at TGaS^® Advisors Operations Forum

TGaS Advisors Launches Internet Performance Benchmark

TGaS Advisors’ Gerard Moderates Featured Panel at CBI Pharma Leadership Summit on Impact of Innovation on Sales Operations

TGaS Advisors’ Castello Offers Advice on Managing Changes in Pharma Sales Compensation Plans

TGaS Advisors Named to 2008 Inc. 500

TGaS Advisors Leader Steve Gerard Named One of “100 Most Inspiring People” by PharmaVoice Magazine

TGaS Advisors Launches Organization and Career Guide Benchmark for Pharma Sales Operations

TGaS Advisors Appoints James P. Castello Director, Management Advisor

TGaS Advisors Named as Finalists In 2008 American Business Awards

TGaS Advisors Hires Brian Bamberger to Spearhead Managed Markets Benchmarks

Pharma Marketing Sciences Execs Learn “How Other Companies Do It” at TGaS Advisors Client Forum

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