Press Release

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

East Norriton, Penn., December 2, 2008 – Strategic decision-making, operational challenges, closed loop marketing and sales reporting were high on the list of discussion topics at the first West Coast Operations Forum facilitated by TGaS Advisors, a leading benchmark and advisory services firm for pharmaceutical commercial organizations. The operations executives, representing a broad spectrum of pharmaceutical and biotech companies, gathered in San Francisco on November 13th for the day-long event. Industry veteran W. Michael Savin, Ph.D., Consulting Partner at Teamworx2 and formerly Vice President of Sales & Marketing Operations & Planning at Amgen, was the keynote speaker.

Savin led a discussion about industry changes and smart management through the ebb and flow of the pharmaceutical business cycle. “Operational excellence, the usual answer in tough times, isn’t enough in today’s economic environment,” he said. “It’s more important to make strategic choices than to strive for efficiency in areas that may not really matter in the broader scheme of things.”

TGaS Advisors also conducted on-the-spot surveys, known as “Virtual Hows,” on several topics. Asked what areas had the most impact on Sales Operations in 2008 and their prediction for 2009, participants ranked the number of product launches and events as 3.9 out of 5, slightly lower than 2008 (4.2), but still number one. The most significant change between 2008 and 2009 is expected to be in field force structure. Click here to view details on this and other areas.

Operational Challenges in a Dynamic Environment

Taking Savin’s prescription to heart, executives debated the “do more with less” challenge in the context of the move toward Business Units and the need for even further customization, which operations professionals saw as a significant challenge. They discussed the pressures of trying to plan not just for the next 12 months, but three and five years ahead, anticipating possible launches and/or patent expirations that will cause an increase or decrease in demand on operations functions.

Closed Loop Marketing: “Flavor of the Month”?

TGaS Advisors shared benchmark data that demonstrated the continued increase in Digital Detailing and Closed Loop Marketing (CLM) across the industry. Forum participants were split on this topic, with roughly half operating or beginning to operate in this area and the other half showing little interest. There was an almost universal skepticism by the group of the value of CLM in terms of it having a positive ROI with their customers. As one phrased it, “Is CLM the flavor of the month for pharma or is it the wave of the future?” In this group, the jury was still out.

Managing Sales Reporting Volume

Savin’s advice was also pertinent to managing the volume and complexity of standard sales reports as well as dramatic increases in ad hoc requests. An on-the-spot survey showed that it takes the equivalent of 26.4 days and 2.2 full-time employees to create, check and release standard monthly reports. Most participants are putting in place a review and evaluation process to determine what is necessary vs. what has simply evolved over time and what can be outsourced, freeing up valuable resources for Sales Operations.

The West Coast event is part of an ongoing TGaS Advisors 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, primarily 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.

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 services suite of solutions, PharmaStance^®, provides clients with a way to measure where they stand with respect to their organizations and answers the question, “How do other pharmaceutical companies do ‘it’?”^® TGaS Advisors is based in East Norriton, Pennsylvania.

Other 2008:

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

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

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

TGaS Advisors’ Wojcik Analyzes Incentive Compensation Issues at Pharma Sales Force Performance Conference

TGaS Advisors Expands Executive Ranks to Accommodate Business Growth; Pharma Veteran John P. Carro Joins as Vice President, Management Advisor

TGaS Advisors TGaS Advisors Creates New Position to Accommodate Business Growth; Pharma Veteran Tom Bang Joins as Executive in Residence

TGaS Advisors Creates New Position; Pharma Veteran Gary McWalters Joins as Director of Marketing and Business Development