Press Release

Commercial Operations Leaders Envision a “Rubik’’s^® Cube” of Approach to the New Commercial Landscape at TGaS Advisors Summit

Supporting Digital-Savvy Customers through People, Processes and Technology

East Norriton, Penn., November 30, 2010 — The New Commercial Model has become a catchword for the radical changes impacting the pharmaceutical industry, challenging companies to meet customer needs despite the uncertain payer and regulatory environment. More than 100 senior operations executives representing 36 leading pharmaceutical companies grappled with these issues at TGaS Advisors’ 2010 Commercial Operations Fall Summit, held November 16 in Princeton, N.J. The national invitation-only event was designed for clients of the pharmaceutical operations benchmarking and advisory services firm, a division of KnowledgePoint360.

Anna McClafferty, Vice President, Management Advisor, TGaS Advisors, led a panel of industry leaders in setting the stage for the day-long conference, the 11th and largest in a series of such meetings. Joining her were Robert Blair, Director, US Customer Model, Strategy & Operations, US Operations, Bristol-Myers Squibb; Daniel A. Camardo, Senior Director, Marketing Operations, Astellas Pharma US, Inc.; and John A. McCarthy, Vice President, Commercial Strategy & Operations, Marketing & Sales, AstraZeneca. TGaS Advisors Partner Jim Mercante moderated the panel.

McClafferty described early insights from the New Commercial Landscape Benchmark TGaS Advisors is currently conducting. “Companies are in complete agreement that customer focus is an imperative,” she said. “Nonetheless, we’re finding tremendous variation in how they propose to reach that goal, from commercial model overhaul to companies that find the current model working well for them.” Mercante envisioned a three-dimensional “Rubik’s^® Cube” strategy to address the structure, process, people and technology necessary to develop and deliver products and services that meet customer needs in the new era.

“Customers are trained by Amazon.com,” said McCarthy.”We have many more opportunities to touch them, but we are still primarily sales rep-oriented. We need to bring the multi-channel vision together and gain intelligence from customer contacts. It’s what they expect today.”

“Evolving the customer model will require having a two-way dialogue,” said Blair. “We have to move beyond just providing product information to a larger integration strategy that leverages multiple channels and touch points that feed back to customers.”

Camardo challenged Commercial Operations to take the lead: “We’re asking people to fundamentally change the way they think about the commercial strategy of a product. It starts from the top, but Commercial Operations will carry the torch. It’s very exciting to be part of this industry-wide transformation.” He also commended TGaS Advisors for their proactive, collaborative approach in bringing leaders together to get comfortable with the new reality.

TGaS Advisors Founder and President Steve Gerard remarked on trends he has seen since the Client Summits began: “In earlier years, Commercial Operations leaders were focused primarily on their operational responsibilities. This year we are seeing a greater complexity and breadth of issues than ever before. Executives want to understand where the industry is headed and how they can play a strategic business role in leading the change.”

Break-out sessions explored Executive Commercial Operations, Training & Development, Digital & Relationship Marketing, Managed Markets, Sales Operations, Marketing Operations and Marketing Sciences Operations issues in-depth. A sampling of insights from the sessions follows.

Executive Commercial Operations: Closed Loop Marketing

Commercial operations leaders agree that there is a long road ahead in building closed loop marketing capabilities. One leader acknowledged that the effort to build systems infrastructure and analytical capabilities alone has been a five-year process, and anticipates another five years until pharma capabilities match those of experienced customer relationship marketers like American Express.

Training & Development: ROI Expectations

Training effectiveness, transfer, ROI and impact are increasing in stakeholders’ expectations. Shifts of commercial training reporting to Commercial Operations as opposed to Human Resources supports the quantitative nature of increased metrics.

Digital & Relationship Marketing: More Targeted, More Measurable, More Impact

Pharma continues to invest heavily in “traditional media” like journal ads and network TV to reach consumers. Yet it was widely agreed that the impact of these enormous investments are becoming less and less obvious in the digital age. Significantly smaller investments in newer digital media can be much more targeted, measurable and ultimately have greater impact. Mobile media is becoming essential, and social media is becoming fertile ground for 2011 brand marketing efforts.

Managed Markets: Brand Team Input

Even though an understanding of managed markets is critical to success, brand team members charged with this responsibility tend to be junior-level. Pre-launch teams are the exception.

Sales Operations: iPads

Most companies are evaluating the iPad and indicate their field forces will use only one device in the physician’s offices. Representatives will use laptops/tablets at home for heavy analytics and reporting.

Marketing Operations: Strategic Partnering

Marketing Operations is evolving into a strategic partner with brand teams, given reductions in brand headcount and a need for greater organizational efficiencies.

About TGaS^® Advisors

Ranked in the top 100 among U.S. Business Products & Services companies by the Inc. 5000, TGaS Advisors is the leading benchmarking and advisory services firm serving pharmaceutical commercial operations organizations. The TGaS Advisors roster includes the top 10 and the majority of the top 50 pharmaceutical companies with operations in the U.S. market. The firm provides the only comprehensive series of benchmarking solutions and advisory services for objectively improving the strategy and effectiveness of pharmaceutical operations organizations. TGaS Advisors, based in East Norriton, Pennsylvania, is an operating division of KnowledgePoint360 Group, a global leader in communications and information services to healthcare professionals. To learn more, visit www.tgas.com.

About KnowledgePoint360

KnowledgePoint360 provides a broad range of medical communications services from offices in the U.S., the U.K., and Germany, including medical education, publication support, live educational meetings ranging from international congresses to dinner meetings, scientific content development, exhibit design, digital solutions, training, workflow and compliance solutions to support speaker programs, benchmark-based advisory services, and strategic consulting.

KnowledgePoint360 businesses include ACUMED, BlueMomentum, Clinical Bridges, CodonMedical, eMedFusion, FireKite, Gardiner-Caldwell Communications, GeoMed, Interphase, Physicians World, Physicians World Europe, Physicians World Speakers Bureau, Scientific Connexions, StemScientific, and TGaS Advisors. Headquarters are in Secaucus, N.J., with additional offices in Macclesfield, Maidenhead, and London, U.K.; Newtown and East Norriton, Pa., New York, Chicago, and San Bruno, Calif.; and Mannheim, Germany.

Other 2010:

TGaS Advisors Promotes Carro to Principal, Appoints Kain and Sharp to Lead Marketing Sciences Operations and Compliance Solutions

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KnowledgePoint360 acquires TGaS Advisors

TGaS Advisors President Urges Commercial Operations Executives to “Think Like CEOs” in Keynote Presentation for ZS Associates Pharmaceutical Operations Conference

TGaS Advisors Named To Philadelphia 100, Region’s Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies

TGaS Advisors Named to Inc. 5000; Among Top 20 in Philadelphia Area

Managed Markets Marketing Leaders Debate Channel Strategy, Healthcare Reform, Career Issues at TGaS Advisors Summit

TGaS Advisors Launches Three New Pharmaceutical Benchmark Options: Best of Benchmark, Efficiency Benchmark and Strategic Priorities Benchmark

New Commercial Models, Healthcare Reform, Cross-Organizational Talent Needs Pose Challenges for Pharma Operations Execs at TGas Advisors’ Leadership Summit

TGaS Advisors Offers Proxy Measures, Best Practices in Digital Marketing Metrics at PMSA Conference

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Pharma Executives Bullish on Companies, Industry for 2010: TGaS Advisors 2010 Confidence Index

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TGaS Advisors’ Mercante Speaks on New Data Sources in the Digital Age, New Competitve Strategies for the Pharmaceutical Industry

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