SEPTEMBER 21, 2009

Robert J. Easton Moderates Panel on Drug Life Cycle Management

At Windhover's Pharmaceutical Strategic Alliance conference in New York City on September 21, 2009, Robert J. Easton, Chairman of Scisive Consulting, LP moderated a panel entitled New Clothes From Old Cloth: Adding Value to Portfolio Development Strategy.  The panel was sponsored by Eurand, Inc. and included Martin Reeves, VP Business Development and Strategic Planning, Cephalon, Inc., Kate Burt, Director, Commercial Alliances and Transactions, Worldwide Business Development, GlaxoSmithKline (U.K.) and Troy Harmon, VP Business Development, Eurand Inc.

Panel Abstract: As economic and regulatory pressures impact shareholder value, companies need to focus on delivering reimbursable medicines which fulfill unmet medical needs to maximize their profitability. Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly willing to explore strategies traditionally adopted by specialty companies, potentially signaling a shift in strategy to develop products that may offer smaller profits but promise a higher probability of regulatory approval (hitting "singles" instead of going for the Big Drug "home run"). This shift in the competitive landscape could lead to 'big pharma' competing for product opportunities once reserved for the specialty pharmaceutical domain.

In turn, the implications point to drug delivery and drug reformulation becoming increasingly more important parts of a pipeline strategy to access and augment new patient segments, and the key to success will be working with partners that can maximize the likelihood that a particular program will deliver a valuable medicine.