The session also threw up some interesting insights on patient engagement strategies executed around the time of launch and the importance of an integrated strategy.(Also see "Patient Voice To Data: How Novartis Is Listening Up, Harnessing RWE In APMA" - Scrip, 14 June, 2023.)

Sun Pharma’s SVP, head of ophthalmics, oncology and radiopharma, Mark Hagler cited an instance when an eye care company that launched a second-to-market product, began with a "huge" patient, direct-to- consumer campaign. The campaign, which entailed investments that weren't ‘insignificant’, was very successful and drove a lot of patients to optometrists and ophthalmologists.

However, what ended up happening was that the first-to-market brand, which had phenomenal coverage, got a huge boost in sales, because when patients asked for the second-to-market product, it wasn't covered.

“After that first patient called back complaining to the doctor that this isn’t covered, all the patients that came in and asked were given the first-to-market product, because it was covered. If you go back and look at Rx data, you can just see this huge lift in scripts for the competitor, when this campaign was launched” Hagler pointed out.(Also see "What Physicians Want: Less of Promotional Content" - Scrip, 8 February, 2022.)

The Sun executive emphasized the need to ensure “adequate” coverage and market access in place before firms spend large sums of money on a campaign so that if a patient asks and a physician is willing to put them on a product, there's no 'friction' for them getting it.

“Otherwise, your return-on-investment is not going to be as good as it would be,” asserted Hagler.

Brian Heath, VP and general manager at Amgen’s US oncology business unit, on similar lines, emphasized the need for an integrated strategy across healthcare professional promotions and patient engagement efforts alongside the payer activation aspect.

Heath pointed out that in a silent disease like osteoporosis, it can be very important to mobilize the patient to ask the doctor about treatment options.“Even if the patient doesn't ask about treatment options, it's really important that they've heard about these options so that when the prescriber offers it to the patient, they're willing to accept that,” explained the executive, who in a prior role led the commercial teams that deliver revenue in the US for Prolia (denosumab) and Evenity (romosozumab-aqqg) among others.

“I do think it's really important that you've got both going simultaneously. So when the physician offers it [the treatment], the patient is willing to accept and in the best case scenario, ask for it.”

McKinsey & Company had, in a report some years ago, noted that many brand teams kick off market-shaping activities in the months before launch, but shaping an unmet need could take longer.

The global management consultancy cited how well ahead of debuting Fosamax (alendronate sodium), one of the first bisphosphonate drugs to treat osteoporosis and other bone diseases, Merck & Co., Inc. invested in an intensive campaign to inform physicians (especially gynecologists) and the American public (especially middle-aged women) about osteoporosis and the availability of bone-mineral testing. It also co-sponsored media campaigns with the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

“The most effective companies begin work during the clinical development phase so as to transform both the disease perception and the product profile long before launch,” the report stated.

Amgen, Sun Execs On Driving Brand Launch Success Even As 'Punches' Land

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