BIOLOGY

With changing regulations, pharmacoeconomics, and scientific innovations, as well as increased competition within the industry, pharmaceutical companies need to step up both R&D and commercialization efforts. What's more important though, is how these companies integrate their R&D and marketing departments. The organizations that consistently blend product development and marketing will continue to be top performers over the next decade. Research by industry business intelligence firm Cutting Edge Information ( http://www.cuttingedgeinfo.com/ ) concludes that to successfully unite R&D and commercial groups, pharmaceutical companies need a common commercial vision: everyone building effective, groundbreaking products that fit specific market needs. Achieving this vision requires early-stage marketers to work directly with their companies' R&D organizations. One of the best strategies for early-stage collaboration is the creation of a direct marketer-scientist relationship. This strategy promotes direct feedback from both R&D and marketing personnel on the finer points of project development, thus facilitating communication and paving the way for commercial success. Early collaboration between marketing representatives and R&D provides a link from the laboratory to the market, thus shaping the scientific development of new drugs to better meet market needs. This collaboration allows the development team to better understand the market their product is destined for, and the marketing team to understand a product's evolution, profile, and scientific implications and capabilities to, ultimately, shape early brand strategy. "Those companies that can bridge the commercial gap between R&D teams and marketing teams will become tomorrow's market leaders," said senior analyst Jon Hess. "It is critical that organizations become forward-thinking and begin key marketing activities early in the development process." Cutting Edge Information published the full findings of its research in a detailed report, "Early-Stage Pharmaceutical Marketing: Uniting R&D and Commercialization," available at http://www.pharmacommercialization.com/ . In addition to detailed early-stage commercialization practices, the report includes more than 250 metrics on early-stage marketing budgets, staffing, strategies and tactics from 14 top pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Novartis, Merck, Aventis, and Eli Lilly. To download a free summary of this 151-page report, visit http://www.pharmacommercialization.com/ . For more information or to learn about other Cutting Edge Information research, contact Jan Blanchette at jan_blanchette@cuttingedgeinfo.com or 919-433-0218. For media inquiries call Tricia McGovern at 919-433-0217 or tricia_mcgovern@cuttingedgeinfo.com.