Chapter 4 – Solved Cases
89
Solved Case #7: Big Biotech
Big Biotech has just won FDA (Food and Drug
Administration) approval for OTC (over the counter) sale
of an anti-depressant drug it had been doing R&D
(research and development) on for the last several years.
However, sales & marketing is not their core competency;
R& D is. They have hired you to craft their go-to-market
strategy. How would you go about formulating the
strategy?
Solution
(Note: The client's / interviewer's words are in italics, and the
consultant's words are in bold.)
Consultant: Does Big Biotech have any experience
marketing drugs, either prescription or OTC?
Interviewer: None whatsoever. They are essentially a
biotechnology company. That is why your advice on drug
marketing will be critical to their success at this juncture.
Consultant: OK. How well funded are they in terms of
building a direct sales force, if they have to go for one?
Interviewer: They are pretty well funded, and consider
themselves very successful in inventing new drugs. However,
they are not experienced in selling drugs. In short, their CEO
thinks that building complementary assets like a sales force
will not be a good strategic move, unless they win FDA
approval on their other drugs, which are in Phase 2 and
Phase 3 clinical trials.
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