medical science liaisons gaining access and forging relationships with ko ls

Roles, Resourcing and Management of Medical Science Liaisons

Best Practices, LLC Benchmarking Report

Copyright © Best Practices®, LLC 1

INTRODUCTION 4Project Methodology and Study objective 5

KEY FINDINGS 6UNIVERSE OF LEARNING 13

List of Participating Companies 14Range of Career Levels Lend Insight 15

SPECIALIST ROLES AND SERVICE SCOPE 20Pre-Launch Role and Activities for MSLs 22Post-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs 23Pre-Launch Roles and Activities Related to Clinical Trials for MSLs 24Post-Launch Roles and Activities Related to Clinical Trials for MSLs 25Pre-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs with Clinical Trials (2011 Data Only) 26Post-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs with Clinical Trials (2011 Data Only) 27Pre-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs with Thought Leaders 28Post-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs with Thought Leaders 29Nearly All Educate KOLs and HCPs at Pre-Launch 30All Companies Seek to Educate KOLs and HCPs Post-Launch 31Other Pre-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs 32Other Post-Launch Roles and Activities for MSLs 33MSLs Active in Developing Scientific Collateral & Delivering Speeches Pre Launch

34All MSLs Deliver Speeches and Presentations Post-Launch 35MSLs Deployed in Relations to Number of KOLs in a Therapeutic Area 36Many Do Not Deploy MSLs Based on Revenue Calculations 37

Table of Contents


Lifecycle Does Play Important Role in MSL Deployment 38Geographic Concentration of KOLs & Medical Centers Key Drivers in MSL Field

Allocation….. 39MSL Alignment Driven by Reach and Frequency of Meetings with KOLs 40

RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE 41Face-to-Face Meetings Most Widely Used Relationship Builder for MSLs with KOLs.

42MSLs Continue to Call on Regional KOLs, Though Frequency Is Falling 43MSLs Calling on National KOLs Less Regularly than in 2009 44Companies Take More Moderate Approach to Growing New KOL Relationships 45Maintaining KOL Relationships Takes Fewer Touches 46

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT/SHIFTING AND FORECASTING 47MSL Work Kept In-House With Tight Managerial Oversight 48Companies Engage MSLs Early For Success 49Drivers to Increase the Number of MSLs in the Field 50More Reasons to Raise Number of MSLs Utilized 51Not Standard Policy to Cut MSL Staff After Launch of Product 52Maturity of Product and Reimbursement Changes Can Influence MSL Reductions53Other Factors Declining In Importance for Cutting MSLs 54Factors for Shifting MSLs - Voices from the Field 55

VALUE ASSOCIATED WITH MSL 56Value of MSL Responsibilities -- Marketing and Sales 57Value of MSL Responsibilities -- KOLs 58Value of Other MSL Responsibilities 59Perceived Value of Quantitative Measurements for MSLs 60Perceived Value of Qualitative Measurements for MSLs 61Time Spent by MSLs on Activities -- Actual vs. Expected 62

Table of Contents (Cont’d)


BUDGET ALLOCATION TO MSL 65Allocation of MSL Budget 66Medical Affairs Funds MSL Function 67Factors That Affect the MSL Budget 68

LESSONS LEARNED 69ABOUT BEST PRACTICES, LLC 78

Table of Contents (Cont’d)


Project Methodology and Study Objectives

This research seeks to uncover the optimal number of liaisons, mix of responsibilities, number of interactions and span of control. Key study objectives

Benchmark Pre and Post-Launch Service Activities

Identify Drivers of Group Size & Focus

Gain insight into Structuring & Aligning Medical With Sales Organizations

Identify Optimal Call Frequencies and Service Levels with Thought Leaders

Identify Relationship Management Standards of Excellence

Value Associated with MSL

Budget Allocation to MSLs

Competition for the time and attention of physicians and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) is intensifying. Thus, companies increasingly use Medical Science Liaisons (MSL) to build and strengthen relationships with physicians and KOLs.


Key Opinion Leaders Segment Definitions KOLs have different spheres of influence. This provides how Best Practices, LLC defines the different roles of national and regional leaders. Field researchers used the following definitions to evaluate service levels for each segment.

National Thought Leader: Have a national following, are well-published, affect therapeutic

practice, and are often found at major academic centers.

Regional Thought Leader: Are less well known but influence policy, practice and local primary care or specialist views within a multi-state or

small region.


Summary of Key Insights

Key Findings Focus on the Following:•Monitoring Markets and Interactions•Tracking Value, Determining Group Size•Frequency of Interactions and Span of Control•Managing KOL Relationships and Field Deployment•Resource Allocation and Value


List of Participating Companies

Abbott LabsAmgenAstellasAstraZenecaBaxter HealthcareBoehringer IngelheimCelgeneCubist PharmaceuticalsEisaiGenentechGlaxoSmithKlineIpsenLaboratories EsteveMerz PharmaMitsubishi Tanabe Pharma AmericaMerck Sharp & Dohme NovartisShireTakedaTeva (branded) ViroPharma IncViiV Healthcare

Abbott LabsAstrazZenecaAxcan Pharma Inc.Boehringer IngelheimEli Lilly and CompanyFocus TechnologiesGenentechInnovexJanssen cilagMylan Bertek PharmaceuticalsNovartis Novo Nordisk PharmaceuticalsOrganon NetherlandsOrganon U.S.Sanofi-AventisSchering PloughTTY BiopharmUCP Vertex

Best Practices®, LLC distilled observations and insights from interviews and benchmark performance data from a total of 27 leaders from 24 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

2011 2009

http://www.abbott.com/index.cfm

http://www.novonordisk.com/default.asp


Range of Career Levels Lend Insight

Research participants’ roles ranged from senior leaders to managers of medical affairs to medical science liaisons.

Associate Director, Medical Affairs Associate Director, Medical Science LiaisonsClinical Communication LeaderDirector, Medical Affairs (Oncology)Director, Regional Medical LiaisonsDirector, Global Medical Affairs StrategyExecutive Director, Medical Affairs Medical AffairsExecutive Director, Medical and Scientific AffairsLead Clinical Development & CRO LiaisonMedical Manager, Medical Science LiaisonMarketing ManagerMedical Manager in Medical AffairsMedical Director

Medical ManagerMedical Director, BiosurgeryMedical DirectorMedical Science Liaison Regional Director, MSL Medical AffairsSenior Regional Medical Scientist, Managed Care and Therapeutic LeadSpecialist III, Medical Affairs OperationsSr. Scientific Liaison Sr. Vice President, Medical Affairs and Drug DevelopmentSr. Director, Medical Science LiaisonsVice President, Medical Affairs & Regulatory AffairsVice President, Medical Services Medical AffairsVice President and Head North American Medical Affairs


48% of Respondents Directors or Above

4%7%

37%

15%19% 19%

Chief MedicalOfficer

VP Director RegionalAssociate

Director/Manager

MSL Other

Nearly half of the respondents were director and above. Others respondents include Clinical Communication Manager, Marketing Manager and Clinical Liaison.

What is your current role in regards to MSL?

N=27

Specialist Roles and Service Scope


Two-thirds of MSL Groups Led by Director or Higher LevelMore than 60 percent of the supervisory responsibility to oversee the MSL function is with Directors and Vice Presidents. Other executives overseeing the MSLs include Executive Directors, Strategy and Planning or Clinical Liaison groups.

Vice President,

29%

Director, 38%

Assistant Director, 4%

Manager, 21%

Other, 8%

Who has oversight responsibility for your Medical Science Liaison function?

N=24


Lifecycle Does Play Important Role in MSL DeploymentCompanies continue to consider product lifecycle in MSL deployment as well as the company commitment to a franchise

61% 53%30% 39%

35%44%

4% 6%4% 6% 9% 11%

57%

35%6%

2011 2009 2011 2009

Very Important Important Not Important Do Not Use

Product lifecycle plan Corporate commitment to an over-arching franchise

Assess the effectiveness of the following factors by which you determine how many liaisons to put into the field.

N 2011=23 N 2009=19


Factors for Shifting MSLs - Voices from the FieldThe shift or relocation of MSLs in the field is in response to the decreasing relevance of traditional sales and marketing activities as they relate to building relationships with KOLs and promoting comparative evidence and efficacy of products.

“Note that decreasing does not have to mean eliminating the resources, but transitioning them to other therapeutic areas.” -- Specialist III, Medical Affairs Operations

“The reach/frequency pharmaceutical business model is increasingly ineffective as traditional sales and marketing activities lose acceptance. This will inevitably shift the focus to the Medical organizations to:

• Drive development of (comparative) evidence • And leverage aligned communication channels to optimize the safe and

effective use of our products.” -- Executive Director, Medical Affairs


Best Practices, LLC is a research and consulting firm that conducts work based on the simple yet profound principle that organizations can chart a course to superior economic performance by studying the best business

practices, operating tactics and winning strategies of world-class companies.

Best Practices, LLC6350 Quadrangle Drive, Suite 200, Chapel Hill, NC 27517

[email protected]

About Best Practices, LLC

medical science liaisons gaining access and forging relationships with ko ls

Documents