Transforming Big Pharma: Assessing the Strategic Alternatives

Transforming Big Pharma addresses critically how strategy works in the pharmaceutical industry. John Ansell assesses the wide range of alternative strategies big pharma has been attempting in order to make up the shortfall in revenues stemming from the long-standing failure to develop sufficient new products. He shows that there is sound evidence to expect the recent upturn in the number of new products reaching the market to go on to greater heights. Whilst diversification may have some value as a stopgap, big pharma companies risk squandering their resources in directions that can only make a modest impact on their performance. Ansell argues for a reversal of recent cutbacks in R&D and licensing, and re-focussing on new product development. He shows that there is ample scope for acquiring more products from third parties. Only this strategy, Ansell contends, is likely to have the power to transform the prospects of big pharma.

About the Author

John Ansell has been an independent pharmaceutical industry consultant based in the UK since 1989. He is also a Senior Partner at the CRO TranScrip Partners. He has worked with pharmaceutical companies of all shapes and sizes, and with companies serving the industry - over 150 in all. Ansell concentrates on international projects with a commercial and strategic emphasis, reflecting his previous 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry in marketing and business development. A biochemistry graduate with a Master's degree in business studies, Ansell worked first in Holland for Organon and later there for Solvay, as well as in the UK for Schering AG, Fisons and Glaxo. Since 2007 he has been an Honorary Consultant to the University of Manchester School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Ansell is the author of 50 articles and reports on pharmaceutical issues and is a frequent speaker and chair at industry conferences (see www.johnansell.com).