The document provides an overview of competitive intelligence in the pharmaceutical industry. It defines competitive intelligence as the collection and analysis of information to anticipate competitors' actions. Competitive intelligence is critical in pharmaceuticals due to long development timelines, high costs, and various sources of competition. The document outlines the differences between competitive information and intelligence, the process of conducting competitive intelligence including developing key intelligence questions, and available sources of information in the industry.
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Performing Competitive Intelligence in the Pharmaceutical Industry
1. Performing Competitive
Intelligence in a
Pharmaceutical
Company
Tony Russell, PhD, MBA
Senior Director, Product Strategy and Commercial Planning
Theravance Biopharma US, Inc.
1
2. Disclaimer
âȘ The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the speaker and do not
represent those of my current or previous employers
2
3. Tony Russell, PhD MBA
Background and Experience
Year Company Position
2015 â Present Theravance Biopharma US, Inc. Product Strategy and Commercial Planning
2010 â 2015 Alder BioPharmaceuticals Commercial Strategy
2007 â 2010 ZymoGenetics (acq. BMS) Medical Affairs
2006 â 2007 ICOS (acq. Eli Lilly) Strategic Marketing
2004 â 2006 Corus Pharma (acq. Gilead Sciences) Product Management
2000 â 2004 Amgen Medical Affairs
1999 â 2000 Baxter Global Marketing
3
https://www.linkedin.com/in/arussellbiotech/
4. Learning Objectives
âȘ Describe why competitive intelligence is needed in the pharmaceutical industry
âȘ Describe the difference between information and intelligence
âȘ Describe the key steps in the process of conducting competitive intelligence
âȘ Describe example sources of competitive information readily available in the
pharmaceutical industry
âȘ Describe market simulation exercises and utility in business planning
4
5. Workshop Agenda
âȘ Defining Competitive Intelligence in the Pharmaceutical Industry
âȘ Differences Between Competitive Information and Intelligence
âȘ Conducting Competitive Intelligence
âȘ Introduction to Wargames / Market Simulations
âȘ Careers in Competitive Intelligence
5
7. Basic Definitions of Competitive
Intelligence (CI)
âȘ Competitive Intelligence (CI) is the collection and analysis of information to
anticipate competitive activity, see past market disruptions and
dispassionately interpret events.*
âȘ It is an essential component to developing a business strategy. CI analysis
provides insight into marketplace dynamics and challenges in a structured,
disciplined, and ethical manner using published and non-published
sources.*
7
* From Fuld+Company (https://www.fuld.com/what-is-competitive-intelligence/)
8. Defining Competitive Intelligence
âȘ Competitive Intelligence is:
8
âą Not spying
âą Not a crystal ball
âą Not a simple Google search
âą Not one-size fits all
âą Not useful if no one is listening
âą Not a job for one, smart person
âą Not a fad
âą Not driven by software or technology
âą Not based on internal assumptions
âą Not a spreadsheet
From Fuld+Company (https://www.fuld.com/what-is-competitive-intelligence/)
9. Phase 1
âą Checking for
safety
Phase 2
âą Checking for
efficacy
Phase 3
âą Confirm
efficacy in
large
population
Phase 4
âą Test long-
term safety in
diverse
population
Long Development Timelines Require Deep
Competitive Insights
9
~10 Years (average)
Adapted From Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) (https://www.agcs.allianz.com/assets/PDFs/GRD/GRD%20individual%20articles/GRD_02_09_en%20Clinical%20Trials.pdf)
10. Significant Expense & Risk in Drug Development
Require Deep Competitive Insights
10
From PhRMA (https://www.phrma.org/graphic/the-biopharmaceutical-research-and-development-process)
From drug discovery through FDA approval, developing a new medicine takes at least 10
years on average and costs an average of $2.6 billion. Less than 12% of the candidate
medicines that make into Phase 1 clinical trials will be approved by the FDA.
11. Competition Can Come From a Variety of
Sources (Not Just the âOther Companyâ)
11
Rivalry
Among
Existing
Competitors
Threat of New
Entrants
Bargaining
Power of
Buyers
Bargaining
Power of
Suppliers
Threat of Substitute
Products
From âThe five competitive forces that shape strategy.â Porter ME. Harvard Bus Review. (https://hbr.org/2008/01/the-five-competitive-forces-that-shape-strategy)
12. Competition Can Come From a Variety of
Sources (Not Just the âOther Companyâ)
12
Rivalry
Among
Existing
Competitors
Threat of New
Entrants
Bargaining
Power of
Buyers
Bargaining
Power of
Suppliers
Threat of Substitute
Products
From âThe five competitive forces that shape strategy.â Porter ME. Harvard Bus Review. (https://hbr.org/2008/01/the-five-competitive-forces-that-shape-strategy)
13. Competition Can Come From a Variety of
Sources (Not Just the âOther Companyâ)
13
Rivalry
Among
Existing
Competitors
Threat of New
Entrants
Bargaining
Power of
Buyers
Bargaining
Power of
Suppliers
Threat of Substitute
Products
From âThe five competitive forces that shape strategy.â Porter ME. Harvard Bus Review. (https://hbr.org/2008/01/the-five-competitive-forces-that-shape-strategy)
14. Competition Can Come From a Variety of
Sources (Not Just the âOther Companyâ)
14
Rivalry
Among
Existing
Competitors
Threat of New
Entrants
Bargaining
Power of
Buyers
Bargaining
Power of
Suppliers
Threat of Substitute
Products
From âThe five competitive forces that shape strategy.â Porter ME. Harvard Bus Review. (https://hbr.org/2008/01/the-five-competitive-forces-that-shape-strategy)
Ex: Consolidation of pharmacy benefit
management companies
15. Competition Can Come From a Variety of
Sources (Not Just the âOther Companyâ)
15
Rivalry
Among
Existing
Competitors
Threat of New
Entrants
Bargaining
Power of
Buyers
Bargaining
Power of
Suppliers
Threat of Substitute
Products
From âThe five competitive forces that shape strategy.â Porter ME. Harvard Bus Review. (https://hbr.org/2008/01/the-five-competitive-forces-that-shape-strategy)
Ex: Biosimilars / generic Rx / Gene therapy
16. Competition Can Come From a Variety of
Sources (Not Just the âOther Companyâ)
16
Rivalry
Among
Existing
Competitors
Threat of New
Entrants
Bargaining
Power of
Buyers
Bargaining
Power of
Suppliers
Threat of Substitute
Products
From âThe five competitive forces that shape strategy.â Porter ME. Harvard Bus Review. (https://hbr.org/2008/01/the-five-competitive-forces-that-shape-strategy)
Ex: Patientsâ increased cost exposure
17. Why Competitive Intelligence is Critical in
the Pharmaceutical Industry
âȘ Anticipate competitor moves and avoid launch pitfalls
âȘ Proactively build barriers to competition
âȘ Revise business strategy in realtime to respond to rapidly to competitive dynamics
17
âȘ Impact of Getting it Right
18. Why Competitive Intelligence is Critical in
the Pharmaceutical Industry
âȘ Maintaining harmful blindspots by using CI to validate pre-conceived ideas about the
marketplace
âȘ Underestimating the competition and failing to anticipate marketplace disruption
leading to poor sales performance
âȘ Being myopic and failing to see competitive threats from other sources leading to
business disruption
18
âȘ Impact of Getting it Wrong
20. Competitive Information in Insolation May
Only Illustrate Part of the Picture
20
Publications
Customers
New Hires
Trade Shows
Investor Relations
Vendors Social Media
Information
Bits From
Different Sources
21. Competitive Intelligence: Art of Making
Sense of All of the Information
21
Benefits of analyzing the information into a
coherent pattern:
âą Construct different potential scenarios for
planning purposes
âą Construct different hypotheses that can
be tested (e.g. additional gathering of
information, market research, etc.)
22. Example Case Study & Discussion
âȘ Business Issue: A pharmaceutical company is looking into converting bioreactors
over from one product line to another product line in a lucrative, but competitive
space. The company needed to understand what capacity they needed to anticipate
given what their major competitor was planning to do in terms of manufacturing
capacity. Critical not to over- or under-supply the market.
âȘ Questions:
âȘ What is the potential manufacturing capacity of the competitor?
âȘ When is the competitor planning to ramp up manufacturing?
âȘ Sources of Information:
âȘ Building plans and permits, bioreactor specifications, earnings call transcripts, raw
material suppliers, hiring plans
22
For illustrative purposes only and does not represent a real business situation or any specific set of products
24. Defining Rules of Engagement
âȘ Competitive intelligence is NOT dumpster diving or cloak and dagger
methods live you see in the movies
âȘ Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) Code of
Ethics:
âȘ To continually strive to increase the recognition and respect of the profession.
âȘ To comply with all applicable laws, domestic and international.
âȘ To accurately disclose all relevant information, including one's identity and
organization, prior to all interviews.
âȘ To avoid conflicts of interest in fulfilling one's duties.
âȘ To provide honest and realistic recommendations and conclusions in the
execution of one's duties.
âȘ To promote this code of ethics within one's company, with third-party
contractors and within the entire profession.
âȘ To faithfully adhere to and abide by one's company policies, objectives and
guidelines.
24
From Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP) Website: https://www.scip.org/page/CodeofEthics
25. Using Competitive Intelligence to Drive
Business Decisions (Examples)
âȘ Early Development (e.g. Phase 2)
âȘ Information needed to influence go / no-go decisions as well as design of future clinical
studies
âȘ Examples: clinical development details on competitors
âȘ Pre-Launch (e.g. prior to FDA approval)
âȘ Information needed to modify positioning and messages needed for a successful launch
âȘ Examples: competitor messaging, changes in promotional material
âȘ Post-Launch / Defending Position
âȘ Information needed to defend leading position from emerging competitors
âȘ Examples: patent litigation efforts, generic manufacturing details
25
26. Process of Performing Competitive
Intelligence
26
From Finegold et al. (2005) âHow to conduct competitive intelligence in your biotech startup.â
Bioentrepreneur. Published online: 25 April 2005
âą Start with Intelligence Requirements
âą Develop key intelligence questions /
topics
âą Collection Plan will depend on the
Intelligence Requirements
âą Reporting on CI : make the report relevant,
timely, and to the right person
âą Conducting CI is an iterative process
27. Best Practices: Development of KIQs/KITs
âȘ Dangers of asking ill-prepared questions:
âȘ Vagueness: âWhat are our competitors doing?â
âȘ Non-Actionable: âWho is the CEO?â
âȘ Non-Relevant: âWho is their Advertising Agency?â
âȘ The right questions build from the intelligence requirements:
âȘ Important to spend time upfront developing Key Intelligence Questions (KIQs) and Key
Intelligence Topics (KITs)
âȘ Need to be specific and actionable for the strategy
âȘ Important when working with external CI agencies
âȘ Critical to have cross-functional input
27
28. Examples of KIQs / KITs
âȘ When will the Phase 2 results be made available? Any expected
upcoming congresses and which one? Publication planned?
âȘ What are the goals of Company X for Product X (i.e. Company to
launch, partner with another company, straight out-license of Product
X)?
âȘ Plans and designs of the upcoming Phase 3 study (start, dose(s),
regions, patient population, etc.
âȘ Patient recruitment status for the study (behind, on-track, ahead of
schedule)?
28
Actual KIQs used in projects (specific company and product information removed)
29. Group Exercise: Developing KIQs / KITs
29
âą Dunkin' Donuts has focused on becoming a
cost leader in the U.S. coffee and snack shop
industry which is defined as âoffering the same
or better quality product or service at a price
that is less than what any of the competition is
able to do.â
âą Although Dunkin' Donuts has a strong presence
in Northeastern U.S., they do not have a strong
presence in other areas of the country. By
2020, however, they plan to have a total of
15,000 stores in the United States which would
almost double their current U.S. presence.
âą Starbucks has implemented a product
differentiation strategy to attract customers
from their competitors. âOur coffeehouses have
become a beacon for coffee lovers everywhere.
Why do they insist on Starbucks? Because they
know they can count on genuine service, an
inviting atmosphere and a superb cup of
expertly roasted and richly brewed coffee every
time. Weâre not just passionate purveyors of
coffee, but everything else that goes with a full
and rewarding coffeehouse experienceâ
VS.
From https://sites.google.com/site/starbucksanddunkindonuts/business-strategy
30. KIQs / KITs Exercise Instructions
âȘ Role-play as the assigned company (YOU are the Product Marketing Team)
âȘ If you are Dunkinâ Donuts, assume you are the Underdog going after Starbucks
âȘ If you are Starbucks, assume you need to defend your hard fought-after market
âȘ Within the given scenario, develop a set of KIQs / KITs that you believe will be
important for the development of your go-to-market strategy
âȘ Teams will present their set of KIQs / KITs
30
31. KIQs / KITs Teams
31
Scenarios
Competitor entry into specific sub-
markets (e.g. geographical region)
Team 1
(Entering New Regional Markets)
Team 2
(Defense)
Launch of new product offering
(e.g. Unicorn Frappuccino,
Pumpkin-Flavor, Maple-Pecan-
Flavor)
Team 3
(Introducing New Products)
Team 4
(Defense)
Launch of re-branding (âDunkinâ
instead of âDunkin Donutsâ â
focus on coffee)
Team 5
(National Marketing Campaign to Win
Coffee Drinkers)
Team 6
(Defense)
32. Defining Primary and Secondary Sources
Primary Sources
âȘ Direct evidence / first-hand
information
âȘ Examples:
âȘ Direct conversations with key sources
of information (e.g. clinical trial
coordinator, VP of Sales, etc.) â Human
Intelligence
âȘ Financial disclosure documents
âȘ Company presentations to investors
âȘ Patent filings
Secondary Sources
âȘ Aggregation or interpretation of
primary information
âȘ Examples:
âȘ Drug information databases (e.g.
Cortellis, Informa)
âȘ Syndicated market research reports
(e.g. Datamonitor)
âȘ News trackers and aggregators
âȘ Financial analyst reports
32
33. Information Readily Available Due to
Transparency in the Pharma Industry
âȘ Increases in the transparency of the pharmaceutical industry has
provided valuable competitive information sources
âȘ Examples of transparency mechanisms and source of information:
âȘ Posting of clinical trial information (www.clinicaltrials.gov)
âȘ Availability of physician payments and disclosures to CMS (via the Sunshine Act)
âȘ Posting of Medicare Part B drug average sales price. Expect to see continued
transparency in the industry (e.g. on-going issue about disclosing drug prices in
television advertising)
33
34. Available Sources of Information
âȘ Clinicaltrials.gov (details on clinical studies)
âȘ Average Selling Price (ASP) data for Medicare Part B drugs
âȘ PubMed (publications)
âȘ FDA (e.g. post-approval documents, FDA Adverse Event Reporting System [FAERS])
âȘ LinkedIn (company personnel profile and experience, hiring patterns)
âȘ Secondary databases (IQVIA, Cortellis, Informa, etc.)
âȘ Company disclosures (press releases, financial reports, etc.)
âȘ Social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Sermo, etc.)
âȘ Much, much more available!
34
35. Social Media Tracking Tools for Pharma CI
35
Hootsuite (https://hootsuite.com) Mentionmapp (http://analytics.mentionmapp.com)
Hootsuite: Social Media Dashboard Mentionmapp: Influence Map of Twitterverse
The tools above are included for reference and illustrative purposes only and are not meant to infer any specific product endorsement
36. Reporting CI: Make it Relevant, Timely, and
to the Right Person
âȘ Develop a dashboard / template to
capture key analyses from emerging
competitive information
âȘ Communicate key analyses in a
simple, easy-to-digest format
âȘ Be prepared to provide more in-depth
reports upon request
36
From http://www.allthingy.com/data-information-knowledge-wisdom/
37. More Tips on Reporting CI
âȘ Align the analyses to key strategic business issues
âȘ Integrate the reporting into key strategic business discussions, evaluations, and
planning
âȘ Develop a feedback-loop to help address emerging questions resulting from new
findings
âȘ Ensure the reports / alerts are being sent to the key stakeholders
37
38. Mistakes to Avoid When Reporting CI
âȘ Overload of Information Communication
âȘ Sending large volumes of information too frequently (and typically without context)
âȘ Example: âVomit Reportsâ â Reports that are dense and contain large amounts of
information, but no analysis
âȘ Lack of Focus and Timing
âȘ Unclear analysis of the information tied to specific strategic issues in a timely fashion (e.g.
not tied to strategic planning process)
38
39. Mistakes to Avoid When Reporting CI
âȘ Introduction of Bias
âȘ Emphasizing or de-emphasizing competitive findings to fit pre-conceived conclusions (often
held by internal teams or senior management)
âȘ Findings Not Getting to the Right People
âȘ Reports not being sent to key stakeholders within the organization (decision makers)
39
40. How to Engage with CI Firms Effectively
âȘ Evaluating CI Firmsâ Capabilities
âȘ Therapeutic expertise / focus (e.g. Oncology, Cardiology)
âȘ Scientific and business acumen
âȘ Use of Request for Proposals (RFPs) with CI Firms
âȘ Use KIQs / KITs to set the scope of the project
40
41. How to Engage with CI Firms Effectively
âȘ Execution of a Project with a CI Firm
âȘ Use regularly scheduled update meetings to follow progress
âȘ Ask refining questions along the way as project is being executed
âȘ Closing Out a Project
âȘ Set clear goals for deliverables
âȘ Ask the firm what they thought were the most surprising / unexpected findings
41
42. How to Do CI on a Limited Budget
âȘ Many information resources / tools are readily available and free
âȘ Constantly look for new sources of information (e.g. donât just use Google!)
âȘ Use available software (Excel, Access, etc.) to track findings and set reports
42
43. How to Do CI on a Limited Budget
âȘ Enlist others within the organization (and outside of your function) to help augment
the information collection process (and be sure to share findings)
âȘ Engage with your network of external experts (e.g. customers, thought-leaders, etc.)
âȘ Be prudent with budgets when engaging with CI firms (e.g. donât âdouble-upâ at
trade-shows / conferences unless critical)
âȘ Partnering with CI firms can be a cost-effective way to augment internal capabilities with
external expertise in specific forms of market intelligence
43
45. What is Wargaming?
âȘ A strategic simulation exercise that allows a company to pressure-test key strategic
assumptions and plans before execution
âȘ Goal is to understand potential competitive consequences based on strategic
choices
âȘ When conducted properly, the conduct of strategic simulations allows companies to
revise strategies or develop different strategic âplaybooksâ in anticipation of
potential competitive scenarios
âȘ Goal is anticipate potential competitor(s) moves and develop best-course actions
and reactions
45
A victorious army wins its victories
before seeking battle; an army destined
for defeat fights in the hope of winning.
-- Sun Tzu
46. Effective Use of Simulation Exercises in
Business Decisions
âą Validate / invalidate strategies for scenarios
such as: pre-launch, anticipation of new entrants,
etc.
Pressure-test core
strategic assumptions
before execution
âą Raise awareness of competitorâs strengths vs.
companyâs weaknesses
Openly discuss and
evaluate potential
blind-spots
46
47. Effective Use of Simulation Exercises in
Business Decisions
47
âą Develop new strategies to counter
Anticipate potential
competitor moves
âą Establish rapid responses to address different
competitor scenarios
Develop set of
âplaybooksâ to address
competitor uncertainty
48. Game Theory and Wargaming â Look Forward and
Reason Backward to Anticipate Competitor Moves
48
The Prisoner's Dilemma (A Basic Example of Game Theory)
âą Two men are arrested by the police on suspicion of committing the same
crime. They are questioned by the police in separate rooms. To convict
them, the police need testimony from at least one of them. Both are
rational, and value their personal freedom more than the other's. They
have two options â to confess or remain silent. If one confesses and the
other remains silent, he (who remained silent) will have to serve the full
tenure of punishment. On the other hand, if both confess and accuse the
other to be a culprit, they'll share the sentence of imprisonment, that will
be lesser than the full term. However, if both remain silent, due to a lack of
evidence, the police will have to sentence both to a much lesser period.
âą Thus, the best option for both suspects is to remain silent and not testify
against the other. However, neither of them know what the other will say,
and a lack of trust and confidence in the other accomplice may compel
one of them to testify rather than remain silent. They're faced with this
dilemma, since there is a risk of the other partner testifying against if the
other one remains mum. If they have mutual trust, it will be easy for them
to have a win-win situation by staying mum.
Suggested Reading:
âPrisoner's Dilemma: John von Neumann, Game Theory, and the Puzzle of the Bombâ by William Poundstone
âThe Art of Strategy: A Game Theorist's Guide to Success in Business and Lifeâ by Avinash K. Dixit and Barry J. Nalebuff
49. Preparation for Market Simulation
Exercises
âȘ Compile latest information and analyses of the competitor(s) plus any anticipated
relevant changes in the environment (e.g. changes to reimbursement, guideline
changes, etc.)
âȘ Set a defined set of competitor(s) and relevant time frame (e.g. 6 â 12 months
around launch period)
âȘ Define the focus of the business issues to be addressed in the simulation (e.g. how
will Competitor X respond to our entry to the [market segment] of the business?)
49
50. Preparation for Market Simulation
Exercises
âȘ Enlist participation across the organization (do not have only one function in the
workshop); include Sales, Marketing, Medical Affairs, Clinical Development,
Regulatory, Market Access, etc.
âȘ Prepare participants to think like the competition
âȘ Emphasize the importance of open thinking (e.g. point out blindspots, acknowledge
competitive weaknesses, etc.)
âȘ Obtain support from senior management to help provide weight to the exercise
50
51. Conducting a Market Simulation Exercise
âȘ Assign participants to teams (Competitor X, Competitor Y, etc.)
âȘ Make sure there is a balance of functions represented within each team
âȘ Level-set the participants on key business assumptions and core strategies
âȘ Example Market Simulation Exercise:
51
Round #1
âąRoleplay as
Competitor
âąDescribe strengths
and weaknesses for
Competitorâs product
Round #2
âąRoleplay as
Competitor
âąDefine a plan to
attack / defend
against the
Companyâs product
Round #3
âąAs the Company
âąWhat are the
challenges and
opportunities for the
Companyâs product
given Rounds #1 & 2
Round #4
âąAs the Company
âąWhich key
challenges and
opportunities should
be prioritized for
additional work and
planning
52. Group Exercise: Mini-Wargame
âȘ Dunkin Donuts vs. Starbucks (same teams, same scenarios)
âȘ Exercise Instructions:
1. As the Company, define (briefly) your strategy /goals within the context of the scenario
2. As the Company, define (briefly) your strengths and weaknesses
3. Roleplaying as the Competition, define (briefly) your strengths and weaknesses
4. Roleplaying as the Competition, describe 1 â 2 tactics to attack or defend the Company
5. As the Company, identify 1 â 2 threats or opportunities based on the roleplaying steps
above
6. As the Company, describe 1 â 2 suggested actions based on the assessment above
52
53. Market Simulation Teams
53
Scenarios
Competitor entry into specific sub-
markets (e.g. geographical region)
Team 1
(Entering New Regional Markets)
Team 2
(Defense)
Launch of new product offering
(e.g. Unicorn Frappuccino,
Pumpkin-Flavor, Maple-Pecan-
Flavor)
Team 3
(Introducing New Products)
Team 4
(Defense)
Launch of re-branding (âDunkinâ
instead of âDunkin Donutsâ â
focus on coffee)
Team 5
(National Marketing Campaign to Win
Coffee Drinkers)
Team 6
(Defense)
55. Foundation Skills of a CI Analyst
âȘ Strong analytical and research skills
âȘ Ability to understand, interpret, and present scientific / clinical data
âȘ Strong background in life sciences and medical knowledge
âȘ Ability to distill complex information into easy-to-understand reports
âȘ Working knowledge of the regulatory processes and environment
âȘ Good presentation and communication skills
56. Examples of Positions in CI
56
Senior Manager, Competitive Intelligence
Competitive Intelligence Research Analyst-
Life Sciences
Manager, Market Intelligence
The Senior Manager, Global Competitive Intelligence
is a key contributor to Company X's competitive
planning efforts to shape Company X's current and
future commercial and developmental strategies.
The role is a strategic thought partner and analytical
expert to internal key stakeholders who will be the
primary knowledge source for the competitive
landscapes of interest. The Senior Manager will
construct and implement competitive intelligence
plans to deliver critical insights, anticipated market
movements, and inform recommendations and plans
that best position Company X in competitive
markets.
Agency Y Life Sciences division is currently seeking a
full-time Research Analyst. The analyst will support
the project team by researching, monitoring, and
analyzing pharmaceutical industry activity, and assist
in the creation of custom reports that summarize key
events, identify market trends, and provide strategic
insights to Agency Yâs clientele. This entry-level
position requires rigorous attention to detail, acute
organizational skills, and the ability to multi-task in a
fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate will
have extensive research and report-writing
experience, possess a strong business acumen, and
be an excellent communicator. This position is well-
suited for recent graduates with some related
pharma experience, graduate students, and post-
doctorate fellows looking for an opportunity to
transition to the business sector or life sciences
industry.
Translates data and information into intelligence
that can be easily absorbed by various internal
stakeholders to support enhanced decision making
and create competitive advantage for Agency Zâs
service offerings. Combines data from internal
marketing and sales systems (e.g., salesforce.com)
with external data sources (e.g., pipeline databases)
to generate insights and provide guidance that helps
business development teams focus sales efforts.
Maps the clinical trial pipelines of biopharmaceutical
companies to Acurianâs core services and experience
to ensure marketing and business development
teams have accurate projections of current and
future business opportunities.
Pharma / Biotech Competitive Intell. Agency Database / Aggregator
57. Career Pathways
57
Participate in training programs
âąSCIP CI 100 Bootcamp
Internship at a Pharmaceutical Company
âąShort-term project-focus to build experience and gain exposure
Start in an analyst position to build âon the jobâ CI
skills
âąBuild business acumen to combine with clinical skills / insights
Attend conferences
âąPharma CI USA Conference and Exhibition
âąSCIP Conference
58. Agency Career Progression / Opportunity
58
Entry Level
âą CI Agencies are always
looking for hard working /
smart graduates who
want a career in
consulting or pharma.
âą Most have completed
Masters â PhD.
âą 1-2 years of experience
Season Project
Manager
âą Agency project managers
have direct contact with
mid to high level pharma
executives. Often
supporting largest brands
in the world.
âą 3-5 years of experience
Experienced
Professional
âą Once a mastery of
leadership, management,
and therapeutic area
experience has been
developed a opportunities
are endless.
âą 5-10+ years of experience
62. Learning Objectives
âȘ Describe why competitive intelligence is needed in the pharmaceutical industry
âȘ Describe the difference between information and intelligence
âȘ Describe the key steps in the process of conducting competitive intelligence
âȘ Describe example sources of competitive information readily available in the
pharmaceutical industry
âȘ Describe market simulation exercises and utility in business planning
62
Example:
Assigned Company: Starbucks
As Starbucks, define (briefly) your strategy /goals within the context of the scenario
As Starbucks, define (briefly) your strengths and weaknesses
Roleplaying as Dunkin Donuts, define (briefly) your strengths and weaknesses against Starbucks
Roleplaying as Dunkin Donuts, describe 1 â 2 tactics to attack or defend Starbucks
As Starbucks, identify 1 â 2 threats or opportunities based on the roleplaying steps above
As Starbucks, describe 1 â 2 suggested actions based on the assessment above