Pharmaceutical & Diagnostic Companies: Can They Work Together?

Industries Profiled:
Pharmaceutical; Diagnostic; Manufacturing; Biotech; Consumer Products; Medical Device; Health Care; Research


Companies Profiled:
Abbott Laboratories; AstraZeneca; bioMerieux; Bayer; Becton Dickinson; Cholestech; Diagnology; Eli Lilly; Focus Technologies; GlaxoSmithKline; LabCorp; LipoScience; Merck; Roche; Tibotec-Virco; Visible Genetics

Study Snapshot

This report will help companies gain a better understanding of how diagnostic and pharmaceutical companies can bridge differences in their business models to create successful partnerships. Both sides must understand what is required to develop a diagnostic test, the activities, timelines and investments necessary to adequately prepare the market for rapid uptake, and how these tests can support the success of a pharmaceutical product.

Regardless of which side you represent, your organization can benefit from this review of the market dynamics involved in developing and promoting diagnostic and prognostic tests. Issues covered in the report include the development and marketing of different tests, the establishment of these tests within the medical community, and the integrated activities between diagnostic/prognostic tests and therapeutic compounds. The report includes detailed analysis of the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industry perspectives on these issues as well as a special section looking solely at partnerships and strategic alliances.

By reading this report, your company will be in a better position to make critical decisions about the investments and activity levels required to successfully manage partnerships.

Report findings featured in the July 2003 issue of Pharmaceutical Executive magazine. Read the article: How to Make Rx-Dx Alliances Work

Best Practices LLC analysts identified several key elements for successfully developing and marketing a diagnostic test to support a therapeutic compound, and factors for contributing to a rewarding strategic alliance between pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies. Key findings include:

• The process of developing and marketing new diagnostic tests and achieving rapid market acceptance has become increasingly more complex and resource intensive for diagnostic companies – This report discusses the decision points for diagnostic and pharmaceutical companies deciding to develop a test and the key factors that affect test development timelines. Topics discussed include market need and strategic fit, technical feasibility, competitive landscape and other such aspects of test development.
• Most diagnostic companies lack the marketing resources required to adequately prepare the market for rapid uptake of a new test, and thus turn to pharmaceutical alliances to support their efforts – This study includes details on the use of partnerships to overcome a diagnostic company's lack of marketing resources. The report details how a pharmaceutical company can maximize investment in a diagnostic partnership and impact drug sales. Specific topics include the use of key opinion leaders and the effect that shifts in development timelines have had on marketing efforts for new tests.
• Despite different development timelines, the most successful diagnostic pharmaceutical partnerships are those that start early in the drug development process - The report backs this critical third finding with details on when and how partnerships should intersect with the drug discovery timeline. Real examples of partnerships from participating companies provide lessons learned and contribute to a generalized model for excellence in partnerships.

The Diagnostic Industry Perspective

The Pharmaceutical Industry Perspective

Partnerships and Strategic Alliances

Case Studies

List of Charts & Exhibits

Factors in Deciding to Develop a Test
Regulatory Hurdles in Test Development
Factors that Affect Test Development Timelines
Diagnostic Test Development Timeline
Push-Pull Model of Diagnostic Test Commercialization
Partnership Investments and Benefits
Partnership Development Timeline
Elements of Successful Partnerships
Cholesterol as a Marker: A Timeline of Events
Lab-Based Test vs. POC Test
A Successful Three-Way Relationship