Dr Featherstone spoke with Outsourcing-pharma about some of the challenges of commercialising a new drug product in a rapidly evolving pharmaceutical market where approval is the end of the beginning rather than the ultimate goal.
Part of the problem, he suggested, is that biopharma firms need a new value-focused model where communication with patients, payers and regulators at the earliest possible stage in the development process takes centre stage.
This type of communication is a significant market for the contract services sector according to Featherstone, who suggested that drugmakers often lack the in-house knowhow and expertise to undertake such projects.