Obviously, this refreshed strategy begins with ZEPIZURE®’s FDA anticipated FDA approvals, BARDA* sales and US Commercialization and continues with CJT-L15 (Hydrocortisone) and CJT-L21 (Epinephrine). From there, we are diligently work today to select and plan which products will provide our revenue growth year-after year.
You are not alone in managing this process. Who else is involved?
Over past few months the collaboration between Olivier LACOMBE (Pharmaceutical Development Director) Don ZINN (VP US Business Development), Henri BODEAU (Business Development Manager) Baya FODIL (Global VP, Director Marketing & Sales) and myself has been elevated, and we are already seeing benefits and advancements in focus, efficiency and productivity from our work.
We, the above-mentioned team, does not work in a silo model. We collaborate with the heads of other departments and their teams, not to mention Patrick ALEXANDRE, our CEO. We also leverage the knowledge, information and experiences of our vendors of choice.
Clearly, many people are involved in our process, but the synergy between R&D, BD&L and Commercialization planning serves as the engine and driver of the product selection process.
What are the main criteria you take into account?
The “how” component of our product selection process, is both simple and complex. One of my past mentors guided me to always ask myself 4 questions when evaluating products:
- Is the science solid?
- Can we make it?
- Can we protect it (IP-Intellectual Property)?
- Is there a commercial opportunity?
These questions guide us as we go through a step-wise-process the begins with significant number of products and through an analytical process that includes multiple factors, those possible products are narrowed down to the potential possibilities.
Business Development & Licensing (Don ZINN and Henri BODEAU) do the leading working in this process with collaboration of Baya FODIL, Dr. Dan CHICHE (CMO), Olivier LACOMBE, me and others as needed.
As the process advances, Patrick ALEXANDRE becomes more closely involved and we decide what and how to move forward. As you can imagine the process is ongoing and requires continuous activity.
I will end with another saying a mentor said to be about product selection and BD&L: “You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince.” (Obviously, a reference to the Cinderella story).
Who are CROSSJECT’s US commercial customers?
The US healthcare delivery system is complex and involves numerous stakeholders.
Our primary customers are patients, healthcare providers, commercial insurance and government payors, government agencies, hospital systems, specialty distributors, and Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs).
In the US, each of these entities have a role in getting our products from the manufacturer (CJT) to the end user – the patient.
What is your overall strategy to create product value with those customers?
A manufacturer’s customer base is truly determined by the nature of its products. For example, ZEPIZURE® is unique in that it serves a dual market: BARDA (the U.S. government) and the broader non-government retail healthcare sector. This dual pathway is not typical for most products.
To keep my comments brief, I will narrow our customers into 3 key groups:
- Patients
- Prescribers (doctors, etc.)
- Payors (PBMs, insurance companies, etc.)
Each of these customers have different priorities, motivations, needs and pressures. To create value, we must tailor our approach to meet each group’s specific needs and decision-making criteria.
We’re fortunate that a core part of our value proposition is the ZENEO® needle-free technology. We’re not just offering a drug, we are combining efficacious drugs in a delivery system designed to saves lives in emergency, high-risk situations where ease-of-use, quick drug delivery, and reliability are paramount. The ZENEO® technology is a standalone value. As we engage our customers, our job is to effectively align the benefits of our products to what matters most for each of our customer types.
* Contract number 75A50122C00031