Pharmaceutical Early-Stage Marketing Teams Increase Link to R&D, New Study Shows.

DURHAM, N.C. -- New product marketing teams must add commercial focus earlier in the drug research and development process, according to a new report published by pharmaceutical intelligence firm Cutting Edge Information.

Pharma companies spend upwards of $500 to launch new products -

Progressive companies are bridging the gaps between marketing and R&D with integrated project management teams, formal communication processes, and co-governed portfolio management authorities. One top-10 firm has even located a marketing specialist in R&D - and a research scientist in the marketing organization - to improve communication and teamwork between the two traditionally discordant functions.

"Early-Stage Pharmaceutical Marketing: Uniting R&D and Commercialization," available at http://www.PharmaCommercialization.com , includes more than 250 metrics, early-stage commercial budgets, staffing, strategies and tactics from 14 top pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Novartis, Merck, Aventis, and Eli Lilly. Failing to unite marketing and R&D in the drug development process risks spending millions on drug candidates that may not be commercially viable.

"Traditionally, pharmaceutical marketing and R&D organizations have been separated by political, structural, and even geographical boundaries," said Jason Richardson, Cutting Edge Information's CEO. "This is changing as companies realize the value of intensifying the commercial focus earlier in product development. You can't design therapies if you don't know what ailments patients suffer from and what else is on the market to treat them."

"Early-Stage Pharmaceutical Marketing: Uniting R&D and Commercialization" showcases the following key marketing metrics:

-- Spending on nearly a dozen commercial functions by development phase and product size

-- Marketing headcounts by development phase and product size

-- Timing of key commercial activities by development phase and relative to launch date

To download a free summary of this 151-page report, visit http://www.PharmaCommercialization.com . For more information contact Jan Blanchette at jan_blanchette@cuttingedgeinfo.com or 919-433-0218. For media inquiries contact Tricia McGovern at tricia_mcgovern@cuttingedgeinfo.com or 919-433-0217.

Eric Bolesh is a senior analyst and consulting project leader with Cutting Edge Information. Mr. Bolesh's work on customized research in pharmaceutical product commercialization, sales force management, and business development has directly impacted strategy and tactics for top pharmaceutical clients. For more information about our research and consulting services, contact Eric at eric_bolesh@cuttingedgeinfo.com or 919-433-0209.