How to launch and make successful a potential top selling drug against obesity in major markets (USA, Europe and Japan). Dealing with regulations and marketing of these different market

Résumé du document

In the first part of this document, we will present a theoretical aspect into the market for medicines that represents around 1.2 billion people worldwide. We will describe the process of entering each market. Each drug is marketed in a very specific way, involves governmental approval after a series of tests and legal issues. In the second part, we will focus more on the market entry issues on a more practical aspect. After presenting the link between obesity/overweight and cardiovascular pathologies, we will explore the means to raise awareness in our three main market targets and also scrutinize the common risks in each of them.

Extraits

[...] We will describe the process of entering each market, as for any drug there is a very specific way, involving governmental approval after series of tests and legal issues. We will then continue to describe one of the ‘medical' marketing mix which is the price (often a close negotiation with healthcare systems and governments) and then a portrayal of the sales force. In a second part we will focus more on the market entry issues on a more practical aspect. [...]

[...] Secondly we see that the fixation of the price is also a highly- regulated point. Each country has got the power of the fixation of the price of drugs. The control of price represents a supplementary limit in most of the countries. These controls ensue from the rule, or because the government or the other suppliers of medical services in a particular country are the main buyers of the product or pay off the price of the product to the buyers. [...]

[...] In phase II, controlled trials are carried out on volunteer patients (approximately 100 to 500) to gather information on the compound's efficacy (relation between dose and effect) and safety (identification of possible adverse side effects). More comprehensive studies are carried out in phase III (usually involving 1,000 to 5,000 voluntary patients in clinics and hospitals), especially on any long-term effects. The proposed new treatment is also compared with other treatments already in use. Once marketing authorisation has been established, the use of a medicine is still carefully monitored in agreement with approved current medical practices. [...]

[...] This means that we cannot sell and promote a medicine like other products. We need a scientifically credit and the help of opinion leaders. First of all the marketing strategy is based on the presentation of the studies' result. They are used to be presented during international congresses in order to have the better visibility. The presentation is always supported by opinions leaders and scientific publications. On this base we can argue and try to convince general practitioner (GP). Then the marketing message based on the scientific credit is spread by the salesmen/medical representatives. [...]

[...] As the USA is the greatest market for drug, it was impossible to get a blockbuster without a good set up in this marketplace. In order to achieve to make successful their drugs, they have chosen to do a joint venture with Bristol Meyers Squibb (BMS). This American company was enough strong on the American market to help the launch and make successful Plavix. By this method Sanofi has been successful and now Plavix is an 8 billions dollars blockbuster. [...]