Strategy

From her start as a physician working in apartheid-era South Africa to the dramatic turnaround and takeover of Millennium, Deborah Dunsire has lived a life that has defied all expectations.

"Best Pharma not Big Pharma" is Merck Serono head Elmar Schnee's business philosophy. He tells Pharm Exec Europe how the Swiss-based company aims to achieve that goal, and points out the current political obstacles.

Now that Vyvanse, Shire's innovative ADD drug, has been approved for adults, the company needs help to quickly roll out a complex message to neurologists. Its solution: a partnership that takes advantage of GSK's CNS muscle.

Compliance woes and stingy insurance providers are walloping the pharmaceutical industry. But now another nuisance is rearing its ugly head, as a high number of patients are ignoring their doctor's orders and dropping their prescriptions on purpose.

After repeated requests for additional study information, the wait has paid off: Lilly was approved to sell its bipolar drug Symbyax for treatment-resistant depression.

Reporters pass on the typical litany of lightning-rod issues and instead devote more than three-quarters of all coverage in 2008 to drug safety-and the regulators who enforce it.

Pfizer is the latest addition to Big Pharma's data disclosure club; the drug giant will be disclosing all physician payments that total more that $500 a year.

GlaxoSmithKline to lay off thousands while embattled KV Pharma drops 40 percent of its work force in latest wave of cuts.

Facing patent expiry for one of its top drugs and an overabundance of sales staff due to recent acquisitions, King announced that it would eliminate 760 jobs.

Convert future revenue into present value with alternative approaches to access capital.

The world is suffering. But just over the horizon is a new access equation that could speed innovative vaccines to where they're needed most.

Sales reps aren't the only ones heading for the unemployment line - Pfizer is eliminating researcher positions as fewer drugs are making it to development. But could streamlining the crux of drug R&D cause more harm than good?

Long-standing Nycomed CEO Håkan Björklund tells Pharm Exec Europe how the company is looking to new products, and new territories, to combat the patent expiry of its biggest product.

"Test and treat" strategies aren't just for new-to-market drugs anymore.

Every industry has a life cycle, and pharma's has just entered its competitive stage. Here's how to prepare.

We know what you're thinking: new president, rotten economy, patent cliff. Do you feel Evel? Well, do you?

Pharm Exec talks with James Christian, head of security at Novartis, to learn more about what the company is doing to protect its supply chain and stop counterfeiters

Two years ago, an internal Merck survey revealed that its basic research operation was "every flavor of what you don't want." Today the company is in the midst of implementing a new strategy that groups scientists at sites dedicated to particular clinical areas. VP Kathleen Metters explains why - and how.

At its annual business briefing, Merck surprised analysts with the announcement that it would be launching a new business in the biologics sector in an effort to create generic biotech drugs.

It's beginning to look a lot like layoffs. Lilly and Sanofi-Aventis announce sales rep cuts amid an economic downturn and the holiday season.

Everything you wanted to know about the year's most important deals-and what to watch for in the future

Online pharmacies are touting more than just Viagra. Here's what pharma is hoping to do about it

AstraZeneca is releasing 1,400 employees in Europe, and refocusing its packing system in an effort to move product closer to where the demand is. In this case, that's China.

Significant and dramatic healthcare policy changes are likely to follow after Barack Obama takes the oath of office and the expanded Democratic congressional majority settles in. But what does the electoral outcome mean for healthcare companies and the industry as a whole?

AstraZeneca caused a ruckus at the American Heart Association's annual meeting as data was released proving that its statin not only works for its target indication, but also reduced major CV events in patients who don?t have high cholesterol.

A five-year forecast of the multiple-sclerosis market following the disruptions of Tysabri

The former health secretary offers a reality check on healthcare reform-and what to expect from the pols in '09

Here are the hottest gadgets and gizmos to make a dent in drug noncompliance

Some say it's just another pharma facing its patent cliff. But others say this company's got it worse. With new CEO John Lechleiter in charge, can Lilly find its way back from the edge?

Industry is cinching its belt, but news that Merck will shed 12 percent of its workforce - many senior and middle management positions - was a bombshell announcement.