Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - (Page 2) From the Editor DTCC: Direct to curious consumer advertising F ollowing on from our recent articles on pharma’s increasing engagement with the world of online social networking, George Koroneos of pharmexec.com reports that in the US Sanofi-aventis and AstraZeneca (AZ) are launching YouTube sites to reach patients and consumers searching for information. Sanofi’s channel is part of its ‘GoInsulin’ campaign, an unbranded health education programme designed to give people more information about diabetes and serve as a launching pad to the Sanofi homepage. But where Sanofi doesn’t take advantage of YouTube’s ‘comment’ feature, which helps to facilitate an ensuing ‘two-way conversation,’ AZ’s pharma channel to market Symbicort is specifically asking for new testimonials for the asthma product, with a view to establishing communication around the theme of ‘My asthma story.’ AZ patients will get the chance to send in short videos about how asthma affects their lives and have them uploaded onto the AZ YouTube channel, where the Symbicort brand is, of course, very much present. The videos will be available for viewing from 20 March. George calls this “a clear paradigm shift away from one-sided advertising.” Also, importantly, even though AZ’s video submissions are restricted to asthma sufferers in the US, it won’t be difficult for curious patients the world over to access them and take part in — or, more significantly, be influenced by — the discussions. Of course, the enterprising, web savvy patient is already ahead of the European regulators when it comes to finding restricted information or accessing unavailable drugs, albeit with sometimes harmful consequences. But it will be interesting to see how these new US campaigns exert their viral influence as YouTube continues to evolve as the world’s interactive global broadcaster. For more on these news stories and all the latest breaking pharma news, look at our website www.pharmexeceurope.com Nobilon in ‘flu collaboration with WHO Nobilon, Schering-Plough’s human vaccine business unit, has announced a collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to provide access to pandemic influenza vaccine manufacturing technology to developing countries. Under the terms of the agreement, Nobilon has granted WHO a non-exclusive license to develop, register, manufacture, use and sell seasonal and pandemic live, attenuated, influenza vaccines (LAIV) produced on embryonated chicken eggs. WHO will be allowed to grant a sub-license to vaccine manufacturers in developing countries working within the framework of the WHO Global Vaccine Action Plan. The egg-based LAIV technology is said to be easier to transfer, requires lower capital investment and brings higher yields, compared with inactivated influenza vaccines. Schering-Plough’s chairman and CEO Fred Hassan commented: “The avian influenza virus is already affecting several developing countries, making pandemic influenza vaccine preparedness a global health priority. Our collaboration with the WHO is most important because it is aimed at allowing many developing countries to gain access to proven influenza vaccine manufacturing platforms.” Merck to acquire Medicult Julian Upton jupton@advanstar.com Merck KGaA has agreed to buy MediCult for 43 million, beating a rival offer from Vitrolife. MediCult, based in Denmark, holds around one fifth of the world market for culture media for assisted reproduction technologies, an area in which Merck is focusing on. Merck has said that the acquisition will be financed through existing funds or lines of credit. More news on page 11. 2 FROM THE EDITOR / NEWS 3 11 PHARMA MBAs NEWS 6 BIO-ENTREPRENEUR SCHOOL 8 SALES FORCE EFFECTIVENESS 10 GSK’S PRICE CUTS 13 CALENDAR 14 ON THE MOVE http://www.pharmexeceurope.com http://www.nobilon.com http://www.pharmexec.com http://www.youtube.com/user/goinsulin https://www.myasthmastory.com/Default.aspx https://www.myasthmastory.com/Default.aspx http://www.merck.de http://www.medicult.com http://www.youtube.com/myasthmastory
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 Contents From the Editor Training and Development Sales Opinion Calendar On the Move Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Contents (Page 1) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - From the Editor (Page 2) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Training and Development (Page 3) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Training and Development (Page 4) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Training and Development (Page 5) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Training and Development (Page 6) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Training and Development (Page 7) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Sales (Page 8) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Sales (Page 9) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Opinion (Page 10) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Opinion (Page 11) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Opinion (Page 12) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - Calendar (Page 13) Pharmaceutical Executive Digest Europe - March 4, 2009 - On the Move (Page 14)
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