Editorial harmaIndustryhassustaineddecadesofmodestgrowthalong
Pwithahealthylistofhistoricalmedicalachievements. TechnologicaldevelopmentsinthepharmaceuticalindustryfrompotentnewdrugchemistriestoinnovativeR&Dpartnershipsand marketingplansarereshapingtheindustrystrategiesofmany pharmaceuticalandbiotechnologycompanies.Accordingtothe recentlypublishedreport,thelastfiveyearsofThomsonReutersTop 100GlobalInnovatorslistconsistentlyreleasepharmaasoneofthe largestindustrysectorsrepresented.Thoughinnovationisthelifeblood ofanyindustry,thediscoveryanddevelopmentofnewdrugsare supplementedbyahostofuniquechallenges,ethicalimplications,and socialresponsibilities.Thefundamentalroleofthepharmaceutical
industryinmaintainingandenhancinghumanlifeisfurtherexhibitedin theextentofitsR&Dactivity.Bysomeaccounts,pharmaceuticalR&D holdsanimpressiveshareofallbusinessspendingonR&Dworldwidearemarkablefinancialcommitmenttoasingleindustry.
Rankingpharmainnovationisn’teasy.Onetypicallyincludesnew drugsapproved,butthatonlygaugesquantity,notquality.Several attemptsatassessingqualityhavebeenmadeusingsuchcriteriaasnew modesofaction;therapeuticneed;medicalvalue;orimprovementover thestandardofcare.Whilesomeoftheseprovideusefulself-supporting insights,theacid-testofinnovationultimatelyistheimpactithason publichealth.ThomasReutersproposednewquantitativemeasuresof productivityandinnovationandusedthesetorepresentanindustrythat hasbecomemoreinnovativeandproductive.Theseinnovative measuresincludetwoquantitativestandardsoftheindustrybasedon theparameterscollectedformeasuringproductivityandinnovation.
Assessingthecurrentstatetheindustrybythesenewstandardswill allowamorequalitativeviewofthestateofthepharmaceutical industryandcanbeusedtomeasureimprovementsinbothproductivity andinnovation.Companieswithaninnovationedgewillhavea substantialcompetitiveadvantage.
Sugandha Sharma
Recentyearshaveseenexcitingbreakthroughsinpharmaceuticalsciencesthatareproducinggenuinely noveltherapeuticsforunmetpatientneeds.Thechallengingmarketdynamicshavetransformedthe conventionalpharmaceuticalindustrymodelfromoneofdevelopinglow-costdrugsofincremental advantageforlargepatientpopulationstooneofefficient,high-valuemedicinesfortargeted,nichepatient populations.
Themostprosperousfirmsareshiftingawayfromatraditional,top-downmodelofproductpromotionand towardaflexible,interactiveapproach:“PatientsFirst,”whichgivespatientsbettertoolsandfullfocused informationonthedrugstheyaretakingandhowtocontroltheirconditions.Pharmacompaniesthatsucceedin patientengagementeffortsincreasetheirchancesofregulativeandcommercialsuccessasjudgmentsabout approval,prescribing,andmarketingofdrugsaremorecloselytiedtopatientresultsandneeds.Fromabusiness perspective,thischangeseverythingaspharmacompanieswillneedtobecomemoreproactivewithlarge patientscommunities.
Theneedforproficientpharmaceuticalsolutionprovidershasmadeuslookoutfor “The 10 Fastest Growing Pharmaceutical Companies 2017 ” Onthecoverpage,wehave Dr. Jacky Vonderscher,the Co-founder & CEO of ENYO Pharma,thatbringingnewopportunitiestothePharmaceuticalIndustry.ENYOPharmaisa biopharmaceuticalcompanywithaninnovativeapproachinspiredbyviruses,andthatleveragingvirusesto developfirst-in-classdrugcandidatesinmultipleindications.Theirbiotechmimicsvirusstrategyistomodulate hostcellularfunctionswithnumerousapplications.Initially,ENYOPharmadevelopedagainstinfluenzavirus;it hasamitochondrialcellulartargetwhichleadsENYOPharmatoexplorenewindicationssuchasoncologyor metabolicdiseases.
Toaddaninterestingangleinthisedition,wehavecomeupwithsomeknowledgeenrichingarticlesfromthe expertsoftheindustrylike“Top 5 Best Practices that Defines a Successful Wellness Program”by Dr. Gary Tho, owner at Chiropractic Works,and“How Innovation in healthcare means going against entrenched beliefs about ®the nature of charting”by Richard Low, MD of Praxis Electronic Medical Records. Alongwithsuchamazing piecestoreadaboutpharmaandhealthcare,wehavealsocoveredsomeoftheamazingarticlescraftedby editorialdesklike Social Media Marketing for Pharma Industry, An Imperative Association between Neuroscience and e-Learning, Artificial Intelligence: A Game Changer for Healthcare, and Revolutionary Factors Affecting Pharmaceutical Industry,amongmanyothers.
Doflipeverysinglepagetounveilthesecretofthesuccessofthesecompanies.Hopethisissuewillleavea markonyourmindandwillenrichyourknowledgeaboutPharmaceutical.
Inthelastdecade,thepharmaceuticalsectorhasbeenfacingstructuralissueswhenitcomestobringingnew pharmaceuticalstothepatient. Indeed,studieshaverevealedthattheaveragecosttodevelopasingledrug hastripledtogreaterthan€1.7Bninrealtermssince2003whilenumerouspatentexpirationshavereduced revenuesfromblockbusterdrugs.Also,theaverageforecastforpeaksaleshasdeclinedby43%duetoincreasing developmentofspecializeddrugsforsmallerpatientpopulations.
Lastly,theattritioninthedrugdevelopmentpipelineremainshighnotablyforlackofefficacy.Onaverage,24 faileddrugdevelopmentprogramsoccurforeveryonemoleculeenteringtomarket.
Inaword,theprocessofdevelopinganewdrugisverytimeconsuming,extremelycostlyandhighlyrisky,with minimumchanceofasuccessfuloutcome.
Inaddition,therateofinnovationinpharmaceuticaldevelopmentislow,whichresultsfromafocusona restrictednumberofdrugtargetclassesconsideredmoretractable.Oneanswertothatwastodevelop“me-too” drugs,whichareclinicallyequivalenttherapeuticstoreplacepioneeringdrugsasopposedtofocusingonnew targets.
Stilltherearealargenumberofdiseaseswithunmetmedicalneedsbecauseofalackofinnovationandnew cellulartargetsinvestigatedbythepharmaceuticalindustry.Inthelastdecadetherehasbeengrowingawareness ofthelimitedstructuraldiversityinpharmaceuticalcompanycompoundcollectionsbuttherearestillroomfor newapproachesandnewtherapeuticstrategies.
have plans to conduct all our molecules to Phase II Proof of Concept clinical trials”
Havingmadethat analysis,twoveterans ofthepharmaindustry andfourscientistsof theInfectiology ResearchCenterin Lyon,Francecreated ENYOPharmain January2014.
ENYOPharmaison themissiontocreatea changebydeveloping newtherapiesagainst diseaseswithunmet medicalneedsthanksto awhollynewapproach. ENYOPharma’steam hasdevelopedaunique andinnovativedrug discoveryengine inspiredbyvirusesto identifyanddevelop first-in-classdrugcandidatesinmultipleattractivediseases.
ThecompanyiscurrentlydevelopingitsfirstleadingproductEYP001intwoliverdiseases:chronichepatitisB andNASH(Non-alcoholicsteatohepatitis).Howevermanyothertherapeuticareassuchasoncologyormetabolic disordersarealsobeinginvestigatedthroughongoingdevelopmentprograms.
ENYOPharma’steamisworldclasswithacrucialmixofpharmaseniorleadershipandscientificexcellence notablyinvirologywhichdrivesthecompanyforward.Butateamcanonlycoordinatethoughtfullyandmarch forwardtowardsexcellencewhentheygetagoodleader.AndENYOhasageniusasitsleader,theco-founder andChiefExecutiveOfficerofthecompany,Dr.JackyVonderscher,apharmaveteranandanexperienced drughunter.Hesawthepotentialtorapidlytranslatetheexpertiseinvirus-hostinteractionsofENYOPharma’s scientistsintonoveldrugcandidatesinmanyattractiveconditionsbeyondinfectiousdiseases.
Dr.VonderscherheldmultipleSeniorExecutiverolesnotablyinR&D.PreviouslyhewasoperatingasaSenior VPHeadofTranslationResearchSciencesandasaSeniorVPHeadofMolecularMedicineLabsatRochein USAandSwitzerland(2008-2012).HealsoheldotherseniorpositionswithNovartisintheUSAandSwitzerland ®(1979to2008).HeiswellknownforhisleadingroleinthediscoveryanddevelopmentofSandimmumNeoral inthe90sandwasalsoinvolvedasco-inventoroftwootherimportantdrugproducts,theblockbusterEverolimus ® ®(Certican andAfinitor Products)andMycophenolicAcidSodiumsalt(Myfortic®Product)He’saBoard memberofInatherys,ObsEvaandStepPharmaaswellasaSABmemberofInotrem.Herecentlywasalso cooptedasaboardmemberofEBE(EuropeanBiopharmaceuticalEntreprises,aEuropeanTradeAssociation).
Dr. Jacky Vonderscher, the Erudite behind ENYO Pharma
ENYO Pharma: Bringing New Opportunities to the Pharmaceutical Industry
Overmillionsofyearsofevolution,viruseshaveperfectedtheirabilityto modulateandhijackthecellfunctionsfortheirownbenefit.
ENYOPharma'steamisconvincedthatbyimitatingvirusesitispossibleto modulatecellularfunctionsandproteinswithoutendangeringthecellto opennewperspectivesfordevelopingmedicines.
ENYOPharma’steamisthusdevelopingdrugdiscoveryprogramsonmany intracellularhosttargetsyetuntappedbypharmaceuticalindustriesbecause consideredasnon-tractableuntilnow.Thiswouldleadtothedevelopment offirstinclasstherapeutics.
Theapproachallowsfindingnewcellulartargetswhicharenotexploitedyet todiversifythecurrenttherapeuticpipelineandincreasethechanceof gettingacurefordiseaseswithstillunmetmedicalneeds.
ThisapproachmatchestheneedsofthelargePharmatoreplenishtheir pipelineswithinnovativedrugsthroughinlicensing,maintainstheprimacy ofpublichealthinterestandmaximizesindividualmedicalbenefit.
ENYOPharma’sexpertiseandknowledgehavealsoraisedtheinterestofmajorinvestors,whoinvested€22Min thecompanyinearly2016tocontinuetheworkonHepatitisBandotherprograms.Thecompanyiscurrently discussingwithvariousUSandEuropeaninvestorstoraiseitsSeriesBtofunditstwoPhaseIIinchronic hepatitisBandNASHandbringatleast onenewcompoundinclinic.
ENYOPharmaalreadymadetheproof-of-conceptofitsdrugdiscoveryenginewithitsfirstcandidateEYP001 beingtestedinpatients.Itsecondleadingmolecule,EYP002wasinspiredbyastrategyemployedbyInfluenzato regulatehostcellbiologyandallowedtofindauniquenoveltargetfocusedonmitochondriaandstressresponses thatcouldalsoberelevant foroncologyandmetabolicdiseases.
Followingthat,ENYOhasreceivedfundingfromtheEuropeanUnion’sHorizon2020researchandinnovation programfortheMIMESISprojectthatresultsfromthescaleupofENYOPharma’sinnovativedrugdiscovery engineandaimsatscreening10,000molecules.Thislibraryofdevelopablechemicaltemplatesiscurrently screenedinphenotypicassaysagainst4viruses(Flu,RSVandHRV(torespiratoryviruses)andZika),a mycobacterium(TB)andasinducersofImmunogenicCellDeathintumors.With€3.6millionspendingover24 months,mostpromisingchemistrieswillbethestartingpointfornumeroushittoleadoptimizationprograms fundedwithintheEUgrant.
TheinitialresultsshowedahighnumberofleadsandasasingleorganizationENYOPharmawillnotbeableto developthemallandwilllikelypartnershipstolicenceorco-developsomeofthosemoleculesthatarenotpartof aninternalspecificprogram.
“ThankstotheMIMESISapproach,ENYOPharmawillmultiplytheopportunitiestobringveryinnovativedrugs workingonuntappedhumantargetswhichwilltranslateintohigherpharmaceuticalbenefittopatients.This approachhasnotbeenusedbeforeinthepharmaceuticalindustryandispotentiallytransferabletoanyhuman disease.Withinlessthanayearwehavealreadygained50hitmoleculesonundruggedtargetsandtheyarebeing validatedaswespeak”assertsDr.Vonderscher.
ENYOPharmaisdevelopingitsleadingdrugcandidateinbothchronicHepatitisBandNASH.
NASHisthemostcommonliverdisorderinWesterncountries.Itsmainconsequenceisliverfibrosis,cirrhosis andhepatocellularcarcinoma.Currentlynotreatmentexistsforthisdiseasewhichrepresentsanimportant challenge.
HepatitisBremainsamajorworldwidepublichealthproblemwithover260millionsofchronically-infected peopledespiteextensivevaccinationprograms.ChronichepatitisBevolvestowardslifethreateningcomplications includinglivercirrhosisandcancer.Currenttherapeuticregimen,oftenfailtocureHBVandarelifelong treatments.
Recently,ENYOPharmahassuccessfullycompletedEYP001firstinmanPhase1study ThePhase1asingleand multipleascendingdosetrialevaluatingEYP001inhealthysubjectshavebeencompleted.Theresultsshowthat EYP001wassafeandwell-toleratedatalldosesstudiedin80subjects.Thedrugisnowstartingaphase1b clinicaltrialinpatientswithchronicHBVwithresultsdueinearly2018withtwophase2trialsinHBVand NASHplannedformid2018.
“We have deciphered virus-host interactions and built a unique Drug Discovery Engine based on mimetism of the virus strategy for modulation of cellular host functions” Feather of Achievement in ENYO Pharma’s Cap
ARCABiopharma,Inc. arcabio.com
DerekCole VP
AboutCapella Therapeutics,Inc. capellatherapeutics.com
ENYOPharma enyopharma.com
ICMPharmaPte.Ltd.
Dr YunLong
Founder&CEO
ARCAwasfoundedonthebeliefthataprecisionmedicineapproach todrugdevelopment,tailoringmedicaltreatmenttotheindividual geneticcharacteristicsofpatients,canenablemoreeffective therapies,improvepatientoutcomesandreducehealthcarecosts.
CapellaTherapeuticsisfoundedin2014inSanDiego, focused onthediscoveryanddevelopmentofsmallmoleculedrugsto treatcancerandinflammatorydiseases.
Dr.JackyVonderscher Co-founder&CEO
Dr.StuartKoe ManagingDirector
ENYOPharmaisaprivatelyheldbiopharmaceuticalcompany withaninnovativeapproachinspiredbyviruses;theirbiotech mimicsvirusstrategytomodulatehostcellularfunctionswith multipleapplications.
ICMPharmaisaSingapore-based,GMP-certified pharmaceuticalmanufacturerthatdevelops,manufacturesand marketsarangeofOTCandgenericpharmaceuticals.
LeoPharma leo-pharma.com
MAXBioPharma maxbiopharma.com
HenrikHeskjærKyndlev
HeadofGlobalExternal Communication
Dr.FarhadParhami Founder&President
LEOPharmahelpspeopletoachievehealthyskinbyoffering caresolutionstopatientsinmorethan100countriesglobally, supportspeopleinmanagingtheirskinconditions.
MAXBioPharmaisaCalifornia-basedbiotechnologyfirm developingnovelsmallmoleculelipids,referredtoasoxysterols, ascandidatesfortherapeuticdrugsfordebilitatingandfatal humandiseases.
Dr.JeffreySaffer& Dr.VickiBurnett Founders
QuertleisaBiomedicalBigDataleader;theirBioAI™Platform -basedonadvancedArtificialIntelligence-powersasuiteof productsthatdeliverrelevantinformationandpredictive analyticsoutofthefloodofbiomedicaltextualinformation.
Saniona
SenhwaBiosciences Inc.
senhwabiosciences.com
SpectrumPharmaceuticals Inc. sppirx.com
Dr.JørgenDrejer
Founder&CEO
Dr.Tai-SenT.Soong
President&CEO
Dr.RajeshC.Shrotriya MD,Chairman&CEO
Sanionaisaresearchanddevelopmentcompanyfocusedondrugs forcentralnervoussystemdisorders,autoimmunediseases, metabolicdiseasesandpainrelief;hasacomprehensiveportfolioof potentialdrugcandidatesinpreclinicalorclinicalphase.
SenhwaBiosciences(Senhwa)isadrugdevelopmentcompany, engagedindevelopmentofsmallmoleculedrugsfortreatingnewly validatedtargetsincancerpathways;pipelineproductportfolio includestwoagentsinclinicaldevelopmentforcancer,namely, CX-5461andCX-4945.
SpectrumPharmaceuticalsisanAmericanbiopharmaceutical company,locatedinIrvine,California;isacommercial-stage biotechnologycompanywithfullyintegratedcommercialanddrug developmentoperations,andaleaderinhematologyandoncology.
mericanMedicineisinan
Aunprecedentedcrisis.Doctors arenothappy Arecentstudy bytheAMAshowsthatphysiciansare spendingtwiceasmuchtimewiththeir ElectronicHealthcareRecords(EHRs) astheyarein“directclinicalfacetime”withtheirpatients.Thestudy alsorevealedwidespreadcareer dissatisfactionamongphysicianswith 54%reporting“physicianburnout.”
Doctorsarewastinghoursaday strugglingwiththeircomputersto documentmedicineandprovidecareto patientswithwhomtheyspendless timeeveryday. Patientsfeeltheir doctorismoreconcernedwithdataon thecomputerthanlisteningtotheir problemsandcaringfortheirneeds. Meanwhilehealthcarecostsare
climbingwhileprovidersaregetting progressivelymorefrustratedat playingdataentryclerks.
Remarkably,computerswerefirst introducedtotheexaminationroom preciselytoresolvethechaosthat cliniciansfacedwithpaper.Initially, computerspromisedtomake documentationeasierandmore effective.Instead,EHRsseverely worsenedanadmittedlyabad situation. Whatisevenstrangeristhat inallotherfieldsofendeavorexcept medicine,informationtechnologyhas beenhighlysuccessfulinstreamlining paperworkandbureaucratic congestion.Whyhasthisnothappened inhealthcare?
Onestrangeexplanationpropounded manyintheITfieldisthatdoctorsare “computer-phobic,”thatphysicians feartechnologyandlacktheadequate technicalskillstohandlecomputers. Nothingcouldbefurtherfromthe truth. Physiciansarehighly-trainedin thesciencesandhaveusedeverynew technologyappearinginthemedical fieldeffectivelyforatleastahundred years. Otherpunditsarguethat physiciansarereticenttochangeand arestuckintheirways.That’snottrue either.Doctorsaremorelikelyto embracenewapproachesthanany otherprofession.Theanswermustbe lookedforwithinthechartingsoftware itself.Yet,EHRsoftwareprecisely replicatesthepapercharting
methodologyusedforovera century. Maybethat’stheproblem. Innovationhasnotchallenged entrenchedbeliefsintheoldpaper methodofcharting.Theoldpaper paradigmremainsboundtothepast: anelectronictypewriterregurgitating textinsideadeadrecord. Theproblemseemstobenotwith thecomputerbutwiththeoriginal paperrecord.Chartingonpaper neverworkedwellevenbeforethe firstcomputereversawthelightof dayinadoctor’soffice. Indeed,the chartingparadigmhadbeen malfunctioningforatleastthirty years,eversincetheoldthree-byfivecards,usedformorethana
Richard Low, Managing Director of Praxis Electronic Medical Records, is one of a handful of physician CEOs running EHR companies. A graduate from Yale Medical School and practiced both Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine for more than 20 years. Doctor Richard started the company in 1989 to resolve the main problem with charting, precious time being wasted by providers. By learning from hundreds of medical clients throughout the years, Praxis is today more than just an EHR, it is a clinical tool that enables doctors to provide better medicine, save time and reduce professional stress and burnout.
®centurytoremindcliniciansofthepatientconditions,were replacedbyreamspaperworkasaresponsetothemedical malpracticelitigationbeginninginthesixties. Then,with stacksofmedicalpaperrecordsfiledandstackeduptothe ceiling,third-partypayers,particularlythegovernment, begantousethispaperascriteriafordenialofpaymentfor servicesrendered. Sowhatwaswrittenonthemedical recordbecamemoreimportantthanwhatwasdone. And noonequestionedthepaperapproach. Aslawyersputit, “resipsaloquitor”(thethingspeaksforitself),meaning:“if it’snotwritten,itit’snotdone!”. Sadly,today’sphysician canearnmorebyspendingfiveminuteswiththepatientand twentyminuteswiththechart,thanbyspendingtwenty minuteswiththepatientandfiveminuteswiththechart. Clearly,thereissomethingprofoundlywrongwiththis chartingapproach.
Sowhydidmedicalsoftwaredevelopersmaintainedtheold chartingparadigmintheirEHRsinsteadofgivingcareful thoughttotakeadvantageoftheuniquepowerofthe computertohandleroutinesbetterthanhumanscan? The answerissimple.Noonewantedtochallengephysicians’ entrenchedbeliefsthatthecurrentwayofchartingisthe onlyvalidapproach. Consequently,programmersworked onthewrongpremisefromthestartand,byportingittothe computer,theymadeitfarworse.Theargumentwas simple: “Ithadalwaysbeendonethisway.”Exceptit wasn’t.Chartingtheessenceofaclinicalvisitonathreeby-five-card,asusedbyourforebears,isnotthesameasa computerspittingouttonsifcomplexcomputercodesto explainaclinicalencounteronlybecausecomputerscannot handlehumanlanguage.
Indeed,aftertheinitialCPTandICD-9codesdevelopedby theAMAandtheWorldHealthOrganizationtodescribe acceptabletreatmentsanddiagnoses,anarrayofnewcodes appearedonthescene:G-Codes,F-Codes,RxNormcodes, LOINCCodes,SNOMEDcodes,thelistseemsendless. Thesecodescreatedhavocforbusypractitionerswhohave turnedintodata-entryclerksofasort,wastingtimeand creatingstressandconfusion,whichcanleadtoclinical errors.SNOMEDinparticularismeanttodescribethe entiremedicalexchange:thepatientsymptoms,theclinical findings,thediagnosesandallthetreatmentsin “computerese”ratherthanEnglish,anddrivesdoctors completelycrazyintheprocess. Evenanewmedical syndromeisbeingrecognizedasaffectinghealthcare providerscalledthe“AlertFatigueSyndrome.” Now,the
lawofthelandisthatdoctorsaretosearchallthesecodes totransmitclinicalinformationtotheirpeers.Noone stoppedthisinsanityandrealizedthatwehadthebasics wrong.
Sothenhowshouldbusycliniciansdocumenttheirclinical exchangesifnotthewaytheyweretaughtforthelasttwo hundredyears?We,atPraxisElectronicMedicalRecords, believetheanswerisforthecomputertohelptheproviders thinkandexpressthemselvesusingtheirownthoughtsand wordsbyretrievingthemjustintimefromanartificial intelligencedatabasesoastolearnfromtheirownpast encountersofsimilarpatients.Asweliketosay:“It’sfaster, easier,andbettertodowhatyouwrotethantowritewhat youdid.”Chartingbackwards?Youbet!Thisisnotwhat physiciansweretaughttodo,butthenagain,ourforebears didnothavecomputerstoassistthemintheexamining room,norreamsofdatatofillout,norattorneysandthird partypayerstodealwith.Theydidnotneedtochartupa stormtobeablepracticemedicine. Thechartthen becomes,notasillycompilationofwhatisbeingobserved overandoveragain,butanactuallivingchecklistthat ensuresthannothingisforgottenoroverlookedatthepoint ofcare,thatallthequestionsarebeingasked,allthe relevantfindingsandstudiesarebeingevaluated,andyes,it alsochartsinstantlysosavesabouttwohoursaday
Itseemsthatdoctorshadthebasicswrongfromthestart.If thegoalistopracticehigherqualitymedicinebytaking bettercareofpatients,paperworkshouldnotgetintheway. Onthecontrary,documentationshouldassistthethought process,guideitalong,andnothinderit.Thecomputercan dothatifitisprogrammedappropriately
Theconceptprocessingsolutionworks.Ithasbeenusedfor severalyears.PraxisEMRisconsistentlyratednumberone inphysicianusersatisfactionstudiesperformedbythe largestmedicalorganizationstoday,includingtheAmerican AcademyofFamilyPhysicianstheAmericanCollegeof Physicians,yetfewknowwhyPraxisscoressohighly Indeed,thisnewchartingapproachgoesagainstthegrain. Itfightsagainstentrenchedbeliefsaboutthenatureof documentingmedicine.Oftenforamajorchangetotake placetwothingsareneeded. Technologymustrepresent disruptiveinnovation,andtherehastobealotofpainwith thewaythingshadbeendoneuptothatpoint.Thelatteris alreadyhereamongphysicians.Doctorstodaymustheal themselves.
Dr. Stuart Koe Managing Director
ecentyearshaveseenexcitingdiscoveriesin
RPharmaIndustriesthataregeneratingtrulynovel therapeuticsforunmetpatientneeds.Intoday’s connectedworld,theroleofthePharmaceuticalIndustryis changingrapidlyaccordingtothekeytrends.Havingan identityinPharmasolutionsinplacethatonecantrust enhancesday-to-daylivingandworklifebycreatingmany moreopportunitiesandencouragingstrongercommunities. Atthecenterofthisindustry, ICM Pharma Pte. Ltd. stands tallamongitscontemporarieswithprovidingitsunmet patientneeds.
ICMPharmaisamongstSingapore’slargesthomegrown pharmaceuticalmanufacturersthatdevelops,producesand marketsawiderangeof Over The Counter (OTC)and genericpharmaceuticals,personalcareproducts,and disinfectants.Beingoneoftheveryfirstmanufacturersto be GMP Certified bythe Ministry of Health forthe productionofhumanpharmaceuticalsinthe1980s,ICM Pharmaisoneoftheleadingsupplierstopublicandprivate healthcareinstitutions,clinicsandpharmaciesinSingapore.
WithitswiderangeofOTC“Minor Ailment Remedies” foundpracticallyinalmosteveryhouseholdinSingapore, ICMPharmahasestablisheditselfasaleadingandtrusted pharmaceuticalmanufacturer.
Foundedin1970by Koe Khoon Poh,laudedasapioneer andFatherofPharmacyinSingapore,ICMPharmaisnow
helmedbyhisson,Dr.StuartKoe,ManagingDirectorof ICMPharma.Apharmacistbytraining,Dr.Stuart,gained hisexperiencerunningadotcomstartupforalmost12years beforejoininghisfather’scompany.Sincetakingoverthe managementrole,hetakesallthechargeanddoubledthe productioncapacityandimproveditsoperationaland manufacturingexcellencewithaninvestmentofmorethan S$2million.Also,thecompanyhasgrownby30%inan industrythathasbeenexperiencingaclimateofstagnation. ICMPharmahasinvestedmorethan€5millionincuttingedgebiologicalresearchthatisnowinPhaseIIIclinical trials.
UndertheleadershipofDr.Stuart,notonlyICMPharmais improvingitsoperationalandmanufacturingexcellence. Thisshallundoubtedlysolidifyitsbusinessfoundationasit beginstoexploreoverseasregionalmarketswithsomeof itsaward-winningproducts.Havingspentthelastfew decadesspecializinginliquidmixtures,creamsand ointments,todayICMPharmaisalsoenrichingitsproduct portfoliothroughtheregistrationofdozensofnewgenerics, comprisingabroadspectrumofmedicalspecialtiesfrom cardiologytooncology
Inanhonortocarryforwardofhisfather’slegacy,Dr. Stuarthasalsolaunchedanewcompany,“PharmaKoe” thatentrencheshisfamilynamecleverlyinthepharmacy world.Withthetagline“Get Better.”PharmaKoepromises thatyouwillgetbetterinallaspects-health,products, services.Butmoreimportantly,itisacommitmentto improvingitselfcontinuously
industry’sbesttalent.ICMPharmahastheraredistinction ofbeingperhapstheonlypharmaceuticalcompany founded,ownedandmanagedbypharmaciststhroughoutits longhistory,whichitconsiderstobeoneofitscompetitive strengths.Howthiscompany’scompetitivestrengthhas manifestedisthebestowalofmultipleprestigiousawards onICMPharma,includingtheEnterprise50,Singapore PrestigeBrand,SMFSustainableGrowth,Entrepreneurof theYear,SME100–Singapore’sFastMovingCompanies andthe2017Dun&BradstreetBusinessEminenceAward.
Alreadyarmedwithitsestablishedlineofaward-winning products,thisstrategicexpansionofitsproductofferings willfurtheraugmentitscompetitivenessasitmovesinto vastoverseasregionalmarkets.Inthisrespect,regional expansionplansandtechno-commercialallianceswith renownedinternationalpharmaceuticalplayersarealready progressingatarapidpace.Thegroup’sexpansive customerbase,bothinpublicandprivatesectors,canlook forwardtoawholenewrangeofproductsandservices acrossallthemaintherapeuticsegments.
ICMPharmahasinvestedmorethan€5millionincuttingedgebiologicalresearchthatisnowinPhaseIIIclinical trialsacross,almostadozenofreputablehospitals worldwide.Itwasthecompany’squestforinnovationthat culminatedinthislandmarkinvestmentinAlloksysLife Sciencesin2016,aDutchbiotechcompanywithits pipelineofnovel,life-savingtreatmentsbasedonthe ®RESCAP platform.Thelargestinvestmentofitskindbya Singaporeanpharmaceuticalcompanyinnoveldrug ®development,RESCAP isexpectedtoreachthemarketin 2019.
Explainingthesuccess:Humancapital
ICMPharmarecognizesthatitsgreatestassetisitspeople. Thecompanyhasinvestedheavilyinthehumancapitalto prepareitselfforthenextwaveofgrowth.Overthelastone year,ithastakenboldstepsincreatinganexecutive leadershipteam,headedbytheCEO,Mr.Nandiraju Manohar,andpillaredwithnovelanddistinctbusiness verticals.Thesekeypositionswerefilledbyattractingthe
Asanindustryleaderandapartfromitsbusinessand financialsuccesses,ICMPharmaisplayingakeyroleinits corporateandsocialresponsibility.Dr.StuartchairstheLife SciencesIndustryGroup(LSIG)attheSingapore ManufacturingFederation,whichfunctionsasthe representativecommunicationplatformfortheSingapore’s pharmaceuticalindustryandthegovernment,regulatory agenciesandforeigncountries,inadditiontoleadingthe SingaporePharmaceuticalManufacturer’sCounciland SingaporePharmaceuticalTradeOrganisation.Recognising thesignificantmacroscopicroleithastoplayinthenational interestsofaccessibleandlow-costhealthcareby strengtheningthecapabilitiesofthelocalpharmaceutical industry,ICMiscommittedtoworkingwiththese organizationstoservethecountryandcommunityby maintainingworld-classqualityandsafetystandards.The companyensuresthatthehealthcareneedsofSingaporeans willbemetwiththesustainableavailabilityandsupplyof affordableandeffectivepharmaceuticalproductsand medicines.
Theupsurgeofe-learningtechnologiesisevidentineducationallovertheworld.Communicationandapplicationsharingtechnologieshavehadagreatinfluenceonformalandinformaleducation,particularlythroughtheuseof mobileandwirelessdevices.E-learningeradicatesthebarrieroftimeanddistance,formingauniversallearning-ondemandplatform.
Understandingtheworkingofbrainandhowpeoplelearnwillhelpe-learningprofessionalstodevelopaparamounttraining modelforbusinessenvironment.Applyingvariouslearningmodels,aswellaswhatincentivesareneededbefore,during, andevenafterthelearningprocess,helpsinstructionaldesignersdeliveragreatlearningexperienceforalltheirstudents. Whilethecontent,layoutandtheaccessibilityofthee-learningcourseareimportant,determininghowalearner’sbrain actuallyacquiresandretaininformationisanessentialfactorofe-learningdesignanddevelopment.
UnderstandinghowtheBrainLearns DavidKolb’sfamousfour-phasemodelofthelearningcyclecanbemappedintofourmajorbrainprocesses.
Concrete Experience:Theinformation-gatheringpartofthecycle engagesthesensorycorticesthroughwhichwehear,see,touch,smell andtaste.Theyrecordtheseconcreteexperiencesinthebrain.
Reflective Observation:Allofthenewdatacollectedfromthe sensorycortexflowtowardstheassociationregions,wheretheystart combiningtoproduceameaningfulconcept.Ifwecanfindmeaning inthesubjectbeinglearned,theinformationcanmoveintothe workingmemory Althoughreflectionneedstimeandspaceto happen,withouttheseitisimpossibleforthelearnerstoprocess, searchforconnections,andintegrateinformation.Thatiswhy,it isimportanttocarefullyincorporatereflectionintothee-learning materialsandsignificantlyimprovereflectionbyinspectingthe amountofinformationandstrideofdeliveringsuchinformation. Itshouldgivestudentsenoughtimetoreflectonthematerialand eventuallymakemeaningofit.
Abstract Conceptualization:Thisbrainprocessoccurs whentheprefrontalintegrativecortexiscompletely engaged.Thelearnermovespastreceivingand absorbinginformationandisnowreadytocreate newknowledge,craftrelationshipsandform abstractions.Thusthelearnerstartsmaking meaninginhisorherownwayandshiftfrom beinga‘receiverofknowledge’toa‘creatorof knowledge’.Thisistheprocessthatshouldbe encouragedasitwillresultinalongerdurable learning.
Active Experimentation:Tryingoutwhatyouhave learnedinvolvesthemotorcortex.Itisthatpartofthe brainwhichconvertsabstractmentalactionsinto physicalaction.Afterthebrainhasinterpreted experiencesthroughreflectionandbuiltmeaning,ituses theseconceptsasguidesforactiveexperimentation. Activetestingcanexhibitinseveralwayssuchasreading anotherbookrelatedtothesubject,explainingordiscussing apreviouslesson,searchingtopicsonlinerelatedtoalesson etc.
LeveragingtheUnderstanding Youcannotarguewiththebrain.Itfollowsitsownrules.For effectivelearning,learnersneedbrain-friendlycontent. Brain-friendlycontentismadeupoffundamentalnotionsthatwill helplearnersinunderstandinginformationdeeplyandretainitinthelong-term memory.Let’slookatsomeofthefundamentalsane-learningprofessionalcanleveragetodevelop anddesignaneffectivee-learningmodel.
No multitasking:Foryears,multitaskinghasbeenconsideredasanessentialskill.However,researchhas
establishedthatourbrainsdonothavethepowertomultitask.Onehemisphereconcentratesononetask,whiletheotheris focusedonacompletelysecondarytask.Thusittakesthebraintwiceaslongtocompleteatask,andalsotheerrorrate goesupby50%.Thisisbecause,wearenot‘multitasking’,weare‘contextswitching’.Thusitisimportantwhen designinge-learningcoursestoavoidmoduleswhichasktheusertoperformmultipletasksatonce,asithindersthe overalllearningprocess.
Repetition: Donotexpectthelearnerstogothroughcontentonceandrememberitforever.Dedicatingattentionthricetoa subjectwillretainmoreinformation.Thishasalottodowithassociativelearningwhichstatesthat“cellsthatfiretogether, wiretogether”. Repetitioncanbetedious,butitneednotbe.Youcanreviewinformationthroughknowledgechecksasa formofrepetition.Goingoversameinformationorideas,atspacedintervals,canhelpyoucreateastrongfiringpatternin thebrainandthus,allowthemtobesavedinthelong-termmemory
Using Multimedia tools:Multimediasuchasimagesandvideo,notonlyengagethelearnersbutalsohelpsthemto actuallyrememberwhattheyhavelearned.Studiesshowthatstudents,whousee-booksandinteractivelearningtools,lead toimprovedknowledgeretention. Furthermore,studentswhousee-booksthatcontainedsoundeffects,music,audio, narration,andimageswereabletoretainandrecitemoreinformationthantheoneswhoreadtraditionaltextbooks. Utilizingsuchinteractivetoolsalsoledtogroupcollaborationandinteractionthusimprovingtheoveralleducational experience.
Gamification:Gameshelpexerciseoutmentalmuscles.Notonlydoesithelpinengaginglearnersinthee-learning process,italsoservesasaremedytoboredomthatsooftenleadstounsuccessfullearningexperiences.Accordingtoa research,studentsweremoremotivatedtolearnmathematicswhenpresentedinagamingformat.Eventheirattitude towardsthesubjectchangedwhichresultedinanimprovedoverallsuccessandalleviationofboredomthatisoften associatedwithrepetition.
Learningisadefinite,regularprocessthatoccursinsidethebrain.Thereisnothingenigmaticaboutit.Learningexperience isuniquetoeachlearner,soitisimportantforinstructionaldesignerstoknowhowtodelivernewinformationsothat everyonecanunderstandanduseit.
Overrecentyears,morecompaniesareincorporating wellnessinitiativesintotheirofficeenvironment.
It’smissioncriticalintodayscompetitivemarkets, toattractingandretainthebesttalents.Onecrucial measurementistheengagementlevelsofeveryoneinthe entireorganisation.Presenteeismisatanalltimehigh. Peoplearenotmotivatedbymoneyalone,andwellness programsarepartofthestrategytoimprovejobsatisfaction andproductivity.However,onlyafewcompaniesactually havecomprehensiveprogramsthatproducebetterhealth outcomesamongemployees.Asaresult,improved engagementandperformanceatwork,naturallyfollows sinceemployeesarehealthierandhappier
Unfortunatelynotallhealthandwellnessprogramsare successful.Thefirstoneortwoinitiativesmaygaintraction, buttwoyearson,andtheparticipationratesdecline.One mainproblemisthattheparticipantsthemselvesaren’tpart ofthecreation.Theirneedsandconcernsaren’taddressed sothere’slessmotivationforthemtocommit.Sowhatdo employeeswant?Hereare5bestpracticesthathelpcreate successfulcorporatewellbeingprogramsthatgaintrue engagement.
1.ProgramsAreDoable,AccessibleandSustainable Imagineawellnesstalkorfitnessclassisstartingin15 minutes.Manyemployeeseasilydismissitandthink“I’d lovetogo,butIreallyneedtogetthisworkdone.”Do programsrunwhenemployeesaremostbusy?Arerunafter officehours?Andifso,willpeoplestaybackforit?Isthe wellnessprogramabroad-basedandholisticapproach?Or isitjustyogaclasses,cookingdemonstrationsandnothing else?
Isiteasyforparticipantstolearn?Whatlookseasywhena trainedchefpreparesahealthydinnerin20minutescould taketheaveragepersonalotmoretime,energyandstress. Arestepsprovidedforonetoimplementthenewhabit, accomplishtheirgoalandsustainthesuccess?
Acomprehensivewellnessinitiativeneedstoofferavariety ofscheduledprogramsthatarebrokendowninto achievable,sustainablehabitsthatcreateavaluable
outcome.Equallyimportantisthatemployeescanchoose whattheyareinterestedin,andeasilyfitintotheirschedule.
2.TheWorkEnvironmentIsHealth-Conscious
It’snousehavinghealthandwellnessprogramsifthe physicalandpsychosocialenvironmentwithintheoffice doesn’tsupporttohealthyhabits.Greatofficedesignthat supportwellbeinghasbeenthetrend,sinceFacebookand Googleshowedushowtodoit.
Creatingcreativespacesforsmallerpodmeetings,having standingdesksandensuringthecafeteriaandvending machinesaroundtheofficeofferhealthierfoodchoicesthat canbeeasilyseenaresomeofthesimplewaysto encouragegoodhealth.Ensuringregulatednoise,inspiring music,goodairqualityandtemperatureandadequate lightingarealsosimpleyetimpactfulfeaturesofagreat officespace.
Allowing‘down’times,andworkbreaksthatare encouraged,isessential.Mostpeopledon’ttakebreaksor chit-chatbecauseofitsnegativeperception.Howeverthisis absolutelynecessaryasitcreaterealinteractionandreal friendshipsbetweenco-workersthatsatisfythebasichuman needforsocialconnections.Peopleneedotherpeopleto love,trustandsupportthem,inbothbusinesstasksaswell asatapersonallevel.
3.WellnessIsIntegratedIntoTheCompany’sStructure
Furthertopoint2above,choosingahealthierlifestyleand doingwellatworkshouldn’tfeellikeatug-of-war.I’ve heardofcompanieswhopayforgymmembershipsfortheir staff,whichisgreat.However,whenanemployeeis workingoutinthegym,theygetaphonecallsayingthey needtogetbackintheofficebecauseof…(somereason). Thereforeit’simportantthatacompanyestablishes wellnessprogramsthatarevaluedandhonoredinevery aspectoftheorganization.Otherwise,what’sthepoint? Anotherexampleincludestheholygrailof“work-life balance”.Ifyourcompanywantsemployeestobehealthy andhavebetter
work-lifeintegration,yetatthesametimesilentlyimposes thatpeoplemustcontinueworkingbeyondstandardoffice hours,itreallydoesnotmakeanysense.One(partial) solutiontothisisintroducingflexi-hoursaswellasremote workingtoallowpeopletogeterrandsandfamily engagementsdone,aswellasworkfromhome,oracafe insteadofbeingphysicallyintheoffice.It’sapartial solutionbecausegivingsomeonetheabilitytorunerrands andcometoworklaterthanusualisgreat,thoughitdoes notnecessarilypromotehealth,happinessorwellbeing.
Whenacompanyisgenuinelyconcernedabouttheir employees’wellbeing,theywillnaturallyensurethatany wellnessinitiative,gameorworkshophassomeformof continuation.Employeeassistanceprograms(EAP)are commonformentalhealthconcerns,howeverthereneedsto beothersupportsystemsinplaceforotherhealthconcerns. In2014,Apple’sCupertino,Calif.-basedheadquarters boastedamedicalone-stop-shop“wellnesscenter”offering in-housechiropracticcare,dieticiansandmore.Collective Works,Singapore,thelargestpremiumco-workingspacein Asia,nowalsohousesanin-housechiropractor,specializing inpainrelief,peakperformanceforbothindividualand corporatehealth.
Gamificationofcorporatehealthprogramsusuallyrunfora certainperiodoftime.Workshopsandclassesmayrunfor8 weeksorthroughouttheentireyear Althoughparticipation ratesarehighinitially,continuedsupportprogramsarewhat sustainsengagement,andcreatesthechangeboth individualsandtheCEO’swanttosee.Engagementiswhat createslongtermsustainableresults.
WellnessProgramsaren’tallaboutofferingfreegym membershiporjusthavingsmokingcessationprograms. Healthishealth–acompletestateofphysical,mental,and socialwell-being.Fitnessis“theabilitytoperformwork (sports,occupationsanddailyactivities)satisfactorily”. Pilatesisagreatwaytoexerciseandstrengthenthecore muscles,howeveritisnotequivalenttohealth.
Alotofpeopleknowtheyshouldquitsmokingbutdoesn’t becausetheydon’trealizehowmuchdamageitcandoto theirbody.Theymaynothaveastrategy,norenough motivationtomakethosechanges.Onemethodofoffering voluntaryhealthscreeningswhilegivingsoundeducation andsimpletasksfromavarietyofprofessionalsisthekey Helpingpeoplerealisethatthecompanydoescare,that theircolleaguesdocare,thattheytooshouldcareabout theirownhealthisofthegreatestimportance.Digging deep,andcreatingasafeplacetoimprovetheirlifestyle choicesonmultiplelevelsshouldbethebasisofevery corporatewellbeinginitiative.
Dr. Gary Tho Founder
Dr. Gary Tho, Founder of Chiropractic Works, a Family Sports and Wellness clinic in Orchard Road, Singapore. He specialises in pain relief and preventative care and believes quality life is essential for happiness, success and peak performance. Dr Gary is also the author of The Pain-Free Desk Warrior, Free yourself from aches and pains which is the definitive guide for those stuck at their desk for more than 2 hours a day.
SocialMedia Marketing he absence of pharma brands on social media creates a significant void of reputable healthcare information to aid
Tpatients,” writesDawnLacallade,LiveWorld’sChiefSocialStrategist.
Socialmediainfiltratevirtuallyeveryfacetofanindividual’sdigitallife.Today,patientsareusingsocialmediaasamajor sourceofinformationandhealthcareresearch.Thus,itisessentialthatpharmacompaniesshouldbepresentonsocialmedia toprovidefullandaccurateinformationtotheconsumers.Tocomprehendhowsocialmediacanassistpatients,itiscrucial tounderstandwhatcompelspeopletousesocialmediaasasourceofinformation.
Socialmediaallowsinteractionamongpeoplewhichinvolvesexchangeandcreationofinformation.Itistheperfectconduit forpharmaceuticalcompaniestoconnectwiththeircustomers,patientsandphysicians.
AccordingtothecurrentFDAregulations,pharmacompaniesarenotabletoeasilyjoininaconversationtoprovideaccurate andbalancedinformation.Regulationsdictatethat,inasinglesocialpost,brandsarerequiredtoprovideprecisefactsonthe benefitsandhazardsassociatedwithconditionsandproducts.Duetothecharacterlimitationsonmanysocialmedia platforms,mostpharmacompaniesprefertostayoutoftheconversation.Thisresultsincirculationoffalsifiedinformation. Thisinformationcanbeeithermarginallyinaccurateorsignificantlyharmful.
Althoughthecommunicationofpharmaceuticalindustriesishighly regulated,theyaregraduallyadoptingsocialmediaplatformstoreachand interactwithconsumersandhealthcareprofessionals.Herearesomeofthe topsocialmediapracticestolookoutfor:
Severalmarketersthinkthattheirjobisfinishedoncethesalesteam takesover,butinreality,itisjustthebeginning.Thewaypeople experienceyourbrandwillimpactthewaytheythinkaboutyou,which willhaveanenormouseffectonthesuccessofyourcompanyinthelong run.Devotingapartofthemarketingbudgettonurturethe existingclientelewillmaketheirexperiencesplendidand thuspromotebrandloyalty.Itisalsocrucialtorespond wheneveryourbrandinmentionedpublicly,whether positivelyornegatively,whichwillhelpcultivatea strongandlastingrelationshipwithyourcustomers. Youngergenerationsareincreasinglywithdrawing fromtraditionalsocialmediaplatformsandadopting moreinnovativechannelsthataremoreintimateinthe wayofcommunication.Tokeepupwiththischallenge, companiesneedtofindawaytoautomatetheprocess whereverpossible.
Pharmacompaniesneedtodevelopcontentmarketingstrategiesthatmergeeach pieceofcontentoneverychannelwiththeirorganization’sobjectivesand customers’needs.Creatorsneedtohaveaclearbusinessobjectiveincludingthe valuethatwillbedeliveredtodistinctaudiences.Allcompaniesneedtohavea socialmediacomplianceofficerwhowillworkcloselywithacorporatelegal counselanddevelopacompletestrategyanddecideiftherewillbeconsolidated socialmediapostingorifindividualemployeeswillhavetheconsentto participate.Andlastly,itiscriticalthatallemployeesunderstandtheirrolein corporatesocialmediaandbetrainedontherules.
Pharmacompaniesshouldstopthinkingaboutcontentmarketingandsocialmedia asadd-ons.Toboosttheiroutcomeforclients,contentandsocialmarketingneedto beapartofalmosteveryprogram.Todevelopafullyintegratedprogram,companiesneed toinvolveinfluencersandcontentmarketersduringtheinitialstages.Implementingan organizedapproachtocontentandmoderationwillnotonlyoptimizetheprocesses,butalsoaid inassuringauthoritiesthatallthebasesarecoveredtoprotectandprovidevalueforthebrand.
Anindependentsurveydiscoveredthat72%ofsocialmediausersexpectresponsewithinan hourfromthebrandstheyfollow Thishascausedbrandstostartheavilyinvestingincrossfunctionalsocialmediateamsthatcankeepupwiththeincreasingnumberofclientpings
everyday.Encouragingandincentivizingteammemberstosharebrandmessagesontheirownsocialmediaaccounts,is predictedtobeagame-changerinthecomingdays.Howeverthiscannotbeforced,itisessentialforemployeestowantto sharecompanyposts,andalongwiththisthecontenthastoresonatewiththeirownaudiences.
Influencermarketingwillcontinuetodevelopandbecomeanevenmoreestablishedpartofthestrategy.Currentlymany brandstryinfluencermarketingandfailasitisnoteasytofindeffectiveinfluencers.Additionaldatawillhelpinselection oftherightinfluencersandanalyzetheresultsfrominfluencercampaigns.Today,inhealthcare,influencersareoften regularpeople.Somearedirectlyaffectedbyadiseaseorarebeingtreatedwithaspecificproduct,whileothershave gainedalotofknowledgeaboutaconditionandareconsideredasSubjectMatterExperts.Thecommontrendistoselect someonewhohasanever-increasingcommunityoffollowerswhovaluetheiropinion.
Numerouscompaniesstillthinkofsocialmediaasmerelyamarketingtoolwhichisnottrueanymore.Consumerslearn aboutproductsondifferentsocialnetworksandseekcustomerserviceonmessagingchannels.Moreover,good storytellinghasalwaysbeenanessentialpartofeffectivemarketing.Butsocialmediaischangingthewayaudiences consumestoriesandpharmacompanieswillberequiredtokeepupwiththeevolutionofsocialstorytellingiftheywantto remainrelevant.
Yetthereisstillanoteofcautionwithcompliancebeingtheforemostpriorityofpharmaceuticalcompanies.Butas industriesarestartingtoadoptsocialmediawithoutclearregulatoryguidance,remainingcompliantwillbethemain challengetoface.
owadays,mostapplicationsusedforsearching
Nbiomedicalliteraturesarebasedonkeyword technology,whichismorethanhalfacenturyold approach.Quertle,aleadingAI-basedanalyticscompany, recognizedthataddingmorebellsandwhistlesontopof thatoldtechnologycouldneversuffice.Quertleunderstood thatartificialintelligencecouldrevolutionizeliterature searchesandgrowasneededinthefuture.Thecompany approachedthisproblemfromtheperspectiveof biomedicalindustryexperts,whoknowagreatdealabout datascienceandprogramming.
Dr.JeffreySafferandDr.VickiBurnettaretheFounders ofQuertle.Botharelong-timebiomedicalresearcherswho hadbeenpersonallyfrustratedbytheinefficienciesof findingcriticalinformationinthebiomedicalliterature. TheyunderstoodtheimportanceofthatliteraturetoR&D (80%ofpotentialdrugtargetsareidentifiedfromthe historicalliterature),tobusinessdecisionssuchas PublicationPlanningandMedicalAffairs,andtohealthcare itself.Thus,theyweremotivatedtoestablishQuertlein ordertore-inventtheapproachesforusingbiomedical literatureandtransformthatprocessfromfrustrationto fruitfuldiscovery
JeffandVickitooksometimetoexecutetheirvision,butit eventuallyledtoauniqueapproachthathasbeenvalidated bytheuseoftheirsolutionsbypharmaceuticalandbiotech companies,universitiesandresearchinstitutions,and practicingphysiciansaroundtheworld–covering192 countries.
Quertleisaleadingartificialintelligence(AI)solutions companydedicatedforresearchanddiscoveryfromtextual biomedicalinformation.Biomedicalliteratureisthe backboneofdrugdiscoveryandprovidesascientific foundationfortheentirehealthcareindustry.Searchingthis vastandconstantlygrowingliteraturecorpusis fundamentaltotheworkofeverypharmaceutical&biotech company,hospital,andphysicianandbiomedical&life scienceresearchinstitution.Arisingfrommorethana decadeofresearchbyscientificexpertsinthefield,Quertle usesmachinelearning,conceptualunderstanding,and predictivevisualanalyticstotransformliteraturediscovery fromaslow,agonizingprocesstofasterdevelopmentof newtherapies-minimizingcostlyresearchmistakes, makingbetterbusinessdecisionsandimprovingphysician awareness.
CentraltoQuertle’ssuccesswasthebuildingofanentirely newfoundationfordiscoveryfromtextualcontent–the BioAI™ platform.Startingwithsimplenaturallanguage processingandthenevolvingintoafullyfledgedAI approach,capableoflearningdirectlyfromthetext encountered,theBioAIplatformisadaptableand extensible,supportingunparalleleddiscoveryaswellas integrationintopharmaceuticalworkflows.
Quertleoffersitspowerfulsolutionvia Qinsight™,a Software as a Service application,whichcoversbiomedical journalarticles,patentgrantsandapplications,treatment protocols,NIHgrantapplications,andmanyothersources forcomprehensivediscovery.Soontobeincludedisthe
FactivanewsfromDowJones,full-textbooksandarticles fromOxfordUniversityPressandmore.Also,Quertle createscustomapplicationstoincorporateadditionalvisual analytics,othercontentsourcessuchasproprietaryin-house documentsorhealthcarerecords,andothercustomfeatures.
Quertle’sUniqueStrategiestoCompeteintheGlobal Market
ThekeytosalesofQuertle’sproductsisthatthe pharmaceuticalindustryisfinallyrecognizingthe inadequacyofold-fashionedsearchmethods.Hence, Quertle’sstrategyistomaketheindustryawareofitsfullyfunctionalAIsolutionthatcanbeputtoworkimmediately Asapartofthis,Quertlemakesthefollowingthreepoints.
1. Quertle’s AI methods minimize the risk of missing critical information: Theinvestmentsinpharmaceutical projectsarehuge.Yet,realizing-afterthefact-that previouslyknowninformationwouldhavechangedproject decisionsstillremainsacommonplaceoccurrence. SupplementingcurrentdiscoverymethodswithQuertle’s uniqueapproachescansignificantlyreducethemoney wastedontheseprojects.
2. The time required to discover that critical information is considerably shortened: Forexample,oneuserreported findingoutinminuteswhatpreviouslytookanentireteama fullmonth.ThisispossiblebycombiningQinsight’sAI discoverywiththeintuitivepredictivevisualanalytics.
3. Quertle’s approach inherently supports serendipity: Literaturesearching,byitsnature,isgearedtowardsfinding outwhatyouarelookingfor,andthecriticalassociated informationisoftenlost.Quertle’sAIautomatically discoversrelatedconceptsandpresentstheseinanintuitive
exploratoryframework,enablinguserstohavethosecritical moments.
Quertle’ssuccessstemsfromitsuniqueapproach,builton recognitionthatincrementalimprovementstooutdated approachescouldneversolvetoday’sliteraturediscovery problems.Gainingworldwideawarenessandacceptanceof itsmethods,andtheensuingimpactthetechnologyhashad onpharmaceuticaldiscoveryandinsavinglives,hasbeen Quertle’smostsignificantaccomplishment.
Quertleisgrowingitscustomerbasethroughactivesupport ofusers.Thecompanyunderstandstheindustryneeds,and communicateswithcustomersasscientisttoscientist.Also, Quertleprovidesfreetrainingandsupportwithallsite licenses.
Initially,Quertle’sbiggestchallengeinthepharmaceutical industry’suseoftextualinformationwasgettingindividual userstorecognizethatthefrustrationstheyfeelwith standardapproachesareindeedsolvable.Thereis, fortunately,increasingawarenessthatAIcanhelpandthat Quertle’sAI,whichlearnsdirectlyfromthemeaningfultext inthedocuments,isthefuture.
ThebestpartofQuertleisimagination–definingaproblem andbuildingasolution,withoutconstrainttopriorbiases. ThisimaginationextendsthroughQuertle’sentireteamand isacorevalue.
Vision is the most important aspect of starting a business; if your dreams include building something of your own, just do it, and Quertle is the most Powerful Biomedical Artificial Intelligence-based Visual Analytics Provider that meets Unmatched Insight
Thinkaboutalltheinefficienciesinyourdailylife; trafficjams,snailmails,longqueues,andsoon. Theseinadequaciesthoughannoyingarenota matteroflifeanddeath.Suchisnotthecaseinhealthcare. Therequirementforefficiencyinhealthcareisdistinctand thepotentialforappliedsciencesespecially computerizationisenormous.Healthcarehasabigdata opportunityopposedtoabigdataproblem,thanksto artificialintelligence.
Initially,ArtificialIntelligence(AI)wasintroducedasa notiontoimitatehumanbrainandexplorethereal-world problemswithawholesomeapproach.Researchersall aroundtheworldarethrilledabouttheupcoming developmentoftechnologieswhichwillhelpinfacilitating themankindtodeliveroutsidetheirstature.The implementationofAIinhealthcareisescalatingand decipheringavarietyofissuesforpatients,hospitaland healthcareindustries.
TakeacloserlookathowAIisresolvingproblemsand what’sonthehorizonfortheindustry.
OneofthemajoradvantagesofAIisthe abilitytoassistpeopleinstayinghealthy Mobileapplicationsarealready encouraginginstilmentofhealthyhabitsin individualsandassistingintheproactive managementofahealthierlifestyle.Italso increasestheabilityofhealthcare professionalsinunderstandingtheneedsofthe peopletheyserveandenablesthemtoprovide abetterdirectionandassistanceformaintaining health.
Furthermore,AIchatbotsarebeingusedinaddressing caseslikehelpingcustomersselectabenefitplan, providingcustomerserviceandguidingconsumersto resources.ThoughitisearlyintheespousalofAI chatbots,indicatorsofrequisiteandfulfillmentare encouraging.“Chat-bots will continue to get more intelligent over time, thanks to AI and machine learning techniques that will make them very efficient, and of course, more timely than a human can ever be,”saysKhalRai,anAI expertatSRSHealth.
CerebrovascularAccidentorStroke, foramaximumnumberoftimesis causedbyblockageinthesupply ofoxygenandbloodtothe brain.Howeverduetothe lackofdetectionofearly symptoms,veryfew patientsareableto receivetimely treatment.Other
conditionslikeCancerandAlzheimer’sfacesimilar consequences.TheutilizationofAIisenablingreviewand analysisoflabreportsmuchfasterandwithbetteraccuracy
RecentlydevelopedAIsoftwareatHouston,Texasclaims todetectcancerrisk30timesfasterthananydoctorand with99percentaccuracy.Moreover,researchersare trainingAItodetectTuberculosisonchestX-Rayswhich couldhelpinscreeningandevaluationinTB-susceptible zoneswhichlackaccesstoradiologists.
Theincreaseofwearableandothermedicaldevicesusedin accordancewithAIarealsoassistingindetectingearlystageheartdiseasesandenablingdoctorstomonitor potentiallylifethreateningeventsatanearlyandtreatable stage.
Numeroushealthcareorganizationsareapplyingcognitive technologytounlockenormousamountsofdataand promotediagnosis.Theabilitytostoremoremedical informationcontainingjournals,treatmentsandsymptoms ismuchfasterthananyhumancompetency.Earlier, diagnosticprogramsregardingdiseasespecificfeatures werewrittenusingpredefinedassumptions.Nowwiththe developmentofAI,awidervarietyofconditionsand diseasescanbeeasilyhandled.
AIisparticularlyusedtoimproveimagingmodalities whichincludereadingX-Rays,CTscansanddoubtful nodulesandlesionsincancerpatients.Thistechnology combinesmachinelearningandneurosciencetogenerate powerfullearningalgorithmsintoaneuralnetworkwhich mimicsahumanbrain.
Beyondscanningrecords,AIcan helptakeamorecomprehensive approachtowardsdisease management,assistinbetter coordinationofhealthcare programsandhelppatientsin managingtheirlong-term treatmentplans.UsingAI, doctorsareabletogather collectiveinformationon patient’svisitsandanalyze whichtreatmentworksbestfor them.
Formorethan30years,robotshavebeenusedinmedicine. Fromsimplelaboratoryrobotstohighlyadvancedsurgical robotsthatcanassistahumansurgeonorexecuteit themselves.Furthermore,theyareusedinlabsand healthcareorganizationsforrepetitivetasksandinsupport ofthosewithlong-termconditions.
Healthcareprovidersareusinghealthcarebotstotackle challengesinthisareaofmedicine.Patientscannow interactwithAIthroughphones,orawebsiteforalltheir medicalqueriesandrequests.Virtualassistantsare replacinghumansinbookingappointments,scheduling visits,medicationandevenbillingrequirements.Theyoffer 24/7medicalassistanceandimproveserviceforanybasic requests.Moreoveritleadstothedecreaseinadministrative costsforhealthcareproviders.
Lifetodayismuchlongerthanthepreviousgenerations, andwearedyinginadifferentandslowerfashionfrom conditionslikedementiaandosteoporosis.Itisalsoaphase oflifewhichisoftenlonely.Robotshavethepotentialto modernizetheendoflifecareandhelppeopleinremaining independentforlongerperiodsoftimeandreducingthe needforhospitalizationandcarehomes.
Eventually,allofuswillbeapatient.Wehavefamilyand friendswhowillalsobepatients.Machinelearningand ArtificialIntelligenceisaboutimprovingthelivesof individualssothatalltheacquireddatafromlabtests, genomicsandsoon,canbeanalyzedandusedinrealtime forthehighestqualityandmostefficientdeliveryof healthcareneeds.
Formorethanadecadehospital productivityhasbeenapriorityin Denmark.Afocusonqualityand qualityimprovementshasreducedtherate ofre-admittancetoDanishhospitalsanda demandfromcentralauthoritieson hospitalstoincreasetheirproductivityby 2%everyyear,hasduringrecentyears resultedinalotofnewinitiativesand innovations.Withare-organizationofthe Danishhospitalstructure,thishasledtoa totalproductivityincreaseof30%since 2003.
The concept of Hospital Logistics and Solutions to improve logistics and create just-in-time scenarios in hospitals is another factor behind the productivity increase which is further explained in this article.
Healthcaresystemsaroundtheworldare challengedbyanincreasedshareof
elderlycitizensandchronicallyillpatients aswellasmoreexpensiveformsof treatment.
Thesefactorsarecausingasignificant demandpullintermsoftreatmentneeds aswellasexpectations,whichaccentuate theneedforourhealthcaresystemsto worksmarteronalllevels.Therefore, hospitalsneedtoconsidermeansto increaseefficiencyandproductivityin ordertobeabletotreatmorepatients withoutincreasingcosts.
Formorethanadecade,Danishhospitals andcompanieshaveworkedtogetheron improvinglogisticsinhospitals.The overallaimhasbeenthecreationof just-in-timesolutionsinordertooptimize coordinationandefficiencyandreducethe patients’lengthofstay.
InDenmark,thefocusonhospital logisticshasplayedanimportantrolein
achievinga30pct.increaseinhospitalproductivitysince2003.Optimizinghospitallogisticswithindifferentareas ofhospitalservicesandneeds,includingsupplylogistics,clinicallogistics,sterilegoodsandsamplelogisticscan acceleratethepatientflowandleadtoincreasinghospitalproductivity.
‘Just-in-time’logistics InnovativehospitallogisticssolutionsarealreadyimplementedinDanishhospitalsinordertoreducedelaysand waitinginordertospeedupthepatientflow
AttheNewAarhusUniversityHospital,afine-meshedITsystem willenablereal-timelocalizationofpeopleandequipmentright downtoroomlevel.
AtAalborgUniversityHospital,theintroductionofasimilarand newsolutionhasresultedinacloseto20pct.efficiencyincrease.
Danishsolutionsforjust-in-timelogisticsincludesystemsfor locatingandtrackingstaffandequipment,solutionsfor automatingbasicandrepetitivetasks,aswellassolutionsfor guidingpatientsaroundthehospital,allofwhichhelpavoid delaysandpeaktimesinthehospitalprocess.
Acceleratingthepatientflowisalsoaboutreducingthetimefrom takingalabtestanduntiltheresultisreadyatthepointofcare.
AtHospitalofSouthernJutlandinAabenraa,thenumberof patientshasincreasedby13pct.,butwiththenewsample logisticssolution,thehospitalhasmanagedtocopeandeven reducetheaveragelengthofstay
Intelligentsolutionsforhandlingsampleshelphospitalsreduce theirsampleturnaround-timeandsubsequentlyspeeduppatient diagnostics.Fullyautomatedlaboratoriesimprovesampleflowby handlingandsortingallbloodsampleswithoutanymanual handling,therebyminimizingtheriskoferrorsandfreeingup timeforvalue-addingtaskssuchaspatientrelatedwork.
TheCapitalRegioninDenmarkwillcentralizeall handlingofsterilegoodsattwodepartmentsatRigs hospitaletandHerlevHospital.Withfully automatedhandlingofsterileequipment,thetwo centerswillimprovehygieneandreducetheriskof infections.Atthesametimethebudgetfor purchasingandstoringsterileequipmentwillbe reducedbecauseofthejust-in-timesolution.
Integratedlogisticsisthenextstep.Automatic deliveryofmedicinefromthehospitalpharmacy directlytothewardsandjust-in-time housekeeping,basedonthehospitaldischarge system,isalreadyarealityinDanishhospitals. Storagespace,whichisbuiltdirectlyintothe hospitalwalls,willprioritizeshortwalking distances,largecoherentclinicalareasandpatient relatedfunctions.
Denmarkisintheprocessofbuilding16new highlyspecializedhospitalsthatareallconstructed ashospitalsofthefuture,takingintoaccountthe changingroleofhospitalsinourfuturehealthcare system.Whileoptimalhospitallogisticsis importantforallexistinghospitals,itisvitalforthe new,largeandspecializedhospitals.
Theworldischangingatanever-increasingpace. Shoppingmallshavebeenreplacedwithonline shopping;traditionalclassroomshavegivenwayto onlineclassesandsoon,drivingyourowncarmayseem likeanostalgicactivity.PharmaceuticalIndustryisno different.Pharmaceuticalandlifesciencescompaniesare facinganupsurgeofchallengesasapartofwhatcouldbe theNewHealthEconomy
Theglobalpharmaceuticalindustryissaidtohavearelative growthoverthenextfewyears.Beonguardforthe followingpharmaceuticaltrendsandsettherightcoursefor yourstrategies.
Gonearethedayswhenindividualsreliedondoctorsfor diagnosis.Duetotheeasilyaccessibleinformation,patients todaycanlearnabouttheirhealthconditionsonlineand obtainthenecessaryknowledgetobeawareoftheavailable treatmentsandchoosetheonestheyprefer.Doctorshave losttheirpowertoinfluencethischoiceandthuspharma companieshavetolookfornewandinnovativewaystoget theirmedicationssold.
Thepatient-firstbusinessmodelhelpstodojustthat.The pharmacompanieswhichsucceedinpatientengagement increasestheirchancesofcommercialandregulatory successasdecisionsaretakeninaccordancewiththe patient'sneedsandresults.Forproductivecollaboration withpatients,pharmacompaniesarerequiredtofindbetter communicationtechniquesandalsoinvestinmoreeffective dataanalytics.Althoughmanypatientsareskepticalabout sharingtheirpersonalinformation,anindependentsurvey foundthatmostpeoplearewillingtoletpharmacompanies knowabouttheirmedicalactivitiesifitleadstoabetter care.
Furthermore,Virtualrealityisusedtomotivateconsumers tobemoreactiveandcompassionate.Ifusedasamarketing tool,thiscanbuildempathy,enabletrainingonmedical devicesandcreatedetaileddemosthatillustratethe mechanismofactionwithextremeclarityandhelpfacilitate astrongerbondbetweenpharmacompaniesandconsumers.
Biosimilarproductsaresuspectedtocontinuetohavea significantimpactonthepharmaceuticalindustry.Dueto
theincreaseinapprovalofbiosimilarsandtheir rapidintroductioninthemarket,market conditionswillhavetoevolveaccordingly This willnotonlyprovidepatientswithnumerous treatmentoptionsbutalsohavetheabilitytoget drugsforseriousdisordersatamuchcheapercost thantheoriginalbiologics.Thisisanopportunity formanufacturersspecializingingenericsand biosimilarstogrowtheirbusinessrapidly.Itis saidtobeaverysizeableopportunityandif companiesdoitcorrectly,theprobabilityof successishigherthanthetraditional pharmaceuticalapproachandthecostof developmentshouldbelowerthannoveldrugs.
Arbitrarycostsoftrial-and-errortherapiesandthe increasingneedfordecreasingthecostofhealthcarehas inspiredthetransitionofone-fits-allmodeltotheoutcomebasedtargetedtherapies.Precisionmedicineeliminatesthe needforguesswork,variablediagnosis,andgeneralized treatmentstrategies.Thusfaronlyafewcasesexistswhich usedgeneticinformationtomakeadecisionregardinga suitabletreatment.
Currently,thedrugdevelopmentindustryisheavily investinginprecisionmedicine.Furthermore,scientific advancementsingenomicsfieldsuggestthattimeandcosts arenolongerahindranceforprecisionmedicine.Increasing awarenessaboutthehumangenomeanditscorrelationwith diseaseprogressionareexpectedtoshiftthecurrentfocus beyondoncology.
3Dprintingassuresafutureofdrugsbeingprintedon demandwithcustomdosesandthepossibilitythatprice maynolongerbeanobstacle.Thefirst3Dprintedmedicine thatdissolvesrapidlyisusedforthetreatmentofepilepsy.
Smallcompaniesarederivingothersolutionsforcreating drugsthatcanbemetabolizedfasterandcanbemarketed moreeasily.Becauseofthisentirepharmaindustrywill havetoberestructuredwithinyears,perhapsevenmonths.
Theglobalhealthcareindustryhasseenatransformation whichhasbeendrivenbyadvancesinbiopharmaceutical, medicalandsurgicalproceduresandautomation.The DigitalHealthapplicationsininformationand communicationtechnologiesaidtoutilizethefullpotential ofbigdataanalyticsandchangethehealthcareindustry
Today,ifthepharmacompaniesarenotthinkingabouthow tointegratesuchprogramsandeducationalresourcesand notjustusethemasatooltopromote,theywillbeleft behind.
Thedigitizationofthepatient,fromtheelectronichealth recordstogenomemappingallowsfortargetedtreatment thatisrevolutionizinghealthcare.Theintroductionof mobilehealthsensorsandwearablesoffersareal-time insightintoapatient’sprogress.Furthermore,computers withtheabilitytoeasilyanalyzeenormousamountsofdata andscientificliteraturecanassistpharmacompaniesinthe developmentofnewdrugsandimprovetheexistingones.
CounterfeitDrugsarefakemedicine.Theycanbeeither contaminatedorcontainthewrongorlackofactive compound.Pharmacompaniesarerequiredtotrackthe productIDfrommanufacturingprocessandtraceits movementthroughoutthesupplychain.Thesedrugsarenot justavailableviatheblackmarket,butarealsoaccessible throughlegitimatepharmacies.Fakedrugsaresaidtobe moredeadlythanterrorism.Anindependentsurvey concludedthat200,000peoplearekilledonanaveragedue tocounterfeitdrugs.
Allofthisconcludesintothecomplexityofthesupply chainofpharmaceuticals.Withanincreaseddependenceon outsourcedmanufacturersandthirdpartylogistics,thelack ofclarityacrossthevariouscomponentsofthesupplychain hasneverbeensoblurred.Thistogetherwiththeintrinsic demandunpredictabilityfromanywhereintheworldand thedisparityofsupplyanddemandmakesanincreasingly volatilevaluechain.
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