Pf Magazine June 2016

AIDS:

death sentence to daylight June 2016 PHARMAFI E LD.CO.U K

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WELCOME

EDITOR

John Pinching john@pharmafield.co.uk A S S I S TA N T E D I T O R

Amy Schofield amy@pharmafield.co.uk ART DIRECTOR

Emma Warfield emma@pharmafield.co.uk SALES & MARKETING DIRECTOR

Hazel Lodge hazel@pharmafield.co.uk FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

Fiona Beard finance@events4healthcare.com P f AWA R D S

Melanie Hamer melanie@events4healthcare.com PUBLISHER

Karl Hamer karl@events4healthcare.com pharmafield.com events4healthcare.com @newpfmag @pharmajobsuk HEAD OFFICE

Spirella Building Bridge Road Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 4ET United Kingdom Cover illustration by Alex Buccheri @this_is_bucci The content of and information contained in this magazine are the opinions of the contributors and/or the authors of such content and/or information. Events 4 Healthcare accepts no responsibility or liability for any loss, cost, claim or expense arising from any reliance on such content or information. Users should independently verify such content or information before relying on it. The Publisher (Events 4 Healthcare) and its Directors shall not be responsible for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies within the publication, or within other sources that are referred to within the magazine.

The Publisher provides the features and advertisements on an ‘as is’ basis, without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability or fi tness for a particular purpose, other than those warranties that are implied by and capable of exclusion, restriction, or modification under the laws applicable to this agreement.

S

Letter from the Editor

ince the dawn of mankind, human beings have relied on a relentless schedule of evolution, in order to survive. Fur, fire, fighting, family, friends and philosophy have all played vital roles throughout this roller coaster ride of evolution. Meanwhile, the survival of the fittest conundrum has also been emancipated by communication, technology, politics and – of course – healthcare.

It is pharma, however, that has arguably allowed the homo sapien species to realise its full potential. Just as a single spark started the pre-historic flame, so man’s curiosity about defying death and disease was sparked, and is still igniting passions to this day.

Indeed, once a civilised world for human beings had been established, medical science – and the ambition to live beyond the limitations of a cave, and preferable longer than 30 years – was duly established.

Subsequently, history has witnessed the pharmaceutical industry take on the biggest challenges to life itself. Plagues, pox, polio, tuberculosis, AIDS, cancer, diabetes, Ebola and the Zika virus have all started new chapters of an ongoing story, but pharma has always been there to change the narrative; to ensure that people live to tell the tale.

Our industry is all about ambition, and constantly, fearlessly fronting up to the status quo, while also tolerating a reputation that often resembles a work of fiction. In spite of the heavy doses of ignorance, however, pharma defies expectations. With this considered it is perhaps worth pondering the notion that, already, the first 200-year-old has already been born.

The evolution of nature, or the evolution of pharma? In these pages we pay homage to both.

No copying, distribution, adaptation, extraction, reutilisation or other exploitation (whether in electronic or other format and whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes) may take place except with the express permission of the Publisher and the copyright owner (if other than the Publisher).

The information contained in this magazine and/or any accompanying brochure is intended for sales and marketing professionals within the healthcare industry, and not the medical profession or the general public.

Pf is published monthly. For subscription details, telephone 01462 476119 or email hello@pharmafield.co.uk.

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 1

MAGAZINE

Contents In the great tapestry of human behaviour history will remember HIV/AIDS, not by mankind’s struggle, but how it reached unchartered heights of humanity.

Cover story, page 8

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13

19

Pharma flying, marvellous meds and healthcare high jinks

Is being overweight contagious and if so can it be reversed?

Five new treatments which could send the big C packing

POLITICS

EVENTS & CONFERENCES

People, politics and policies under a minority government

The PM Society Digital Awards point to a futuristic utopia

N E WS

8

C OV E R S TO RY

How HIV/AIDS ended up becoming the making of us

10

F E AT U R E

14

16

HIGH FIVE

20 22

F E AT U R E

COFFEE BREAK

EVENTS & CONFERENCES

The 3D universe is taking healthcare to a different level

Ruby chats with JP about the patient voice and Grace Jones

Discussion, debate and a moment of brilliance from Fiona Bruce

12 OPINION

Henry discusses the joys of collaboration and joint working

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24

OPINION

P H A R M A TA L E N T

Community pharmacy proposal could save NHS a cool ÂŁ170m

The only place for industry gurus, game-changers and go-getters

NEWS

C E L L T H E R A PY

UP CELL

EU R E F E R E N D U M

ABPI WANTS PHARMA IN EUROPEAN UNION

A

new report shows that capacity and capability in UK cell and gene therapy manufacturing is continuing to increase.

The Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult have released their third annual survey, and it reveals a number of key changes in the cell and gene therapy manufacturing landscape over the last 12 months.

The findings included: A continued increase in the number of GMP manufacturing facilities; 22 facilities in 2016; rising from 18 in 2015 and 13 in 2014. This includes three gene therapy manufacturing facilities, and an additional facility in cell therapy An increase of 20% in the number of people employed across UK cell and gene

therapy manufacturers, from 324 to 391 An increased geographical spread of facilities throughout the UK, with new additions for 2016, based in London, Glasgow, Oxford and Birmingham.

Keith Thompson, CEO at the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, said: “Ensuring our manufacturing capability and capacity is continuing to grow is critical to the further development of a world-leading cell and gene therapy industry for the UK.” He added that the sector was likely to continue on an upward trajectory: “The data in the 2016 report shows growth across all the markers that we analyse, and forecasts a considerable increase again in the next 12 months.”

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) passionately wants the UK to remain in Europe.

The body is keen to highlight the benefits that EU membership brings to UK patients and the pharma industry.

In a letter published in The Observer, the ABPI – along with the BioIndustry Association (BIA) – presented 93 signatories in support of remaining. The signatories include pharmaceutical companies and prominent business leaders from across the UK life sciences industry.

Mike Thompson, Chief Executive Officer at the ABPI, said: “We believe that staying in the EU will mean that patients in the UK will be more likely to get faster access to new medicines, than if we left.

“With the European Medicines Agency, pharmaceutical companies have a one-stop shop for centralised licencing of new medicines and treatments across Europe. If we left the EU, this would mean that the licensing of new medicines would have to be handled by a UK agency, as well as a European agency.”

Thompson also warned that breaking away from Europe could delay research.

“An EU exit risks the breakdown of international collaboration between scientists, doctors and industry, which could slow down access to new drugs for patients in the UK,” he warned.

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 3

BAC K T WE ET THE WORD ON CYBER STREET Heidi Alexander @heidi_mp

Sorry not to be spending the morning with a student nurse @GSTTnhs this morning as planned. A #juniordoctors statement to deal with instead!

DRUGS

Takeda’s triple triumph for multiple myeloma patients

Jeremy Hunt @Jeremy_Hunt

This landmark agreement will help deliver safer 7 day NHS & address wider frustrations over drs’ working conditions. Great news for patients Philip Lowe @PhilipBagLowe

#juniordoctors #Hunt invents new “history” to justify his mishandling of dispute; It was the fault of #Labour in 1999 apparently #Incompetent Seth Berkley @GaviSeth

Hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths – that’s why we must keep up pressure to make #vaccineswork for all kids Bayer Pharma ‫@ ‏‬BayerPharma

The Bayer #CoLaborator & startup Calico were presented today at the Berlin Popup Lab #BerlinLab @BerlinPartner #hm16 taveini @taveini

@DoctorChrisVT a disappointing view. There are many egs where patients really do benefit from the collaboration between pharma and NHS

Phase 3 trial results for Takeda’s oral proteasome inhibitor ixazomib demonstrate improved survival rates when combined with lenalidomide and dexamethasone.

Pivotal TOURMALINE-MM1 results demonstrated that the additions significantly improved progression-free survival, with limited additional toxicity in patients who have relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Results from the Phase 3 clinical study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, have shown that the oral combination is effective in extending progression-free survival (PFS), with a manageable tolerability profile in patients,

Cathy Cooke @Cleverestcookie

Pharmacists are needed even more now than they were when I qualified almost 40 yrs ago.

Many more drugs around needing pharmacy expertise.

Novartis @Novartis

Making the tech invisible and giving patients the data to take action will be the holy grail of digital medicine – Joe Jimenez #WMIF16

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compared to lenalidomide and dexamethasone alone.

The TOURMALINE-MM1 trial is an international, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial, designed to evaluate onceweekly IRd, compared to placebo-Rd. It is specifically for the treatment of patients with MM who have received at least one prior therapy.

Eric Low, Chief Executive of Myeloma UK, said: “Not only does the data show a progression-free survival benefit, in a difficult-to-treat stage of myeloma, but the all-oral treatment regimen also provides a more convenient way to take medication, with less hospital visits and a potential health service benefit.”

I N N OVAT I O N

portable blood glucose measure to treat diabetes, which uses microwaves, has been invented by Cardiff scientists.

Diabetics currently have to test their blood several times a day by pricking the skin.

Alternatively, patients use devices called blood glucose monitors, which are inserted under the skin to measure glucose levels in intestinal fluid.

Now, Scientists at Cardiff University’s School of Engineering have created a noninvasive monitor, which can be attached to the skin. It uses very low levels of

microwaves to measure glucose levels, then transmits the data collected to a computer or mobile app.

Professor Adrian Porch said the device is safe for use on patients: “It uses microwaves, but the levels are very, very low. Nowhere near the levels used in domestic cooking.”

According to Diabetes UK, 3.5 million people in the UK have the condition and an estimated 549,000 people have diabetes, but are unaware of it.

The diabetes monitor project began eight years ago, and has been supported by £1m of funding from Wellcome Trust.

NEWS

The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has issued a positive opinion, recommending the approval of AstraZeneca’s new antibiotic. CAZ AVI powder is being developed to treat a

ANTIMICROBIAL .

R E S I S TA N C E .

CAZ CURE COMING

broad range of serious gram-negative bacterial infections that are increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

Gram-negative bacteria are responsible for two thirds of the annually reported 25,000 deaths in Europe, resulting from antimicrobial resistance.

The CHMP recommendation is for intravenous use in the treatment of adult patients with complicated intra-abdominal infection (cIAI), complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI) – including pyelonephritis – and hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), including ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP).

The CHMP also recommended that CAZ AVI be indicated for infections caused by aerobic gram-negative organisms, in adult patients who have limited treatment options.

CAZ AVI is being jointly developed by AstraZeneca and Allergan, and will delight those calling for an increase in the development of new antibiotics.

DRUGS

Osteoarthritis treatment beats placebo Regeneron has announced positive top line results from a Phase 2/3 study in patients with osteoarthritis pain.

The placebo-controlled Phase 2/3 study evaluated fasinumab – an investigational Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) antibody occuring in patients with moderate-tosevere osteoarthritis of the hip or knee.

At 16 weeks, patients treated with all four doses of fasinumab demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in pain relief, compared to placebo.

The US evaluation enrolled 421 adult patients who had a history of inadequate pain response to acetaminophen, at least one oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and an opioid.

M U LT I P L E S C L E R O S I S

MS market set to hit $24bn The global multiple sclerosis therapeutics market is expected to reach $24.8 billion by 2024, according to a new report conducted

by Grand View Research, Inc. The presence of high, as yet unmet, clinical needs in developing regions is one of the highest drivers of this area.

Organisations around the world are spreading awareness of progressive multiple sclerosis, and the symptoms associated with it, while reimbursement programs are also looking to enhance the penetration of multiple sclerosis drugs.

The introduction of novel therapeutics, with minimal dosage requirement, and cost-effectiveness is further expected to favour market growth.

Major companies operating in this market include AbbVie, Bayer Healthcare, Biogen Idec, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi Aventis, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 5

DRUGS.

SCOT TI S H S KI N SAVI OU R

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted AbbVie’s Humira® (adalimumab), as the first approved treatment for the skin condition, hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).

The disease can cause a lifetime of pain and affects around 1% of the population, which represents over 50,000 people in the country.

Adalimumab is now approved for use within NHS Scotland, and will treat moderate to severe HS in adult patients who have had an inadequate response to conventional therapy.

Adalimumab has been shown to reduce the number of total inflammatory nodules and abscesses in patients by at least 50%, as well as reducing skin pain by a third. It has additionally been recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for suitable NHS patients in England and Wales.

DRUGS

UTTERLY FLU-LESS

N

HS England is to recommission the Community Pharmacy Seasonal Influenza Vaccination programme in 2016/17, following the success of the scheme in the previous year. A quarter of a million more people benefitted from vaccinations in a community pharmacy setting during 2015/16, when a total of 10,407,913 seasonal flu vaccinations were delivered.

This included 240,259 additional patients , who chose to receive pharmacy-based vaccinations, compared to the previous year. Despite the mild winter, the number of vulnerable patients receiving flu vaccinations also increased.

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NHS

NHSE consults on Rituximab NHS England has launched a 30-day public consultation on Rituximab, which treats Primary Sjogren’s Syndrome (PSS) and interstitial lung disease in adults.

Rituximab is a biological therapy which works by targeting specific proteins on the surface of cells. It is currently used to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and vasculitis, and blood cancers non-Hodgkin lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

The policies have been developed with the engagement and input of lead clinicians, ensuring that relevant views have informed the development of the policies so far.

NEWS

I N N OVAT I O N

Pharma and charity gel brilliantly An antiseptic chlorhexidine gel, which prevents umbilical cord infections in newborn infants based in developing countries, has been granted a positive scientific opinion from the CHMP. GSK developed the treatment by reformulating an antiseptic solution used in its mouthwash – Corsodyl™ – and producing a gel in the process. The company also called on Save the Children’s insights and guidance in order to reach some of the most vulnerable and marginalised children in the world.

The UN described it as a ‘life-saving commodity’ with the potential to save 422,000 lives over five years.

Infection through a newly-cut umbilical cord is more likely to happen across sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, where more births take place at home and unsterile materials, such as dung and ash, are sometimes traditionally used on the umbilical cord stump.

GSK will now submit local regulatory applications for the gel in low-income countries which have moderate to high rates of neonatal deaths. If approved, the company will offer the gel – to be distributed under the trade name Umbipro™ – at a not-for-profit price.

Patrick Vallance, president, pharmaceuticals R&D, GSK, said: “A bright idea from one of our scientists has come to fruition, thanks to the power of partnership. This is a real illustration of how collaboration can stimulate imaginative responses to tough challenges.”

DRUGS.

AstraZeneca gets US orphan drug nod for selumetinib

T

he US Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation for AstraZeneca's investigational MEK 1/2 inhibitor, selumetinib.

The designation for selumetinib (AZD6244, ARRY-142886) is for the adjuvant treatment of patients with stage III or IV differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC).

Selumetinib inhibits the MEK pathway in cancer cells, preventing tumour growth.

It is being tested in the Phase III ASTRA trial in patients with DTC, who are at high risk of recurrence. In a Phase II study of selumetinib in patients with advanced thyroid cancer, clinically meaningful increases in iodine uptake and retention were seen in patients whose cancer was refractory to radioactive iodine (RAI).

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 7

AIDS:

death sentence to daylight Chastening AIDS into submission is surely man’s greatest achievement.

W O R D S B Y John Pinching I L L U S T R A T I O N B Y Alex Buccheri

I

n many ways HIV/AIDS was the classic horror film set up.

A community suddenly and inexplicably targeted by a demonic predator. It was Halloween, it was Jaws and it was any number of vampire movies. And it was made all the more terrifying, because this enemy came without a name or a face.

The HIV/AIDS plot began 35 years ago in California. After years of secrecy the gay community had started to find its voice, coming out in a whirlwind of art, music, nightclubs and, understandably, sexual defiance. The new generation of homosexuals were no longer prepared to endure prejudice and, instead, flaunted their physiques, and expressed freedom through promiscuity.

By 1981, however, a mysterious illness threatened to ruin the party. Predominantly young, gay men were dying from a new virus, defined by a period of sudden weight loss, lesions and the shutdown down of a hitherto healthy immune system. The situation triggered panic, and also prompted celestial posturing from those who pronounced it ‘a punishment from God’. The ignorance was almost as harmful as the illness itself.

By the end of that first year, 152 deaths had been recorded, but it was an isolated fatality that most puzzled the scientific community, for one of those infected was not a homosexual, but an intravenous

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drug user – the first indication that this condition impacted on everyone.

The gay community’s reaction was impressive and they called on an already finely-tuned expertise in activism. Even in the throes of unimaginable suffering they marched, campaigned for accelerated treatment approvals and lent themselves to cohort studies. While some refused to give up their sexual liberation, others wanted to help those they left behind.

It was altruism in its purest form.

Meanwhile, in the UK, immunology departments braced themselves as the ‘new disease’ crossed the Atlantic. Amazingly, one of the first diagnosed cases was not a sexually reckless homosexual, but a ‘normal’ housewife, with only one sexual partner (her husband) – this was the moment the ‘gay problem’ became society’s problem.

By 1982/83 the mysterious condition had a name – ‘acquired immune deficiency syndrome’ – and an unforgettable acronym; ‘AIDS’. Experts in the UK attempted to educate the public with a polite letter, printed in national newspapers, but, after it failed to receive attention, a shocking information film was broadcast, which left nothing to chance. The word AIDS was chiselled into a tombstone, lilies were tossed on a grave and a chilling voiceover told you the deal.

There were also a few high profile deaths, but it was Rock Hudson’s, back in the US, that convinced any remaining cynics that this was serious – a symbol of enduring strength was dead, and he had died of AIDS. In 1987 the first effective treatment – a nucleoside reverse transcriptase Inhibitor (NRTI) – called AZT, began to be widely

COVER STORY

used and, thereafter, a flurry of antiretroviral therapies emerged, as pharma’s mission came into sharp focus. While these treatments temporarily fooled the replication system of the virus, patients would eventually be overwhelmed, and die from AIDS-related complications.

The 1990s heralded wider solidarity against a common foe. Freddie Mercury’s death raised awareness further, while the tale of two very different Johnsons – Magic and Holly – proved that there was life after a positive result. The former, a hugely popular basketball star, and the latter, the charismatic lead singer of Frankie Goes to Hollywood, have fought the disease in the public gaze, and are both alive in 2016.

Campaigns continued through a number of female figureheads, notably Princess Diana and Elizabeth Taylor, and the red ribbon became a fashion statement – disease awareness was immersed in pop culture in a way that had never been seen before.

In the second half of the decade indinavir – a protease inhibitor – was combined with two existing NRTIs, and the game changed. It suppressed the virus indefinitely and frequently rendered it undetectable.

Thousands of people avoided death, illness and even hospitalisation, as a stranglehold on AIDS was established and it became a long term treatable condition.

The single pill therapy, REZOLSTA, has recently become available for HIV-1 patients, and represents a significant move towards better treatment discipline, in an area which requires at least 95% adherence.

Meanwhile, the brilliantly-abbreviated PrEP (from the not quite as sexy, ‘pre-exposure prophylaxis’), is a controversial combination of tenofovir and emtricitabine, which blocks the setting up of an infection, in HIVnegative individuals. It has been argued that people will abuse it in a sexual frenzy, whereas I would suggest that all alternatives to getting AIDS should be celebrated.

Indeed, in the great tapestry of human behaviour history will remember HIV/ AIDS, not by mankind’s struggle, but how it reached unchartered heights of humanity.

How ‘we’ have dealt with it – as healthcare professionals, as pharma and – most resolutely – as people, has set the template for how all diseases should be approached.

In the final analysis AIDS/HIV has been a most profound study of the human condition but, curiously, it has not been so much about death, as what it is to be alive.

TAKING on THE ENEMY M

y uncle, Professor of Clinical Immunology, Anthony Pinching, witnessed the arrival of AIDS, treated its earliest patients and saw at first-hand how the story has unfolded. Here are his reflections.

TH E B E G I N N I N G In the early 1980s, a patient diagnosed with AIDS could expect to live nine months. People with asymptomatic HIV infection could remain well for many years, although there was a steady and relatively high rate of progression to AIDS over time.

E A R LY TR E ATM E NT Initially, we could treat opportunist infections and tumours, and maximise general health. This could help recovery from acute events, but the underlying condition would continue to progress. Single-agent anti-retroviral therapy then showed a modest, but useful impact.

TR E ATI N G H I V/A I D S The breakthrough – and it really was that – came with the clinical trials, demonstrating the impact of combination anti-retroviral therapy in the mid-1990s. While the theoretical concept was logical and attractive, the actual impact was unexpectedly massive. It transformed the lives of patients, and the whole landscape of HIV/AIDS treatment. What had been a terminal illness became a chronic treatable disease, with increased life expectancy. The impact on individuals and populations was remarkable for those of us at the front-line.

SPEED OF PROGRESS The pace of improvements in HIV/AIDS treatment – in real time – seemed frustratingly slow, because as clinicians we saw the immediacy of need in our patients, but had to do our best with more limited tools, while the necessary research was done. From a wider perspective, however, the speed with which we went from first recognition of the disease (1981), to first HIV tests (1985), to first effective treatment (1987), through to combination anti-retroviral therapy (1996), was unprecedented.

S O C I A L ACC E P TA N C E Extraordinary work across many sectors, important community advocacy, valuable public policy changes, and cumulative shifts in society have all played a part in reducing stigma. But problems remain in a number of respects in the UK, and even more so in other parts of the world. It will take a generation or two to get where we need to be.

The response to HIV/AIDS has also had a positive impact in reducing discrimination for people with a wide range of other health problems.

For the full version of Prof. Pinching’s thoughts on HIV/AIDS go to pharmafield.co.uk

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 1 1

PHARMA IN 3D Which 3D techniques are bringing industry into the digital age?

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Insane in the brain: Holoxica has created the first ever 3D digital hologram of human brain fibre connections from an MRI scan

1 2 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO. U K

Amy Schofield

t might be before your time, but some of us remember how excited we were when 3D technology first burst onto the scene in the 1980s. Flimsy 3D glasses, complete with red and green lenses, were given away in cereal packets - this was the future and we could feel part of it. Then we quickly lost interest and 3D disappeared for decades.

3D films are now taken for granted by children of today, such is the pace of technology. But now 3D is finally being applied to healthcare and the infinite possibilities of 3D medicines, treatments and the pharmaceutical industry generally are something grown-ups are getting really excited about.

Indeed, 3D technology is shaping the future of the life sciences and pharma industry, and recently its impact on the wider healthcare landscape is beginning to be felt – we are at the dawn of a new age.

P R I NTE D P I L L S The development of 3D printed medicines is seen by industry insiders as representing a major change in how the pharma industry delivers drugs to patients.

Simon Shen, CEO of UK 3D printer brand, XYZprinting, thinks that 3D printing of pills will allow for personalised medicines which address the needs of different patients.

“The true advantage of 3D printing in pharmaceuticals is a capacity for personalisation. 3D printing can tailor the content and size of drugs to a patient’s needs, as their condition progresses,” he said.

“The pharmaceutical industry will likely become far more individually tailored and thereby more effective. The ability for pharmacies to print prescriptions on demand will be the one of the most significant shifts that this technology will bring to the healthcare landscape,

3D IMAGERY COURTESY OF DASSAULT SYSTÉMES; BRAIN FIBRE IMAGE COURTESY OF HOLOXICA

WORDS BY

TECHNOLOGY impacting on costs of production and creating a deeper understanding between practitioners and patients,” he added.

According to Design Engineer Jeremy Kooyman, of Cambridge Design Partnership, precision printing of pharmaceutical products will “fundamentally change how patients and payers interact with their pharmacists and the healthcare system”.

“Rather than a one-pill-fits-all approach, a pharmacist could modify a blueprint to tailor a treatment for a patient’s body mass or gene profile, while customising the shape and taste to encourage dosing compliance,” he elaborated. “You could even imagine combining multiple medicinal products together to reduce the number of pills a patient would need to take, drastically reducing the potential for under/overdoses, missed doses, and incorrect doses – all of which are linked with a startling rate of mortality in the developed world.”

P O S S I B I L ITI E S The future for 3D printing is taking us into a new era, although there is still some way to go: “In the longer term 3D printing offers the possibility of printing biological implants, or even entire replacement organs, such as kidneys. This is a little further off, however, and it is still in the proof-of-concept stage,” said Cyan Collier, Innovations Director of Incuna.

Collier adds that 3D printing additionally offers improvements in areas such as prosthetics and replacements for plaster casts and braces, in the short term.

“For example, a 3D printed plastic lattice cast will be lightweight and allow a patient with a broken arm to take showers with their cast. This technology is pretty much ready to go, and it is just a matter of time before we start seeing it entering mainstream use,” he explained.

H O LO G R A P H I C I M AG I N G Edinburgh-based Holoxica is helping to develop a prototype holographic 3D video representation to visualise medical images from CT, MRI and ultrasound scanners. The display is able to create 3D images in mid-air, allowing doctors, consultants and surgeons to visualise scans live. This is expected to lead to better outcomes for patients, including faster diagnosis, improved treatment and better quality surgery.

The technology addresses the visualisation of 3D volumetric data from medical scanning devices, such as ultrasounds and MRIs. Driven by the need to deliver faster, more efficient and

The eyes have it: Dassault Systèmes are pioneering the 3D crusade

cost-effective healthcare, these devices have increasingly appeared in hospitals and medical centres over the past two decades, while their performance has also continued to improve.

Holoxica’s CEO Javid Khan insists that this application of 3D technology will have a positive impact on outcomes and patient experience within the NHS: “The benefits of the holographic volumetric display include quicker interpretation of 3D scan images, faster surgery and better quality surgical procedures,” he explained. “In addition, it will be possible to educate patients and provide them with a more intuitive overview of complex procedures.”

Medical professionals and students will also benefit, through teaching, training, diagnostics, planning and live surgery.

Holoxica is currently selling static digital holograms to university medical schools, teaching hospitals and medical imaging research centres.

“We have already holographically imaged the entire human anatomy, plus all of the organs from all modalities; CT, MRI and ultrasound sonography.”

According to Khan, the UK is currently lagging behind on developing this technology – Holoxica is the only commercial group working in this area.

“There are a smattering of university groups working on this, including Cambridge University. Most of the research is being conducted by the US military, and groups in Asia [Japan, China and Korea], where next generation holographic 3D technology is enshrined in their national R&D programmes,” he said. “We have no such programmes here in the UK or Europe – most of our activities tend to mirror things happening elsewhere.”

ORGANS Dassault Systèmes have an entire division devoted to 3D life sciences and CSO Reza Sadeghi is optimistic about the potential of organ production: “Major advances have been made in the 3D printing of human tissue. Organovo has commercialised 3D-printed human liver tissue for preclinical drug discovery testing and progressive research at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. This has led to 3D printed human kidneys and has paved a path for 3D printing of more complex organs in the future, such as the heart.”

It is now possible to create, from standard medical imaging – such as an MRI – a 3D patient-specific ‘digital twin’ 3D model of the heart for detailed analysis, which could lead to much more personalised medicine.

“Conditions, such as mitral valve regurgitation, can be reproduced in 3D silicone,” enthused Sadeghi. “Treatment options can be simulated digitally to identify the most effective treatment.”

It is becoming clear that 3D has gone from being a disposable novelty to a highly-sophisticated healthcare reality which has could save millions of lives.

For pharma, it is taking us to another dimension – quite literally.

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 13

OPINION

I got you babe The gentle art of co-working and collaboration WORDS BY

Henry Rubinstein

S

onny and Cher, Donny and Marie, Hale and Pace, Keith Harris and Orville. Throughout the years, collaboration and co-working has driven business success and yielded some of the world’s most memorable partnerships.

Nowadays, the proliferation of mobile communications and digital file-sharing platforms are revolutionising the workplace further. Where once start-up companies would base themselves in a static office, or entrepreneurs would work from home, a new culture of co-working and collaboration has emerged. Shared spaces are cropping up across London, especially in the trendy quarters of Shoreditch, Wapping and Hoxton.

One such venue is ‘The Dock’. Opened in 2015, The Dock is a dynamic, progressive co-working space located at Tobacco Dock, in the heart of Wapping.

A community for the generation of ideas, The Dock currently has over 100 entrepreneurs, start-ups and companies working within 300 desk spaces.

For Jonathan Read, The Dock’s founder, co-working has readily noticeable advantages. “Spaces like The Dock, with their community-feel, naturally foster collaboration. With a large number of distinct companies, offering a range of different skills, there is plenty of opportunity for crossover, generating mutual business benefit. For example you might have a situation where one company’s coding team is not busy, but another company working in The Dock desperately needs one; we facilitate the sharing of resources, so there is no need to look externally.”

It’s not just in the approach, but also in the physical design of such spaces that the gentle art of collaboration is fostered, as Read highlights: “Ergonomically we have also designed The Dock to actively aid collaboration – the long bench and open layout allows a degree of freedom for companies to interact, swap expertise and share ideas across platforms and sectors.”

It’s something that Read actively supports and advocates, concluding: “It would seem that through collaboration, companies can maximise on existing business and also explore new, non-traditional markets, diversifying their business. We’ve been able to observe at first-hand how co-working and collaboration improves productivity by cutting out inefficiency in the admin process.”

As the working world becomes more remote and companies look to augment their offerings to meet increasing client demands, I can only see the culture of professional collaboration increasing.

We are witnessing an exciting landscape of information sharing, co-operation and mutual appreciation. There’s a reason why ‘Morecombe’ and ‘The One Ronnie’ never worked. Sometimes it takes a collaborator to make the magic happen.

Henry Rubinstein is planning manager at Triggerfish Communications. Go to triggerfish.co.uk

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F E AT U R E WORDS BY

Amy Schofield

THE STATS

Is obesity really catching?

Don’t believe the hype: health headlines dissected

TH E S TO RY The Telegraph story compared a decade-old study – which found that taking gut microbes from overweight mice, and adding them to thin mice, could make them gain weight – to a new study, which suggests that gut microbes can live outside the body, become airborne and potentially ingested. The article then put two hundred lbs and two hundred lbs together and made five.

The five being that unsuspecting people in close proximity, for example families, can breathe in microbes and ‘swallow’ obesity.

TH E S TU DY The research, published in Nature, was conducted by scientists from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, in the UK, Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Monash University in Australia.

Number of participants: Six What the researchers did: Took stool samples, grew cultures of bacteria to identify the types of bacteria found, then studied how long the bacteria lived outside the human body.

What press said: ‘Spores of bacteria from the guts of fat people could spread to healthy individuals’ ‘Obesity could be a contagious condition’

TH E R E S U LT S

TRILLION ORGANISMS

2

The research studied the role of gut bacteria and transmission of infection from person to person – crucially however, the study does not look at obesity. It focuses on gut bacteria and puts forward ways in which they might survive and spread between humans.

The headlines were surmised from a line in a quote by the lead researcher, Dr Trevor Lawley: “I think there are definitely diseases that are caused by an imbalance in microbiotia. If you look at something like inflammatory bowel disease. Or obesity, that’s a possibility.”

A possibility, not a research finding.

But let’s not let that get in the way of an attention-grabbing story.

AROUND

O

besity is contagious, according to the Telegraph and Daily Mail.

The papers were attempting to interpret a study into bacteria living in the human gut. The Telegraph headline yelled, ‘Obesity could be contagious like superbug C.diff, suggest scientists’. ‘Is obesity CONTAGIOUS?’ The Daily Mail blustered.

100 THE MICROBIOME IS A MASSIVE ARMY OF

OF OUR BODY WEIGHT IS ATTRIBUTED TO GUT BACTERIA

1in4 British adults

TH E D E A L The human microbiome is becoming an ever more fascinating and growing field of research. The billions of bacteria in our gut affect our health in ways that are only just being discovered. The research did not find bacteria in the gut responsible for causing obesity, a link between obesity and C.diff, or evidence that obesity spreads between people by bacterial transfer.

The study actually found that around a third of bacteria in our guts are likely to be capable of surviving and spreading from person to person, which could ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of disease.

is obese

30 UK OBESITY LEVELS HAVE MORE THAN TREBLED IN THE LAST

YEARS* *

The State of Food and Agriculture Report 2013

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 15

Minority RULES

What do the recent elections mean for devolved institutions and proportional representation?

WORDS BY

Claudia Rubin

A

t first glance it may not seem as though much has changed as a result of the elections in the devolved nations last month. The compositions of the governments remain – on the face of it – broadly similar. Upon closer inspection, however, the impact is more considerable, particularly for those of us who rub up against them, with the aim of informing and shaping their output.

The devolved institutions were deliberately set up in such a way as to give voice to more parties through the use of proportional representation, which tends to make majority government unlikely.

Yet it came as a surprise to many that the Scottish National Party (SNP) was once again reduced to a minority government, with the Scottish Conservatives resurgent in second place.

16 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO. U K

In Wales there was a boost for UKIP, and a challenge to Labour’s dominance, when opposition parties joined forces to delay the formation of another minority Labour government. With the rise and fall of political parties in England – and in the new devolved assemblies – the landscape of British politics has significantly changed in recent years, evolving into a more multiparty system than ever before, and the May elections continued that trend.

F U R TH E R D E VO LU TI O N It was also, arguably, the most important election since the introduction of devolution, almost two decades ago. This has been due to the increase in authority that all of the institutions are set to receive over the course of this term.

An influx of new powers are heading to the Scottish Parliament, including over elements of the tax and welfare system, with both Wales and Northern Ireland set to receive some tax-raising powers in due course. The newly formed Assemblies can expect an increase in their workload as a result.

Building relationships with their members now could be advantageous. Decideum has worked closely with the devolved administrations for some time, recognising the trajectory, and increasing importance, of these institutions to policy making.

TH E P O L ITI C S O F M I N O R I T Y A D M I N I S TR ATI O N S In Scotland, opposition parties are keen to reform the committee structure in order to provide more government scrutiny. By losing its majority, the SNP will be forced to agree to such limits on its power, and potentially incorporate into its policies the will of its opponents, both of which will create more touch points for external influence. In an interesting twist of fate, the Tories become the unlikely main opposition in Scotland, and whether this fact will cause the SNP to desist from its current practice of kicking it to the Tories in Westminster at almost every opportunity, will be an interesting dynamic to watch.

POLITICS

It was a similar story elsewhere; in Wales an already minority Labour government has had its wings clipped further and will have to deal with the additional complication of new UKIP representation, while the special circumstances at the Northern Ireland Assembly already requires negotiations between major parties over the programme of government.

Even in Westminster, the scope for individual or groups of MPs to influence policy has increased, due to the government’s slim majority and, as such, we have seen highprofile government defeats and u-turns on numerous policies, notably school academies, EU referendum rules, child migrants and welfare payments.

Operating in delicate political environments is perhaps even more difficult given the pressure on investment and innovation decisions during a period of public expenditure restraint. It will not be possible to satisfy all competing interests, and with more targets for advocates to reach, those seeking to have influence need to be on top of their game.

Though parties like to emphasise their fundamental differences, there is often convergence and consensus to be found in principle, which then differ in practice and detail. Taking health as an example, there is near universal agreement that spending should be maintained, and that England’s NHS spend increases should filter down to the devolved nations through the ‘Barnett Formula’. These funds are not always directly spent on health – a criticism levelled against the SNP during this election. How to divide up the health budget to maximum effect on patient outcomes is a source of much contention and there are tough decisions to be made in the coming months.

In a recent article in the Sunday Times, Welsh First Minister Jones emphasised his mandate, but also reached out to his opponents over areas of common ground. A “mandate”, but seeking “common ground”, is the same language used

by Scottish First Minister Sturgeon as well and, in both cases, these leaders will surely need to prove they meant it.

In Wales there were commitments from all major parties to make available funds for new treatment and research, though the sums on offer vary from £50million to £85million. This provides scope for consensus, in principle, but plenty of room for negotiation on detail. All parties also agreed on the need to tackle the poorer record Wales has on cancer treatment and the need to find ways of alleviating

pressure on GP services. Across the UK there is consensus on improving mental health services, and the goal of integrating health and social care. None of these can be resolved without money and all contain within them massive gaps in strategy.

Devolution of healthcare is not confined to the UK’s constituent countries. Manchester now has control over NHS spending in the Greater Manchester area, with London in the process of trialling health devolution too. The plan to devolve NHS spending to the UK’s third city was implemented, with surprising political agreement reached between a Tory government in Westminster, and Labour-dominated authorities in Manchester. The fact that this was largely settled behind the scenes underlines how complicated agreements can be reached with relative dignity, offering precedent for the devolved nations.

With the range of policymakers involved in health decisions expanding – and talk of a need to increase the number of elected representatives at the devolved administrations to reflect these increased responsibilities – the work of policy-influencers duly increases too.

All of these issues are interconnected.

Further powers being devolved, increasing the work of the elected representatives, and utilising the powers in administrations that do not command a majority, will have a considerable impact on the policy making process over the next five years.

Consensus will need to be sought on important issues, including healthcare and life sciences, at a time when the public purse is under restraint, while the number of competing priorities is greater than ever before.

Powers devolved to the UK’s constituent countries may be at its most advanced stage so far, but ‘Devo Manc’ demonstrates that there could be plenty more to come. Devolution and consensus building seems certain to stay, and we must all adapt to the implications this has on the policy process.

Claudia Rubin is a Government Affairs Strategist at Decideum. Go to decideum.com

The scope for individual or groups of MPs to influence policy has increased and, as such, we have seen high-profile government defeats and u-turns on numerous policies.

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 17

THE STUNNING VIEWS OF RUBY LAKE JP finds out about the organisation which is pumping up the volume for patients.

INTERVIEW BY

W

e hear quite a lot these days about ‘patient centricity’, the ‘patient experience’ and what it feels like to be a patient. It’s either a load of tokenism or a bit of a side line, even among healthcare service providers. That’s why, in my pursuit of answers, I went to a dedicated patient advocate – Ruby Lake, from The Patients Association, no less.

JP ‘Ruby Lake’ is the kind of tranquil name I want to throw pebbles across.

We go for four letters in the family. We like an even name, with symmetry – my dad’s called Kirk Lake. If I had been a boy, I was going to be Chet.

JP Cool. Did you always like the idea of helping people? When I graduated from uni, in 2014, I was always interested in the idea of social mobility and equality.

When I was interning in human rights and international development, the points that emerged repeatedly were health inequalities, and disparity in life expectancy. One of the main challenges was getting people engaged in their own healthcare as a basis for a just society. If you can’t get healthcare right, many other systems fall apart too.

JP Where did you study? I studied history and politics at Manchester University.

JP Is the party scene still happening there? There’s loads of ‘house’ going on.

18 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO. U K

John Pinching

A lot of people say they went to Manchester because of Joy Division but, in reality, you only hear them played at terrible, cheap pubs.

I lived near the The Haçienda Club, which is now a really boring block of flats called ‘Haçienda Villas’.

JP How important is the role of young people in health? Young people need to be more interested in health and, although junior doctors have really helped in getting the new generation involved, it still isn’t a very ‘sexy’ topic.

JP Tell me more about the human rights gig. I worked for a really amazing organisation called Fair Trials, in Temple.

They do a lot of work with Interpol, the global police, and focus on potentially unsound ‘red notices’, which are international arrest warrants. Some countries are abusing this system to pursue human rights activists, lawyers and refugees, who they are trying to silence. We also did a lot of work on pre-trial detention, particularly in America. It was really cool.

JP What led you to your current role?

I gained further experience at the International Development Charity, before starting an internship at The Patients Association. I loved it straight away, and quickly realised what we were aiming for.

I was then offered a job, and saw it as a great opportunity to make a difference.

JP What exactly is The Patients Association? The Patients Association has been going for over 50 years, as a health and social care charity that champions the patient voice and carries out activism work around patient safety. It’s about empowering patients to make decisions about their own treatment and ensuring they get the correct information. Also, when things go wrong, we help them to put things right, or call people to account.

JP How do you act on those areas?

We lobby government and run an all parliamentary group – The Parliament on Patient Safety. We have some very influential people speaking, such as Ben Gummer, Under Secretary of State for Quality at the Department of Health. What really sets us apart, however, is our national helpline.

JP Who would typically use that service?

People call us when all traditional routes have failed patients. We hear about some of the worst case scenarios and respond by providing advice and support. When cases are particularly bad we submit them to the Care Quality Commission.

JP It sounds vital, especially when taking on institutions. One of our biggest campaigns has concentrated on the performance of the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman. It was a theme we were hearing repeatedly on the hotline and,

COFFEE BRE AK

as a result, we published two reports, urging reform within the system.

JP What were people saying about it?

They thought they weren’t being listened to, and were being made to carry out large amounts of case work, under unreasonable time constraints. That would be intimidating for anyone, but if you’re vulnerable, have had an appalling standard of care or lost a relative, it becomes a huge mountain, and that’s why we’re here to help.

JP Is the ‘beloved NHS’ belief system an obstacle? If you love the NHS, you have to challenge it, in order to move it forward.

If you’re not asking difficult questions, you’re not going to get the NHS we all desire.

Patients, quite rightly, are becoming much more engaged with their own care, and more likely to question practices. When patients don’t get a good response, or if they are unable to take on healthcare providers, that’s when we come in.

JP Clearly empowering patients is an essential part of your role. We’ve also worked very hard on patients getting the most out of a doctor appointment, and to make sure they are listened to. Often patients will wait a long time to see their GP and have a very limited amount of time, so we have advised ten key questions they should ask, and encouraged patients to document their journey with the doctor, especially if they are having to visit regularly.

JP What scenarios are you hearing about which seem to reflect modern times?

One of the biggest patterns on the helpline is mental health, and access to resources

If you love the NHS, you have to challenge it, in order to move it forward.

in that area. There is still a stigma surrounding mental health and although, culturally, we are able to talk about it, from what we are hearing, there hasn’t been much progress professionally.

JP What do you make of the current standoff between JH and the JDs? As an organisation we have always believed that the imposition of the contact is extremely unhelpful, and have always argued for talks. Actually, the longer this goes on, the people that will suffer most are the patients.

JP Before I go, what one record would you put on the sound track of your life?

Slave to the Rhythm, by Grace Jones.

JP You’re an inspiration, Ruby Lake.

Laterz. Goodbye, John.

Go to patients-association.com

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 19

OPINION

In: Decent proposal How community pharmacy can save the NHS a cool £170million!

WORDS BY

Lucy Morton

I

n a bold move, The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has published a counter proposal to the Government’s funding reductions. The unprecedented reaction comes after planned £170m cuts from the NHS community pharmacy budget caused considerable apprehension.

The PSNC states that community pharmacy can help improve the operational effectiveness of the NHS, through innovative cost and time-saving initiatives, which would save the NHS £170m, rather than having it removed from funding.

If taken forward, pharmacies will be galvanised and much more able to provide first class and accessible healthcare.

The proposals mainly include reducing medicine waste and recommending cheaper alternatives to prescribed treatment:

This counter proposal shows how all community pharmacies are uniting to demonstrate the impact it can have on the health and wellbeing of the nation 2 0 | PH A R M A FI ELD.CO.U K

Generic Substitution: pharmacies to dispense cheaper generic equivalents for nationally agreed medication; written as the branded product on prescriptions.

The pharmacist and patient would agree the substitution at the point of dispensing.

Non-dispensed Scheme: pharmacy teams to engage with patients around repeat prescriptions, to counteract stock piling. Pharmacies would mark the prescription ‘not-required’, which would be identified by the Pricing Authority.

For each non-dispensed item, pharmacies would receive the usual fees, plus a small non-dispensing fee.

Therapeutic Substitution Scheme: pharmacies to recommend alternatives to prescribers for products on a ‘costly

medicines’ list. This uses the pharmacist’s key skills to help medicine optimisation .

Care Home: pharmacies to identify excessive prescribing of medicines to care homes. It will involve regular reviews in order to identify excess stock, and the use of bulk prescriptions for the supply of commonly used items, while also providing cheaper alternative recommendations to prescribers.

Unwanted Medicine Audit and Campaign: pharmacies to raise the awareness of waste medicines, through an annual campaign and audit of patientreturned medicines. Pharmacy teams would use the results to share learnings with local prescribers, helping minimise future medicines wastage.

Other notable suggestions are a national emergency supply service, allowing community pharmacies to make supplies of medicines, at NHS expense. Another idea involves linking pharmacy payments to quality, such as providing locally commissioned services and maintaining an up to date NHS Choices profile.

This counter proposal shows how all community pharmacies are uniting to demonstrate the impact it can have on the health and wellbeing of the nation and – pivotally – how they could be at the forefront of transforming the beleaguered NHS. Lucy is Clinical Governance Manager at Superdrug.

Please note, these are Lucy’s personal views and do not necessarily reflect those of the Superdrug business.

1.

CANCER IMMUNOTHER APY

2.

TA R G E TE D M E D I C I N E S These interfere with the specific molecules – molecular targets – that are needed for tumours to grow, progress and spread. As a monotherapy, targeted medicines are already a formidable addition to the cancer-fighting arsenal.

Therapies act on specific molecular targets associated with cancer, and are deliberately selected to interact with their target, without destroying surrounding healthy cells.

They do have their limitations, however – one of which is the risk of cancer cells becoming resistant to the treatment, for example through mutation.

HIGH FIVE

Treatments that harness the inherent powers of the immune system to fight cancer are hailed as the most promising new approach since the development of chemotherapies in the late 1940s.

The process selectively targets and kills cancerous cells, without damaging healthy ones, meaning fewer side effects. Recent experimental research into CAR T-Cell therapy on patients, with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, found that the symptoms in 94% of participants with this blood cancer completely disappeared.

The system is universal and treats almost all cancers, while the ability of the immune system to ‘remember’ means that immunotherapy could also offer long-term protection against cancer.

BIG C BOMBARDMENT

The high fives of innovative cancer treatments WORDS BY

5

Amy Schofield

The HPV (human papilloma virus) vaccination, which protects against cervical cancer, is already widely offered to 12 and 13-year-old girls, as part of the NHS childhood vaccination programme. A unique phase one trial is now underway to test a new cancer vaccine, designed to harness the power of the immune system to destroy tumours, wherever they are in the body. The trial will run over the next two years and involve up to 30 volunteers.

The vaccine contains a small fragment of protein from an enzyme called ‘human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)’. This enzyme allows cancer cells to continuously divide. By injecting the antigen into the patient, along with a low dose of a chemotherapy drug, it is hoped the immune system response will be stimulated, making antibodies that will kill cancer cells, but leave healthy cells alone.

.

VACCI N E S

3.

N A N OTE C H N O LO GY Nanotechnology is one of the hottest new areas of medicine, based on microscopic particles, with distinctive properties related to their chemical structure, mobility and ability to absorb energy.

In South Australia, nanotech ‘smart packages’ – delivered with chemotherapy drugs – have been found to target and destroy cancer cells, while reducing side effects.

The minuscule ‘trojan horse’ vehicles are 100 nanometres in diameter, and contain folate molecules which find and attach themselves to cancer cells.

Anti-cancer drugs in the smart packages are then released, killing cells in the process.

4.

CANCER COMBINATIONS Combination therapy has been a hallmark of cancer treatment for years, as a way of killing cancer cells and halting the progression of the disease.

Earlier this year, research on 257 women showed that the combination of two drugs – lapatinib and trastuzumab – could shrink, or even eliminate, breast cancer tumours in 11 days.

Around a quarter of women with aggressive HER2 positive breast cancer benefitted.

Professor Nigel Bundred, Professor of Surgical Oncology at the University Hospital of South Manchester, said: “This has ground-breaking potential.”

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 2 1

WORDS BY

John Pinching

‘The Trouble with Dragons’ – McCann Manchester’s campaign to help manage ADHD

D E AR D IARY UP-AND-COMING PHARMA EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY 9 J U N E 2 0 16

The Modality Partnership Vanguard: Achievements and future aspirations WHERE: Birmingham WHO: Morph Consultancy Ltd INFO: morphconsultancy.co.uk CONTACT: 07581358272 or

claire@morphconsultancy.co.uk 2 3 J U N E 2 0 16

Pharma Social Conference WHERE: London WHO: Global Insight Conferences INFO: pharmasocialconference.com CONTACT: 020 3479 2299 or

1 J U LY 2 0 16

A one day update on Gynaecology WHERE: Nottingham WHO: Events 4 Healthcare INFO: events4healthcare.com/naps CONTACT: 01462 476 120 or

enquiries@events4healthcare.com 9 T H J U LY 2 0 16

Primary Care – ENT Study Morning WHERE: Kegworth WHO: MediConf INFO: mediconf.co.uk CONTACT: 01253 712 894 or

lynn@mediconf.co.uk 17-18 O C T O B E R 2 0 16

Multichannel Customer Experience 2016 WHERE: London WHO: Eyeforpharma INFO: eyeforpharma.com CONTACT: 0207 422 4346 or

bparkes@eyeforpharma.com

U P CO M I N G E V E N T W E S H O U L D K N OW A B O U T ? H A Z E L @ P H A R M A F I E L D . CO . U K

2 2 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO. U K

Pharma 2.0

Industry gets upgrade at PM Society Digital Awards.

F

or a while ‘the future’ has been imminent, but the PM Society Digital Awards was the most convincing evidence yet that pharma and digital are dating – and they’ve got past second base.

Rachel Farrow – co-chair of the society – had the idea of exclusively recognising digital excellence years ago, when pharma marketing was still a pen and ink pot operation. Boy, what a prophecy that has turned out to be!

B L I S S U P I N A B R E W E RY Pharma’s digital community gathered within the exposed brickwork walls of The Brewery, in London, and while a kaleidoscope of strobe lighting danced across their faces, the delegates laughed as they discussed real world data and meta-tags and ‘breadcrumbs’.

This scenario was unthinkable a decade ago. It was like being immersed in a giant healthcare tech-hub, populated by nerds, who were gleefully changing the old order.

I was keen to check out some of this revolutionary digital wizardry but, for the life of me, I couldn’t find the exhibition.

The woman I asked smiled sympathetically, and led me to a state-of-the-art virtual experience, on a touch screen monitor, and with that, dear reader, the last of my brain’s analogue settings were vanquished for eternity.

Meanwhile, Jason Manford proved an inspired host. Unleashing a tirade of antisouthern rhetoric, and resembling a club comic from the 1970s, he was an amusing contrast to the futuristic vibe of the evening.

Among the big winners were ‘The Trouble with Dragons’, which used playful animation to help parents and their children manage ADHD, and ‘Virtual Valve’ – a combination of striking infographics with astonishing biological ‘tours’. My personal favourite, however, was the social media campaign, ‘Sniffers’. A brilliant parody of a drugs bust, the film features a squad of

'THE TROUBLE WITH DRAGONS' IMAGES SUPPLIED BY MCCANN MANCHESTER; 'VIRTUAL VALVE' IMAGE SUPPLIED BY EMOTIVE; 'SNIFFERS' IMAGE SUPPLIED BY LANGLAND

info@pharmasocialconference.com

E VENTS & CONFERENCES

G O L D G E T TE R S Selling tools & CLM initiatives RFA More than a name idetail HCP education & support emotive Virtual Valve Multichannel campaign McCann Manchester The Trouble with Dragons Healthcare partnerships GM AHSN Stroke Landscape Tool Patient initiatives The Earthworks Transplant360 Market access emotive EYLEA Commissioning Toolkit Mobile apps Incuna Risk Factor Calculator Social media Langland Sniffers Congress/Meetings emotive Virtual Valve

‘STI police’, accompanied by dogs, entering a nightclub and ‘sniffing out’ people with undiagnosed conditions. It even appeared on porn sites although, naturally, I cannot verify this.

It seemed to me that the ideas emerging from all the finalists, represented a changing of the guard, where patients are not filed under their disease area, but encouraged to rise above it and – as individuals – take ownership of it.

Indeed, at the heart of all these extraordinary devices was genuine patient and healthcare professional engagement.

This was pharma talking and listening to patients and, critically, providing them with a platform to make a difference.

In the final analysis, the digital monolith is here, and there’s no getting away from it.

By the end of the evening I felt part of a new era-defining moment, and couldn’t help dancing to the algorithm of the night.

Pharma corporate comms McCann Manchester Elvanse Adult Brand Tool App Film Langland Sniffers Gamification Halesway The Restoration Game Animation Langland JINARC MOA

Langland’s daring social media campaign, ‘Sniffers’ ‘Virtual Valve’ – striking infographics from emotive.

Agency selfpromotion 90TEN Life-changing website Innovation Pegasus MS Explorer Digital Account Manager Radical Departures Catherine Silk Social media company of the year Boehringer Ingelheim

Go to pmsociety.org.uk

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 2 3

E VENTS & CONFERENCES WORDS BY

John Pinching

Feel the force

Vintage ABPI conference offers optimistic bouquet with a suggestion of fight.

T

he ABPI Annual Conference was an epic cauldron of debate, prophecy, hope, drug prices and – quite naturally – wondering what the NHS would ‘look like’ in the next few millennia.

This year’s gig was granted additional kudos, by the appearance of a consummate presenter – legendary news anchor, Fiona Bruce. Needless to say, I brought along my ornate Clarice Cliff sugar bowl, just in case the conversation turned to antiques.

Someone who does appear to be somewhat valuable is Minister for Life Sciences, George Freeman, who didn’t do his reputation any harm here, by calling for a ‘good pharma’ event, celebrating the brilliant work undertaken by industry, and providing an antidote to Ben Goldacre’s dust-gathering negativity.

There were also some fascinating contributions from the plethora of healthcare speakers. Sir Hugh Taylor, Chairman, Guy’s & St Thomas’s NHS Foundation Trust declared that our health service had a future, with stipulations.

“It’s not the product that’s the problem, it’s the process,” he said. “Shouting at the NHS will not engender change.”

Amusingly, Fiona Bruce responded by saying that there is always a huge amount of time and money invested in reviews, which you never hear about again. Sir Hugh’s silence was followed by a nervous laugh, which was followed by a thunderous cackle from the audience. Both reactions spoke volumes.

Richard Bergström, Director General of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, wants more freedom and ambition in UK pharma: “The genie is out of the bottle in Europe – people are far more willing to strike deals and negotiate. Doing this cleverly gives patients greater access to treatment.”

2 4 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO. U K

A debate about price and negotiation wouldn’t be the same without the appearance of a medicine approval representative, and Carole Longson had drawn the short straw back at NICE HQ. “Reflecting on why NICE says ‘no’ is useful in order to turn it into a ‘yes’,” she said, adding. “Time frames for evaluation must be fit for purpose, but there must also be flexible payment models.”

AstraZeneca’s Lisa Anson pounced impressively: “Patients aren’t getting access to innovative medicine because, in 16 years, NICE’s willingness to pay hasn’t changed.”

Lunch featured exotic bento boxes, festooned with culinary delights, instead of the usual cold chicken casserole, so evidently some things were changing.

Meanwhile, on the subject of how important service user influence is,

Patients aren’t getting access to innovative medicine because, in 16 years, NICE’s willingness to pay hasn’t changed.

AstraZeneca’s Lisa Anson

Hilary Newiss, from National Voices, was stark: “There needs to be more diversity in the patient voice,” she insisted. “Patients want transparency in the regulatory system – they want to know what treatments are available, and why some are not.”

Patients might feel encouraged, however, by the increase in inter-company joint working. We heard about how Quintiles has helped Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies to work with the NHS, by combining their knowledge and resources to combat specific therapy areas, leaving the usual tussle for market share at the door.

Quite remarkable! Indeed, this year’s ABPI conference spoke of determination and ambition which, given the current crisis ‘engulfing the NHS’, was no mean feat.

Go to abpi.org.uk

A commitment to life

We are, each and every one of us, Kyowa Kirin For several years, ProStrakan has been a member of Kyowa Kirin, a Japan-based Pharmaceutical company.

As part of its commitment to become a global pharmaceutical specialty organisation, Kyowa Kirin is harmonising all its affiliates across the globe, and so ProStrakan is now known as Kyowa Kirin.

For all enquiries please contact: Kyowa Kirin Ltd., Galabank Business Park, Galashiels TD1 1QH Tel: +44 (0) 1896 664 000 Web: www.kyowa-kirin.com Job Code: NPR/UK/0480 Date of preparation: May 2016

Our people are ‘Committed to Life’, truly challenging themselves every day to make medicines available to meet unmet medical needs of patients and their families. Our culture is one built on innovation, teamwork and ethics. Core to our continued success is developing talent that can flourish – not only on the challenges of today but also tomorrow.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

MICHEL VOUNATSOS

RODERICK STEAD

Former president of MSD’s primary care and customer centricity units, Michel Vounatsos, has taken up the role of executive vice-president and chief commercial officer at Biogen.

Thorn Medical PLC has appointed Roderick Stead as Group Finance Director. He joins the international healthcare group from PTS Consulting, where he served in a number of roles, including Chief Financial Officer, Chief Risk Officer and NonExecutive Director.

ANNE CLARE WADSWORTH

Envision Pharma Group has welcomed Anne Clare Wadsworth to its management team. She will lead the group’s newly opened office in Wilmslow, Cheshire and brings considerable experience in healthcare communications and multi-channel medical communication programmes.

PAUL WESTNEDGE

Paul Westnedge has stepped into the role of Project Manager at CHASE. Westnedge will join the CSO’s Contract Sales division. He brings with him a wealth of experience gained in the pharmaceutical, healthcare and medical devices sectors while at Janssen, Novartis and Allergan.

DR STEPHEN FINKBEINER

WHO’S GOING WHERE AND WHY THEY’RE GOING THERE. WORDS BY

Amy Schofield

2 6 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO. U K

Axol Bioscience has appointed renowned neurodegenerative disease pioneer Dr Stephen Finkbeiner as Scientific Advisory Board Member. He will guide the stem cell disease specialist in developing new products, adding to their existing catalogue of highly validated human cells, culture reagents and services.

P H A R M ATA L E N T

SEVEN SUPPORT PHARMA FUTURE

GILL ADAIR

Seven renowned experts have been appointed to oversee the work of the new Medicines Discovery Catapult (MDC), aimed at propelling the UK into world leader status in the development of new medicines, by supporting industry. Life sciences expert, Professor Graham Boulnois, will chair the team, which includes: Carole Longson, internationally recognised expert in the identification and assessment of innovative medicines; Chris Reilly, an expert in the discovery and early clinical development of new medicines; Professor Sir Alex Markham, Professor of Medicine and Director of the MRC Medical Bioinformatics Centre, at the University of Leeds; Kate Bellingham, leading engineer and a fellow of the Women’s Engineering Society and active volunteer STEM Ambassador; Former YouGov President, political analyst and public health activist Peter Kellner; Internationally recognised pharmaceutical medicines specialist, Professor Clive Morris; Entrepreneur and pharmacologist Dr Clive Dix. The seven appointees will join the MDC’s board as non-executive directors.

Ashfield Healthcare Communications has appointed Gill Adair as its Global Head of Talent Acquisition.

Adair – who joined the company from AstraZeneca 17 years ago – has been appointed to drive forward the company’s recruitment campaigns, identify new talent and nurture careers.

G

ot a talented new hire you want to shout about?

Or a successful internal promotion to reveal? Have you finally filled that challenging position? Tell us and we’ll share it with our impressive and growing readership.

Send us the details of your pharma personnel news and we’ll promote it across Pharmafield. And if you’re looking at attracting exceptional talent to your company, we have a range of editorial options in Pf Magazine and at Pharmafield.co.uk where you can showcase why your place of work is where the top people want to be. If there’s one thing we’re all interested in, it’s who’s going where, why they’re going there, and what happens next.

Get in touch call 01462 476119 or email hello@pharmafield.co.uk Searching for your next challenge? Visit pharmajobs.co.uk

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 2 7

P H A R M A TA L E N T

Sanofi Pasteur’s John Grano is on a personal crusade to be the best he can be.

INTERVIEW BY

Amy Schofield

Q What do you do? This is my 28th year in the healthcare industry.

I began as a sales representative for Novartis Pharmaceuticals, and have held numerous other roles, both in the field and office. I have been with Sanofi Pasteur for the last 18 years, beginning as Head of Sales for the US. About six years ago, I took on a new opportunity to develop the group, which has become ‘Global Field Excellence’. Our mission is to accelerate the execution of brand strategy, by partnering with regions and countries to deliver best practices for all in the field.

Q What are your career highs?

I am most proud of building successful organisations, full of talented people, and helping them grow and develop, while achieving business objectives. Over the years, we have had the opportunity to launch many

2 8 | PH A R M A FI EL D.CO. U K

ADVERTORIAL

innovative vaccines. It is very exciting to be in a position where I can contribute to our business growth and talent development on a global level.

Q What drives you? To be the best at whatever it is I am doing. Professionally, this translates into determination, and the persistence to do my part in helping the organisation achieve its objectives. Working in the healthcare industry makes it all the more compelling, as this energy and effort contributes to protecting people’s health and lessening the burden of disease.

Customers want to be reached in more ways than ever before.

Words by Andy Waiton

Pharma gets a bashing from the press once in a while after a very rare, but high profile, bribery or price-fixing scandal hits the news.

Fair? Quite frankly no!

Q What’s the best piece of careers advice you’ve ever been given?

Realise your potential! That is about being your best in your current role and believing that success will open doors, and lead to opportunities that may not have been visible or obvious.

Q How do you turn the challenges you face into opportunities?

A supervisor once answered his own question, “How do you eat an elephant? (figuratively speaking!) – one bite at a time!” The essence of this has stuck with me throughout my life, which is to say that no challenge is too big, if you break it down into manageable pieces. In addition, don’t ever be afraid to ask for help.

Q How has the pharma industry changed? Most industries are continually evolving in a way that is becoming more complex, and the pharma industry is no exception.

There are more ways to reach customers and – more importantly – customers want to be reached in more ways than ever before. On top of that is a complex and dynamic regulatory environment.

Q Professionally, where would you like to be five years from now?

The ambition for me is to be recognised as an indispensable partner, consistently

YOU’RE GOOD, BUT HOW GOOD?

delivering best practices, which develop critical competencies, and help internal partners achieve their business priorities.

This ensures that our customers can achieve their mission.

Q What advice would you give to someone entering the pharma sales industry? I have always carried with me a keen awareness that understanding, and engaging with customers, is a critical success factor. The pharma industry is dynamic and it will continue to provide a lot of growth opportunities.

Q What does the future hold for Sanofi Pasteur? The vaccines industry continues to grow. At Sanofi Pasteur, we are launching the first vaccine to prevent dengue fever. We’re also conducting a global phase III study in 20+ countries of our investigative vaccine to prevent Clostridium difficile infection, and we’re also developing other new vaccines.

I started carrying the bag as a medical representative for Astra Pharmaceuticals in 1988. I started by selling Imdur – isosorbide mononitrate for angina, and went on to sell a host of other treatments. During this chapter of my career I really believed that the patients using my drugs gained real benefits – a few even told me so.

The point is that the pharma industry not only contributes to this country, and the world – with life-altering drugs – but also leads the way with training.

I didn’t really appreciate this until I spoke to a few friends, who work in IT, telecoms and oil/gas, and spoke about our training experiences.

Needless to say, the number of training courses that I had attended during my pharma career was more than my three friends combined.

So, the training we receive is good, but just how good are we? Well, this is a question that every Training, L&D and Sales Managers must ask themselves every time they sign off a training invoice.

The answer, incidentally, has arrived – Excel Evaluate. To learn more about this new, online, level 3 training assessment tool please call us on 01628 488 854, or email info@excel-communications.com Go to excel-communications.com

Go to sanofi.com

M AG A ZI N E | J U N E 2016 | 2 9

Plant an idea with Mary When Mary was little she wanted to be a scientist and help invent amazing things...

Refer a friend or company to us, be like Mary and help Carrot Pharma send work packs with idea seed sheets to schools so children can physically plant their career ideas It’s easy - just visit www.carrotpharma.co.uk/plant-an-idea Oh, and we’ve got a seriously good list of gifts to say thank you!

be.like.Mary

Introducing Devices / Healthcare Sales...

We are delighted to announce the launch of our brand new medical device/healthcare sales recruitment division. We are now recruiting for Territory Managers, Sales Specialists and Sales Managers within...

SURGICAL DEVICES / CAPITAL EQUIPMENT / CONSUMABLES / WOUND CARE / INTERVENTIONAL THERAPY To find out why we’re #distinctlydifferent and to speak to our market specialist please call Rowan Day on 01625 541 038 or email rowan@carrotrg.co.uk

find your happy

Are you looking to recruit top talent or searching for your next challenge?

The new-look PharmaJobs represents the fast-paced pharma industry and the dynamic people working in it.

From the finest graduates, to senior pharma professionals, PharmaJobs helps the best and brightest find rewarding careers with the best companies in the industry.

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