Pharma Launch Excellence Summit Main Conference Day 2: Wednesday 3rd December

Specialty and rare disease launches bring unique challenges: intricate pricing dynamics, high-stakes access negotiations, and fragmented stakeholder landscapes. In such environments, agility means more than reacting quickly - it’s about anticipating hurdles, aligning cross-functional teams, and making decisive pivots without undermining long-term objectives. In this panel, Enrique & Paula will unpack how launch leaders manage the balance between strategy and adaptability, with a particular lens on access, pricing, and stakeholder engagement.

• Building real-time launch KPIs that highlight access and pricing inflection points
• Mapping and prioritising stakeholders to anticipate barriers and unlock opportunities
• Pivoting strategy in rare/specialty launches without losing long-term value creation

Walk away with frameworks and case examples that show how agile, well-prepared teams sustain momentum in the most complex therapeutic areas.

Enrique Galicia

VP Global Commercial Excellence
BIAL

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Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing how companies plan and execute launches. From forecasting demand to identifying early risk indicators, AI-driven tools help teams make faster, smarter decisions that can transform outcomes in competitive markets.

·       Leveraging predictive models to improve accuracy in launch forecasting and planning

·       Applying AI-driven insights to enhance agility during execution and optimization

·       Addressing ethical considerations in AI deployment across launch decision-making processes

Leave with a forward-looking understanding of how AI can drive smarter, faster launch decisions.

Slot Reserved for Sponsor Partner

With 20 new medicines launching in just four years and a strategic shift toward specialty care, pharmaceutical companies face unprecedented challenges in maintaining launch excellence consistency. Graham Addison, Global Launch and Marketing Excellence Lead for AstraZeneca's BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit, shares insights from orchestrating cross-functional alignment across a diverse portfolio spanning 16+ brands and 2,500+ marketing professionals.

·       Strategic framework implementation: How AstraZeneca is standardizing 150+ launch milestones across diverse therapeutic areas while maintaining flexibility for specialized launches

·       Portfolio-level planning: Aligning sequential launches with overarching disease area strategies from L-48 through Day 0 and beyond

·       Digital transformation: Leveraging technology to enhance predictability and capture critical insights from 110+ launch plans

·       Capability development: Evolving marketing excellence programs to meet changing portfolio needs in the specialty care space

·       Discover practical approaches to scaling launch excellence while maintaining critical consistency across global teams, therapeutic areas, and evolving portfolio strategies.

Graham Addison

Senior Director, Global Launch and Marketing Excellence
AstraZeneca

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Digital tools can simplify launch management, improve cross-functional collaboration, and increase visibility across timelines and performance. But only if adopted with purpose.

·       Implementing digital platforms that streamline launch planning and execution

·       Enabling remote, agile collaboration across time zones and departments

·       Measuring the ROI and performance impact of digital launch solutions

Come away with a blueprint for integrating digital into your launch playbook—with measurable value.

Slot Reserved for Sponsor Partner

The digital landscape offers both opportunities and challenges for pharmaceutical companies - from connected combination products to sophisticated HCP engagement strategies. This integrated session addresses the full spectrum of digital considerations in modern launch planning.

·       Building a comprehensive digital ecosystem for combination products and connected devices

·       Designing compliant yet impactful digital and social media strategies for HCP and patient engagement

·       Creating seamless customer support experiences that span physical and digital touchpoints

·       Leveraging behavioral insights to personalize engagement across the entire customer journey

·       Measuring effectiveness and optimizing digital initiatives throughout the product lifecycle

Come away with a unified framework for digital excellence that connects product strategy with customer engagement to drive launch success.

Karen Cheng

Patient Advocate
International Myositis Society

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Launch leaders know that no two launches are alike – yet too many organisations move from one launch to the next without pausing to extract lessons that could improve performance. With external pressures mounting, from shifting access landscapes to global pricing reforms, optimising launch strategy within the first six months is critical. This panel will explore how companies can embed continuous learning, allocate investment wisely, and adapt strategy across geographies and product types to maximise launch outcomes.

Embedding launch optimisation reviews to capture learnings and course-correct early.

Shaping regional investment strategies based on therapy type, company scale, and market dynamics.

Building organisational memory and operational models that accelerate future launches.

Using the learnings from wave 1 country launches to maximise the chance of success for countries launching later in the launch sequence

Will Goulding

Senior Director of Marketing Operations
Astellas Pharmaceuticals

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Jane Francis

Managing Director
Inspiros Consulting Solutions

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Kim-Chi Tran

Head of Launch Excellence & Strategic Planning, International
Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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In the plasma industry, every product sold represents an upfront investment in collection, manufacturing, and long-term patient support. Unlike traditional pharmaceuticals, plasma therapies are born from a limited, donation-based ecosystem - making supply assurance a strategic differentiator. As demand consistently outpaces availability, manufacturers must balance operational sustainability, patient access, and competitive positioning in an increasingly pressurized market.

This session will explore how CSL Behring navigates supply-chain challenges across the Middle East and Africa and positions reliability as a cornerstone of its market strategy and how the Future of Rare diseases will be shaped with new innovative molecules similar to Gene Therapies to complement the existing portfolio.

• Understanding the different elements that will enable a successful Launch in the plasma industry.
• Embedding operational foresight into marketing strategy to manage national-level supply risks.
• Competing on trust and reliability when demand exceeds what the market can supply.
• Tailoring brand value to reflect production realities and long-term product stewardship.
• Shifting the mindset through the innovative molecules [A Gene Therapy perspective]

Karim Daniel

Head of Marketing Middle East & Africa
CSL Behring

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The six months post-launch are pivotal in setting market trajectory and shaping long-term product success. Rapid insights, adaptive decision-making, and operational coordination during this period can dramatically affect market penetration and brand momentum.

·       Using early performance data to guide responsive commercial and medical actions

·       Adapting launch tactics quickly based on market reception and competitor movements

·       Aligning internal teams for continuous optimization during post-launch execution

Come away with a playbook for navigating the high-stakes, high-opportunity post-launch window with confidence.

Slot Reserved for Sponsor Partner

Talk details to be announced

Michael Takla

Head of Launch Excellence JANZ & Emerging Markets
Viatris

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For smaller and mid-sized pharma companies, launch excellence isn’t just about bringing new molecules to market - it’s about maximizing the value of existing assets through reformulations, lifecycle extensions, and regional strategies. At Helsinn, Enrico Magnani has led global and regional launches in oncology and supportive care, where success is measured not just by speed to market, but by sustained value creation across the product lifecycle. Drawing on real-world experience, he’ll share how smaller companies can define success on their own terms and build agile, resource-smart strategies that deliver long-term impact. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for lifecycle-focused launch success beyond the first approval.

·       Launching reformulations with strategic intent and regional relevance

·       Defining success metrics that reflect company size and product type

·       Extending lifecycle value through agile, resource-smart planning

Enrico Magnani

Chief Strategy Officer
Helsinn Group

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This panel explores the next frontiers of launch excellence—from technology integration to evolving customer expectations, and how teams must adapt in the years ahead.

·       Preparing for more personalized, data-driven, and tech-enabled launch strategies

·       Navigating future regulatory, access, and innovation-driven disruptions

·       Shaping launch capabilities to meet tomorrow’s market and stakeholder demands

Explore a view of the trends shaping the next decade of launch excellence.

Sherif Elhaw

Former Director, Emerging Markets, Launch Excellence Lead
Pfizer

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Simone Rebora

Global Marketing Director
Ipsen

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Wrapping up the summit, we will come together to underline the key insights, highlight actions and equip ourselves with next steps to elevate launch excellence in our own organizations.

This is a collaborative session dedicated to:

·       Translating the event learnings into practical next steps for their launch teams

·       Identifying personal and organizational opportunities for capability growth

Committing to a clear post-event action plan for long-term excellence

Troels Sørensen

Global Head Clinical Practice
Boehringer Ingelheim

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Sophie Hoehlinger

Former Head of Global Launch Excellence
UCB

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