Excellence in Customer Focus – Physician/Payers

Summary of work

Effentora had the smallest market share (13.3 per cent) of the three oral transmucosal fentanyl formulations used in breakthrough cancer pain, compared to sublingual fentanyl (ODT; 29.0 per cent) and compressed lozenge fentanyl (OTFC; 51.3 per cent), within a static market. With no comparative evidence, palliative care specialists tended to consider the formulations as broadly equivalent and would often prescribe oral morphine, despite increasing recognition that this might not be the optimal treatment. In order to differentiate Effentora from the other formulations and oral morphine and, thereby, drive sales and improve management, a mixed treatment meta-analysis (MTMA) was undertaken and published in two widely read palliative care journals. We undertook all aspects of the MTMA, including translating the complex statistical methodology into a prose that was understandable and resonated with a clinical audience. The publications resulted in a remarkable 24 per cent increase in sales for Effentora (+18,000 units) versus 3 per cent for ODT (+5,500) and 0 per cent for OTFC (-200), within a market which grew by 5 per cent - representing a significant improvement in patient management. Independent research of 100 healthcare professionals confirmed that the MTMA was central to this dramatic growth: 66 per cent recalled the MTMA, considering it the single most important item used by representatives in sales calls.

Judges comments

This was a very good, robust pilot. They really did their homework in terms of customer needs and clearly understood the issues in terms of treatment and where their product fitted. They then gathered the evidence from complex data to demonstrate superior outcomes.