Publications

November 2009 (Revised December 2009)
Case

GTC Biotherapeutics: Developing Medicines in the Milk of Goats

By: Ray A. Goldberg and Sarah Morton

GTC is the first company in the animal world to receive FDA approval of a transgenic pharmaceutical. What are the implications for other firms in plants and animals and their opportunities to produce new medicines in an economical and safe fashion? View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Animal-Based Agribusiness; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Science-Based Business; Medical Specialties; Product; Technological Innovation; Pharmaceutical Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States

October 2009 (Revised July 2013)
Case

Gilead Sciences, Inc.: Access Program

By: V. Kasturi Rangan and Katharine Lee

Gilead Sciences, the U.S. leader in HIV/AIDS medicines, with global sales of $5.4 billion in 2009, had undertaken several innovative actions to make its anti-viral products available to over 100 low- and middle-income countries. Having reached nearly 680,000 patients... View Details

Keywords: Health Care and Treatment; Emerging Markets; Product; Sales; Competitive Strategy; Pharmaceutical Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry

August 2009 (Revised August 2012)
Case

Cabot Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

By: Frank V. Cespedes and John T. Gourville

Traces the 12-year career of a pharmaceutical salesperson, Bob Marsh, from recruitment to termination. Marsh has had an uneven career with Cabot Pharmaceuticals and eventually is asked to resign. Following his termination, a number of Marsh's former customers complain... View Details

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Employees; Resignation and Termination; Performance Evaluation; Salesforce Management; Alignment; Pharmaceutical Industry

July 2009 (Revised May 2010)
Case

Pfizer: Letter from the Chairman (A)

By: Robert L. Simons and Natalie Kindred

This case explores maximizing shareholder value as a goal in executive decision making. Over a period of nine years, three different Pfizer CEOs make critical decisions intended to increase shareholder value. But the results are disappointing. To allow students to... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Corporate Accountability; Corporate Governance; Annual Reports; Business and Shareholder Relations; Value Creation; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States

June 2009 (Revised April 2017)
Teaching Note

Merck: Managing Vioxx (A)-(G)

By: Robert Simons and Natalie Kindred

Teaching Note for [109080], [109081], [109082], [109083], [109084], [109085], and [109086]. View Details

Keywords: Management Control Systems; Strategy And Execution; Crisis Management; Risk; Core Values; Pharmaceutical Industry

April 2009
Case

Merck: Managing Vioxx (A)

By: Robert L. Simons, Kathryn Rosenberg and Natalie Kindred

This two-class case series allows students to stand in the shoes of CEO Ray Gilmartin during the unfolding stages of a reputational crisis. Merck's mission statement claims to "put patients first," but the company is widely criticized for putting profit before patient... View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Crisis Management; Reputation; Decision Choices and Conditions; Customers; Business or Company Management; Cost vs Benefits; Corporate Accountability; Business and Shareholder Relations; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Customer Focus and Relationships; Pharmaceutical Industry

April 2009 (Revised April 2010)
Supplement

Merck: Managing Vioxx (B)

By: Robert L. Simons, Kathryn Rosenberg and Natalie Kindred

Keywords: Health; Pharmaceutical Industry

April 2009
Supplement

Merck: Managing Vioxx (C)

By: Robert L. Simons, Kathryn Rosenberg and Natalie Kindred

Keywords: Pharmaceutical Industry

April 2009
Supplement

Merck: Managing Vioxx (D)

By: Robert L. Simons, Kathryn Rosenberg and Natalie Kindred

Keywords: Pharmaceutical Industry

April 2009
Supplement

Merck: Managing Vioxx (E)

By: Robert L. Simons, Kathryn Rosenberg and Natalie Kindred

Keywords: Leadership; Decision Choices and Conditions; Customer Focus and Relationships; Pharmaceutical Industry

April 2009 (Revised April 2010)
Supplement

Merck: Managing Vioxx (F)

By: Robert L. Simons and Natalie Kindred

Keywords: Health; Pharmaceutical Industry

April 2009
Supplement

Merck: Managing Vioxx (G)

By: Robert L. Simons and Natalie Kindred

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Leadership; Customer Focus and Relationships; Pharmaceutical Industry

April 2009 (Revised November 2012)
Case

Sermo, Inc.

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Lars Peter Christian Nielsen

Sermo operates the leading online professional network for physicians in the United States. Doctors use Sermo free of charge to post surveys regarding diagnostic and treatment concerns and to discuss these concerns, as well as challenges with managing their practices.... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Health Care and Treatment; Knowledge Sharing; Two-Sided Platforms; Conflict and Resolution; Social and Collaborative Networks; United States

April 2009 (Revised April 2009)
Case

Immusol and Novartis

By: Regina E. Herzlinger, Keyne M. Monson, Juan D. Betancourt and Victor Li

Should Immusol strive to become a fully integrated pharmaceutical company? How should a small pharmaceutical company structure a deal for its novel technology with the giant Novartis? View Details

Keywords: Technological Innovation; Rights; Negotiation Deal; Negotiation Participants; Alliances; Pharmaceutical Industry

April 2009
Teaching Note

Amylin Pharmaceuticals: Diabetes and Beyond (TN)

By: Richard G. Hamermesh and Rachel Gordon

Teaching Note for [809011]. View Details

Keywords: Negotiation Deal; Product Development; Success; Commercialization; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Resource Allocation; Pharmaceutical Industry

March 2009
Teaching Note

Proteus Biomedical: Making Pigs Fly (TN)

By: Richard G. Hamermesh

Teaching Note for [809051]. View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Information Technology; Competition; Negotiation Deal; Pharmaceutical Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry

March 2009
Teaching Note

Antegren: A Beacon of Hope (TN)

By: Joshua D. Margolis

Teaching Note for [408025], [408026], [408027], and [408028]. View Details

Keywords: Ethics; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Decision Choices and Conditions; Crisis Management; Pharmaceutical Industry; Pharmaceutical Industry

February 2009 (Revised December 2009)
Case

Merck: Global Health and Access to Medicines

By: V. Kasturi Rangan and Katharine Lee

The case describes the effort of Merck, a global leader in pharmaceuticals, in making available its medicines to the poor. The challenge for the company (or for that matter, any pharmaceutical company) is how to integrate its business strategy with its corporate social... View Details

Keywords: Globalized Firms and Management; Health Care and Treatment; Emerging Markets; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Poverty; Business Strategy; Pharmaceutical Industry

February 2009
Teaching Note

Syndexa and Technology Transfer at Harvard University (TN)

By: Richard G. Hamermesh

Teaching Note for [808073]. View Details

Keywords: Agreements and Arrangements; Commercialization; Science-Based Business; Research; Rights; Pharmaceutical Industry