Publications

Find at Harvard

April 1998
Case

Cephalon, Inc.

By: Peter Tufano

In early 1997, Cephalon, awaited an FDA panel's decision on whether its drug, Myotrophin, would be approved. If the drug was approved, the firm might need substantial additional funds to commercialize as well as to buy back rights to it (which had been sold earlier to... View Details

Keywords: Risk Management; Financing and Loans; Health Care and Treatment; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States

1996
Chapter

Note on New Drug Development in the United States

By: S. Thomke and A. Nimgade

Keywords: Product Development; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States

June 2023 (Revised July 2024)
Case

Biogen and the Aduhelm Melee

By: Amitabh Chandra and Lauren Gunasti

Alzheimer's Disease is a devastating condition affecting millions of Americans. At this time, there is no cure. In 2021, Biogen's Aduhelm (aducanumab) received FDA approval under the accelerated approval pathway after a controversial approval process.

This... View Details

Keywords: Health Testing and Trials; Governing Rules, Regulations, and Reforms; Valuation; Product Development; Pharmaceutical Industry

June 2020
Case

Breakthroughs at Blueprint Medicines

By: Richard G. Hamermesh, Kathy Giusti and Susie L. Ma

Precision medicine company Blueprint Medicines was building a successful track record for bringing drug therapies to market 40% faster than average. The company had spent $40 million dollars and two years building a compound library that became its drug development... View Details

Keywords: Precision Medicine; Cancer; Biotechnology; Drug Development; Strategy; Expansion; Science; Genetics; Information Technology; Entrepreneurship; Organizational Culture; Management; Growth and Development; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States; Cambridge; Massachusetts

April 2017
Supplement

Imprimis (D)

By: Ramon Casadesus-Masanell, Karen Elterman and Marc Appel

This case is a supplement to Imprimis (A, B, & C). It describes Imprimis’s 2015 decision to develop a $1 per pill compounded alternative to Daraprim, the branded drug that had recently undergone an extreme price hike, raising its price to $750 per pill. Imprimis also... View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Growth and Development Strategy; Pharmaceutical Industry; United States

December 1999 (Revised January 2000)
Case

Agrochemicals at Ciba-Geigy AG (B)

By: Michael L. Tushman, Wendy Smith and Daniel Radov

Focuses on Pierre Urech's efforts to change the division structure at Ciba-Geigy to facilitate the marketing of the new product. Details the relationships Urech cultivates and the strategy he pursues as "product champion." Also describes the restructuring of the... View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Innovation Strategy; Innovation and Management; Leadership Development; Leadership Style; Research and Development; Marketing Strategy; Goods and Commodities; Product Development; Pharmaceutical Industry; Switzerland

June 1992
Teaching Note

Novel Combination of Two Drugs (B) and (C) and Technology Transfer Anti-Inflammatory Drug (B) and (C), Teaching Note

By: Regina E. Herzlinger

Keywords: Innovation and Invention; Technology; Pharmaceutical Industry

February 2011 (Revised October 2012)
Exercise

Treu Pharma: Role for Alex Hoffman

By: Andrew Wasynczuk and Shaun Patrick Hughes

Keywords: Pharmaceutical Industry

November 2010 (Revised July 2011)
Supplement

Merck/Schering-Plough Merger (B)

By: David F. Hawkins

Worksheet exercise to illustrate the accounting for the Merck/Schering-Plough reverse merger. View Details

Keywords: Accounting; Mergers and Acquisitions; Pharmaceutical Industry

April 2010
Teaching Note

Global Talent Management at Novartis (TN)

By: Jordan I. Siegel

Teaching Note for 708486. View Details

Keywords: Performance Evaluation; Talent and Talent Management; System; Multinational Firms and Management; Motivation and Incentives; Developing Countries and Economies; Pharmaceutical Industry; China

December 2007 (Revised January 2008)
Teaching Note

Eli Lilly: Developing Cymbalta (TN)

By: Elie Ofek

Teaching Note for 507-044 View Details

Keywords: Health; Pharmaceutical Industry

April 1989 (Revised May 1993)
Case

Novel Combination of Two Drugs (A)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger

Keywords: Health; Health Care and Treatment; Pharmaceutical Industry

Find at Harvard

April 1989 (Revised July 1992)
Supplement

Technology Transfer: Anti-Inflammatory Drug (C)

By: Regina E. Herzlinger

Keywords: Health; Pharmaceutical Industry

Find at Harvard

May 2005
Supplement

GlaxoSmithKline: Reorganizing Drug Discovery (B)

By: Robert S. Huckman and Eli Strick

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Decisions; Operations; Performance; Research and Development; Restructuring; Organizations; Pharmaceutical Industry

August 2004 (Revised July 2006)
Case

PROPECIA TM: Helping Make Hair Loss History

By: Marta Wosinska and Youngme E. Moon

In late 1997, Tom Casola, brand manager for Propecia, debates the best approach to market this breakthrough one-a-day pill for hair loss. This launch would be atypical for a prescription drug because of the key position of the consumer. As a result, the team's... View Details

Keywords: Advertising; Communication Strategy; Customers; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Product Launch; Product; Performance Effectiveness; Problems and Challenges; Quality; Pharmaceutical Industry

July 2004 (Revised February 2005)
Teaching Note

Marketing Antidepressants: Prozac and Paxil (TN)

By: Youngme E. Moon

Teaching Note to (9-502-055). View Details

Keywords: Marketing; Pharmaceutical Industry

March 2001 (Revised September 2002)
Case

Merck Latin America (D): Mexico

By: Michael Beer and James Weber

Examines Merck's change effort in Mexico from the perspective of the local employees. View Details

Keywords: Change Management; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Multinational Firms and Management; Employees; Operations; Perspective; Pharmaceutical Industry; Mexico