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Ashfield: A Multichannel
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3. S
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.
Letter
from the
Editor
E D I T O R
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
A R T D I R E C T O R
Emma Warfield
emma@pharmafield.co.uk
S A L E S & M A R K E T I N G
D I R E C T O R
Hazel Lodge
hazel@pharmafield.co.uk
F I N A N C I A L C O N T R O L L E R
Fiona Beard
finance@events4healthcare.com
P f A W A R D S
Melanie Hamer
melanie@events4healthcare.com
P U B L I S H E R
Karl Hamer
karl@events4healthcare.com
pharmafield.com
events4healthcare.com
@newpfmag
@pharmajobsuk
H E A D O F F I C E
Spirella Building
Bridge Road
Letchworth Garden City
Hertfordshire SG6 4ET
United Kingdom
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Cover illustration by Alex Buccheri
@this_is_bucci
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 1
WELCO M E
4. M A G A Z I N E
Contents
3NEWS
Pharma flying, marvellous meds
and healthcare high jinks
8COVER STORY
How HIV/AIDS ended up
becoming the making of us
10FEATURE
The 3D universe is taking
healthcare to a different level
12OPINION
Henry discusses the joys of
collaboration and joint working
13FEATURE
Is being overweight contagious
and if so can it be reversed?
14POLITICS
People, politics and policies
under a minority government
16COFFEE BREAK
Ruby chats with JP about the
patient voice and Grace Jones
18OPINION
Community pharmacy proposal
could save NHS a cool £170m
19HIGH FIVE
Five new treatments which
could send the big C packing
20EVENTS & CONFERENCES
The PM Society Digital Awards
point to a futuristic utopia
22EVENTS & CONFERENCES
Discussion, debate and a moment
of brilliance from Fiona Bruce
24PHARMA TALENT
The only place for industry gurus,
game-changers and go-getters
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
2 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
6. 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!
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
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
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
BACK TWEET
THE WORD
ON CYBER STREET
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,
compared to lenalidomide and
dexamethasone alone.
The TOURMALINE-MM1 trial
is an international, double-blind,
placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical
trial, designed to evaluate once-
weekly 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.”
DRUGS
Takeda’s triple
triumph for
multiple myeloma
patients
A
portable blood glucose
AAmeasure to treat diabetes
AA ,
which uses microwaves, has beenAAinvented 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 non-
invasive 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.
INNOVATION
4 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
7. 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.
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
MS market set to hit $24bn
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-to-
severe 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.
TheCommitteeforMedicinalProductsforHumanUse
(CHMP)oftheEuropeanMedicinesAgency(EMA)hasissueda
positiveopinion,recommendingtheapprovalofAstraZeneca’s
newantibiotic.CAZAVIpowderisbeingdevelopedtotreata
broadrangeofseriousgram-negativebacterialinfectionsthat
areincreasinglyresistanttoantibiotics.
Gram-negativebacteriaareresponsiblefortwothirdsofthe
annuallyreported25,000deathsinEurope,resultingfrom
antimicrobialresistance.
TheCHMPrecommendationisforintravenoususeinthe
treatmentofadultpatientswithcomplicatedintra-abdominal
infection(cIAI),complicatedurinarytractinfection(cUTI)–
includingpyelonephritis– andhospital-acquiredpneumonia
(HAP),includingventilatorassociatedpneumonia(VAP).
TheCHMPalsorecommendedthatCAZAVIbeindicatedfor
infectionscausedbyaerobicgram-negativeorganisms,inadult
patientswhohavelimitedtreatmentoptions.
CAZAVIisbeingjointlydevelopedbyAstraZenecaandAllergan,
andwilldelightthosecallingforanincreaseinthedevelopment
ofnewantibiotics.
CAZ CURE
COMING
ANTIMICROBIAL.
RESISTANCE.
DRUGS
Osteoarthritis
treatment beats placebo
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 5
N E W S
8. 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.
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.
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.
DRUGS.
SCOTTISH
SKIN
SAVIOUR
DRUGS
UTTERLY
FLU-LESS
6 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
9. The US Food and Drug AdministrationhasgrantedOrphanDrugDesignation
forAstraZeneca'sinvestigationalMEK1/2inhibitor,selumetinib.
Thedesignationforselumetinib(AZD6244,ARRY-142886)isfortheadjuvant
treatmentofpatientswithstageIIIorIVdifferentiatedthyroidcancer(DTC).
SelumetinibinhibitstheMEKpathwayincancercells,preventingtumourgrowth.
ItisbeingtestedinthePhaseIIIASTRAtrialinpatientswithDTC,whoareathighrisk
ofrecurrence.InaPhaseIIstudyofselumetinibinpatientswithadvancedthyroid
cancer,clinicallymeaningfulincreasesiniodineuptakeandretentionwereseenin
patientswhosecancerwasrefractorytoradioactiveiodine(RAI).
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.”
INNOVATION
Pharma and
charity gel brilliantly
DRUGS.
AstraZeneca gets
US orphan drug nod
for selumetinib
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 7
N E W S
10. 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
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
Chastening AIDS into
submission is surely man’s
greatest achievement.
AIDS:death sentence
to daylight
W O R D S B Y John Pinching
I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y Alex Buccheri
10 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
11. THE BEGINNING
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.
EARLY TREATMENT
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.
TREATING HIV/AIDS
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.
SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE
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
TAKING on
THE ENEMY
used and, thereafter, a flurry of anti-
retroviral 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 HIV-
negative 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.
My 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.
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 11
COV ER S TO RY
12. 3DIMAGERYCOURTESYOFDASSAULTSYSTÉMES;BRAINFIBREIMAGECOURTESYOFHOLOXICA
PRINTED PILLS
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,
Which 3D techniques are bringing
industry into the digital age?
PHARMA
IN3D
W O R D S B Y Amy Schofield
I
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.
Insane in the brain: Holoxica
has created the first ever 3D digital
hologram of human brain fibre
connections from an MRI scan
12 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
13. 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.”
POSSIBILITIES
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.
HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGING
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,suchasultrasoundsandMRIs.Driven
by the needtodeliver faster, more efficient and
cost-effective healthcare, these devices have
increasinglyappearedinhospitalsandmedical
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.
The eyes have it: Dassault Systèmes
are pioneering the 3D crusade
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 13
T ECH N O LO G Y
14. I got you babe
The gentle art of
co-working and
collaboration
W O R D S B Y Henry Rubinstein
Sonny 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
14 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
O PI N I O N
15. W O R D S B Y Amy Schofield
Is obesity
really catching?
Don’t believe the hype: health headlines dissected
THE RESULTS
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.
THE DEAL
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.
Obesity 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.
THE STORY
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.
THE STUDY
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’
THE MICROBIOME
IS A MASSIVE ARMY OF
100TRILLION
ORGANISMS
2OF OUR BODY WEIGHT IS
ATTRIBUTED TO GUT BACTERIA
AROUND
1in4British adults
is obese
UK OBESITY LEVELS
HAVE MORE THAN TREBLED
IN THE LAST
30YEARS*
THE
STATS
*
The State of Food and Agriculture Report 2013
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 15
FE AT U R E
16. 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 multi-
party system than ever before, and the May
elections continued that trend.
FURTHER DEVOLUTION
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.
THE POLITICS OF MINORITY
ADMINISTRATIONS
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.
What do the recent elections mean for devolved
institutions and proportional representation?
Minority
RULES
W O R D S B Y Claudia Rubin
At 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 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
17. 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 high-
profile 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 policy-
makers 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.
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 17
P O LI T I C S
18. 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.
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,
JP finds out about the organisation which is pumping up the volume for patients.
I N T E R V I E W B Y John Pinching
THE STUNNING
VIEWS OF RUBY LAKE
18 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
19. 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
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
If you love the
NHS, you have
to challenge it,
in order to move
it forward.
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 19
CO FFEE B R E A K
20. In: Decent proposal
How community
pharmacy can save the
NHS a cool £170million!
W O R D S B Y 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:
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
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
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 patient-
returned 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.
20 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
O PI N I O N
21. The high
fives of
innovative
cancer
treatments
W O R D S B Y Amy Schofield
2.
3.
4.
1.
5.
TARGETED MEDICINES
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.
NANOTECHNOLOGY
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.
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.
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.
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.”
CANCER
IMMUNOTHERAPY
VACCINES
BIG C BOMBARDMENT
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 21
H I G H FI V E
22. 'THETROUBLEWITHDRAGONS'IMAGESSUPPLIEDBYMCCANNMANCHESTER;'VIRTUALVALVE'IMAGESUPPLIEDBYEMOTIVE;'SNIFFERS'IMAGESUPPLIEDBYLANGLAND
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!
BLISS UP IN A BREWERY
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.
Industry gets upgrade at PM Society Digital Awards.
W O R D S B Y John Pinching
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 anti-
southern 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
Pharma 2.0
9 JUNE 2016
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
23 JUNE 2016
Pharma Social Conference
WHERE: London
WHO: Global Insight Conferences
INFO: pharmasocialconference.com
CONTACT: 020 3479 2299 or
info@pharmasocialconference.com
1 JULY 2016
A one day update
on Gynaecology
WHERE: Nottingham
WHO: Events 4 Healthcare
INFO: events4healthcare.com/naps
CONTACT: 01462 476 120 or
enquiries@events4healthcare.com
9TH JULY 2016
Primary Care –
ENT Study Morning
WHERE: Kegworth
WHO: MediConf
INFO: mediconf.co.uk
CONTACT: 01253 712 894 or
lynn@mediconf.co.uk
17-18 OCTOBER 2016
Multichannel Customer
Experience 2016
WHERE: London
WHO: Eyeforpharma
INFO: eyeforpharma.com
CONTACT: 0207 422 4346 or
bparkes@eyeforpharma.com
DEAR DIARY
UP-AND-COMING
PHARMA EVENTS
FOR YOUR DIARY
UPCOMING EVENT WE SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT? HAZEL@PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
‘The Trouble with Dragons’ –
McCann Manchester’s campaign
to help manage ADHD
22 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
23. 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
Pharma corporate
comms McCann
Manchester Elvanse
Adult Brand Tool App
Film Langland Sniffers
Gamification
Halesway The
Restoration Game
Animation Langland
JINARC MOA
Agency self-
promotion 90TEN
Life-changing website
Innovation Pegasus
MS Explorer
Digital Account
Manager
Radical Departures
Catherine Silk
Social media
company of the year
Boehringer Ingelheim
GOLD GETTERS
‘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.
Go to pmsociety.org.uk
Langland’s
daring social
media campaign,
‘Sniffers’
‘Virtual
Valve’ – striking
infographics
from emotive.
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 23
E V EN T S & CO N FER EN CE S
24. 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.”
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,
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
Vintage ABPI conference offers optimistic bouquet with a suggestion of fight.
Feel the force
W O R D S B Y John Pinching
Patients aren’t getting
access to innovative
medicine because, in
16 years, NICE’s willingness
to pay hasn’t changed.
AstraZeneca’s Lisa Anson
24 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
E V EN T S & CO N FER EN CE S
25. 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
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.
Job Code: NPR/UK/0480 Date of preparation: May 2016
26.
27. GILL ADAIR
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
SEVEN SUPPORT PHARMA FUTURE
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.
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 27
PH A R M ATA L EN T
28. Sanofi Pasteur’s
John Grano is on a
personal crusade to
be the best he can be.
I N T E R V I E W B Y 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
28 | PHARMAFIELD.CO.UK
PH A R M A TA L EN T
29. 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!
Istartedcarryingthebagasamedical
representativeforAstraPharmaceuticals
in1988.IstartedbysellingImdur–isosorbide
mononitrateforangina,andwentontosella
hostofothertreatments.Duringthischapter
ofmycareerIreallybelievedthatthepatients
usingmydrugsgainedrealbenefits–afew
eventoldmeso.
Thepointisthatthepharmaindustry
notonlycontributestothiscountry,and
theworld– withlife-alteringdrugs– but
alsoleadsthewaywithtraining.
Ididn’treallyappreciatethisuntilI
spoketoafewfriends,whoworkinIT,
telecomsandoil/gas,andspokeabout
ourtrainingexperiences.
Needlesstosay,thenumberoftraining
coursesthatIhadattendedduringmy
pharmacareerwasmorethanmythree
friendscombined.
So,thetrainingwereceiveisgood,but
justhowgoodarewe?Well,thisisaquestion
thateveryTraining,L&DandSalesManagers
mustaskthemselveseverytimetheysignoff
atraininginvoice.
Theanswer,incidentally,hasarrived–
ExcelEvaluate.Tolearnmoreaboutthis
new,online,level3trainingassessmenttool
pleasecalluson01628488854,oremail
info@excel-communications.com
Go to excel-communications.com
YOU’RE GOOD,
BUT HOW GOOD?
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.
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
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.
Go to sanofi.com
Words by Andy Waiton
Customers
want to be
reached in more
ways than
ever before.
MAGAZINE | JUNE 2016 | 29
A DV ER TO R I A L
30.
31. 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.
P H A R M A J O B S . C O . U K
W H E R E TA L E N T G R O W S
