Takeda Pharmaceuticals has announced moves which will strengthen the focus on its recent product launches in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), including the creation of business units to capitalize on opportunities to create the most value for patients.
"Takeda is focusing resources behind opportunities where we can lead; we are making very deliberate strategic choices on where we will invest, and where we won't," said Ramona Sequeira, President, Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. "We want to ensure we are focused on areas where we can provide the most value for patients over the long-term."
In keeping with the targeted focus, Takeda has agreed to transfer back to Orexigen the rights to develop and commercialize CONTRAVE® (naltrexone HCl / bupropion HCl) in the United States, pending the parties' receipt of clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act ("HSR Act"). This move allows Takeda to better focus promotional resources against its portfolio of medicines in areas such as MDD, IBD, gout and diabetes.
On the heels of a successful launch of ENTYVIO® (vedolizumab) in the U.S., Takeda recently created a dedicated Specialty Business Unit. Stephanie Brown joined Takeda from Biogen in the newly created role of Vice President of Specialty Business. Brown has more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry and brings to Takeda additional expertise in specialty therapeutics. The formation of the Specialty Business Unit will enable Takeda to develop best-in-class capabilities in areas such as patient support and evidence generation.
Takeda recently acquired a U.S.-based biologics manufacturing facility which will manufacture ENTYVIO along with other biologic products. The acquisition of the facility will allow Takeda to further support U.S. patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, and allow the company to maximize global efficiencies and further enhance supply chain flexibility for ENTYVIO.
Also as part of the targeted focus, Takeda has created a General Medicine Business Unit, led by Senior Vice President Thomas Gibbs, most recently of Vanda Pharmaceuticals, to support operations and marketing of the company's medicines in the areas of central nervous system (CNS), gastroenterology, gout and diabetes. Gibbs has deep commercial experience across therapeutic areas that include CNS, diabetes and others.
The formation of the two Business Units will help Takeda support customers and patients more effectively. "The functional model of Takeda's past does not allow us to take an integrated approach to commercialization, which is what our customers need us to do as the U.S. healthcare system evolves," said Sequeira. "We need to be able to look across evidence generation, patient access, and commercialization strategies and ensure they are aligned to meet the needs of patients, payors and providers in order to truly provide value through our medicines."
In addition to bringing key leadership onboard to manage the two newly formed business units, Takeda has attracted other talented leaders to the U.S. executive team including:
- Richard Ascroft joined Takeda from Eli Lilly and Company in the newly created position of Vice President, Managed Markets and Government Affairs, and will help the company find new ways of engaging with health systems and payors.
- Nicole Mowad-Nassar, who has been with Takeda for seven years, filled a newly created role as Vice President, External Partnerships, focusing primarily on digital and big data.
- William "BJ" Jones joined Takeda from AstraZeneca as Head of Sales and Operations, General Medicine Business Unit, where he will lead Takeda's field sales and operations teams as they continue to evolve their sales model to even more patient and customer centricity.
The new U.S. strategy and organization comes under the leadership of Takeda President Ramona Sequeira, who was appointed President on June 1st, 2015.