MSc in Clinical Research January 2011 Module 7: The Role of the Consultant Kamal Sehdev

1. MSc in Clinical Research January 2011 Module 7: The Role of the Consultant Kamal Sehdev

2. Aims of lecture To provide an overview of the types of consultancy called upon by the industry

3. Consultancy Industrial Academic Health Service Private Technical Market Strategic Types of Consultancy

4. Why is Consultancy Required? Industry is Changing Cuts in permanent staff Outsourcing more common Specialist skills Specialist facilities Second opinion

5. Staffing Cuts Reduce payroll Retain only essential staff Holidays, sickness Pension contributions Affects R&D and specialist jobs first

6. Outsourcing More Common Virtual Workforce Flexible Hire as required Fixed term contracts No holiday or sickness costs No employers pension contributions

7. Specialist Skills Why employ specialists? Permanent staff flexible and general Hire specialists when required Examples: Patent lawyers, marketing, technical specialists, management strategists

8. Specialist Facilities Laboratories expensive to maintain Requirements change Change takes time Time is money!

9. The benefits of a second opinion Medicine is constantly evolving. Diagnostic and treatment methods need to be correctly interpreted and applied. In certain cases mistakes can be rectified or avoided by performing a second diagnosis which will be of benefit to the patient as well as the medic treating them.

10. Contract Research Consultant works with industrial partner to provide practical solutions which exploit leading-edge technology Either runs a complete research project or can assist with one aspect of a project Not what is usually thought of as consultancy, but a very common approach by industry these days

11. Feasibility Studies Today, Companies need assurance that a project is a viable proposition before investing large sums of money in it. Project feasibility is time consuming and costly for industry. Consultants can provide the confidence that they need before making the important decision on investment.

12. Market Research Finding reliable and accurate market information is one of the most difficult tasks faced by many companies. Without it, the value of any technology is impossible to judge. Market research is one of the most frequently requested pieces of consultancy. Importantly, a consultant may be able to offer a unique experience of the technology and marketplace, enabling precise interpretation of the information and allowing sound recommendations to be made.

13. Technical Consultancy Consultants may have been at the forefront of research and development in an area for many years This gives them the experience to best advise clients on the optimum approaches in a particular field. A technical consultancy stage saves considerable expense during product development by ensuring that the best avenue is exploited for a particular company's requirements

14. Intellectual Property (IP) One of the most common problems encountered by industrial clients involves IP Patent consultants are frequently required, particularly during the early stages of starting- up a technology company This may be when a company is least able to afford a permanent patent expert - a more versatile employee is more valuable at this stage (and if a scientist - cheaper!)

15. So, Who’s Doing It? Universities Medics Specialist Companies Diagnostics Companies “One man bands” Often attractive - low overheads

16. Example - Sagentia http://www.sagentia.com “Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, since 1986, Sagentia, formerly known as Scientific Generics, has always been closely associated with the ‘Cambridge Phenomenon’. We have now grown to become a significant international technology management and product development business.”

17. Sagentia “We work in partnership with our clients to identify, develop and deliver, business opportunities, products and services, enabling them to reach their business goals. We take pride in our work, and enjoy the stimulation of sharing our clients’ challenges. We have a growing list of clients drawn from six global sectors. Over half of our clients are based outside the UK, particularly in the USA and mainland Europe, and this figure will increase in line with our continued international development.”

18. Sagentia “We develop new technologies, products and services that change the basis of competition. We take a multi-dimensional approach to opportunity discovery and problem solving, drawing on our combined technical expertise, business acumen and industry experience.”