As a research-driven pharmaceutical company, Orphanbiotec will still need several years before it can begin to market the drugs developed. In addition, the marketing and sales model is inseparable from the new and innovative hybrid business model. Marketing and sales are therefore presented together with the business model.
Orphanbiotec AG is basically a conventional start-up company in the pharmaceutical industry with strong research and development intensely focused on development in networks and collaborative research projects. Following the successful development and approval of the development project, Orphanbiotec AG will organize sales within its partner network as well. Production will be organized with specialized manufacturing partners.
What distinguishes Orphanbiotec from other pharmaceutical companies? The answer is in Orphanbiotec‘s business model (see chapter “Business Model of Orphanbiotec”).
Orphanbiotec AG is embedded in a network that consists of a charitable foundation – the Foundation Orphanhealthcare– together with development partners, which so far are universities and proofen research center in Switzerland and Germany. While Orphanbiotec AG is an independent for-profit corporation, the Foundation pursues charitable objectives aimed in particular at improving the situation of the affected families as well as research. Direct help includes education, counseling and mediation between medicine and patients. On the research side, companies like Orphanbiotec AG are in contact with the Foundation in order to start development projects in line with the market.
The advantage for Orphanbiotec is obvious. Partnership with the Foundation make it easier for Orphanbiotec AG to support trust, visibility and market access and to have close proximity with patient and physician networks. In addition, the company embedded in the Foundation’s network can easily and simply establish contact with potential development partners in order to launch further development projects. Thus, Orphanbiotec AG will have significant competitive advantages especially in marketing and sales.
Add to this the development costs that are lower than for conventional products, because the substances we use lead to the goal faster due to their known effective profiles, secure reformulation, short development times and simplified approval criteria (Orphan Drug Act). The professional partners used by Orphanbiotec already have the facilities and GLM, GMP and GDP standards, which eliminates the necessity for Orphanbiotec to invest in its own facilities.
Classical marketing expenses are much lower in this case and cannot be compared to conventional pharmaceutical companies, since patients are reached via alternative routes (online forum of the Foundation, patient empowerment program, partner platforms).