John R Ferguson,
Medical Writer and Strategic Consultant

Biotechnology holds great promise for solving many of the world's looming challenges, from the treatment and prevention of disease, to resolving energy and food shortages, to reducing environmental waste, and ameliorating pollution.

Today's life sciences companies face an environment where best-selling drugs introduced in the past decade are losing patent protection, opening them up to generic competition.

At the same time, many of these companies have not been able to develop new products quickly enough to continue their rapid growth, despite an aging population that demands a steady flow of breakthrough drugs and products.

The increasing pace of investment in small- and medium-size biotechnology and device companies illustrates the increasing recognition that the products these companies are developing will drive future revenue growth for the life science industries.

I now offer my broad-based industry experience to venture capital firms. My services can increase confidence in biotechnology investment decisions and maximize the potential of investments once made.

Minimize Your Investment in Research: Candidate and Therapeutic Area Reporting

My consulting services minimize your investment in research through the development of comprehensive environmental, scientific, and medical reports on candidate companies. My services include:

• Thorough reporting on the scientific/medical background of candidate company products
• Evaluation and summary of ongoing and completed preclinical and clinical studies
• Product SWOT analysis
• Assessment of the competitive environment

Reports can be developed through publicly available information (including literature reviews), direct interviews and site visits with candidate companies, or a combination of these strategies. In addition to development of the report itself, I can also deliver in-person presentations summarizing findings.

In addition, I have the ability to convene advisory boards consisting of regional, national, and/or global opinion leaders to advise on investment decisions and future directions.

Maximize Your Investment: Communications Planning

Biotechnology companies are driving advances in medicine and many other areas, however, it is clear that these companies often do not communicate these data in peer venues (major conferences and the peer-reviewed literature) in a timely manner. Instead, results are communicated haphazardly in press releases and investor conferences.

While there is a role for press releases and investor conferences in rapidly publicizing new data, publication of results in peer venues is absolutely critical for:

• Enhancing regulatory authority confidence in clinical data
• Increasing investor confidence that results summarized in press releases have been thoroughly vetted by the peer review process
• Providing additional detail and commentary around the results of studies
• Placing results in the context of the current practices
• Developing a comprehensive package of preclinical and clinical data for acquirers
  

I have developed and executed comprehensive communication strategies for over 20 products, ranging from agents in preclinical development to late-lifecycle, multi-billion-dollar drugs and devices.

I can bring this expertise to smaller life sciences companies at reasonable cost. My services ensure that evidence is rapidly and accurately disseminated in peer-reviewed forums and major meetings, maximizing your return on investment while maintaining the highest ethical standards.