For businesses navigating complex landscapes, access to targeted expertise can be a pivotal advantage. Just ask Ghazwa Bukhari, Client Engagement Manager at Atheneum Partners. Her journey to Atheneum Partners wasn’t a direct path, but her previous experiences perfectly illuminate the transformative value of expert networks, particularly for companies striving for global success.
Reflecting on her time in the pharmaceutical industry, Ghazwa recalls significant hurdles stemming from a lack of specialized, international regulatory knowledge. “I was a Business Development Specialist at a CDMO, working with EU-based pharmaceutical companies,” Ghazwa explains. “We often lacked in-house capabilities for certain drug developments and I was tasked with contract development and out-licensing generic pharmaceutical products.”
This role frequently required seeking external expertise, a process Ghazwa found challenging and complex. “I was often asked to look for experts myself to assist us, but I didn’t know how to go about it effectively,” she admits. The intricacies of compliance, confidentiality, and ensuring a double-blind approach added layers of difficulty. Had she been aware of Atheneum Partners at that time, the impact could have been profound.
One critical area where Atheneum Partners could have been instrumental was in analyzing market access dynamics and prescription patterns across diverse regions. “While exploring potential in-licensing partners, Atheneum Partners could have been invaluable in assessing asset potential and optimal drug positioning in each market,” Ghazwa notes. This insight is crucial for informed decision-making in pharmaceutical development and commercialization.
Developing generic pharmaceutical products for European markets presented specific challenges. “We had a project developing a generic pharmaceutical product, which had to comply with European standards. Working outside of the region, we didn’t fully grasp certain nuances around the development process – say compliance or product profiling,” Ghazwa elaborates. Navigating the varying regulatory landscapes across EU member states proved to be a significant “hassle,” particularly concerning marketing authorization (MA) eligibility and anticipating regulatory concerns.
The crucial missing element was “first-hand knowledge of R&D in compliance with European guidelines,” Ghazwa states. Expertise capable of providing answers, mapping product profiles, and clarifying local licensing criteria was essential. Now at Atheneum Partners, Ghazwa recognizes the powerful solution expert networks offer. “Working at Atheneum Partners now, I know that I couldn’t have emulated our regulated process then, nor could I have accessed such a network.”
The realization of the potential impact of expert networks, specifically Atheneum Partners, came after joining the company. “At the time, I knew nothing about expert networks. But once I started working at Atheneum and I gained an understanding of what we do, it clicked in my mind that this is exactly what we needed in my previous role,” Ghazwa explains. This “aha!” moment underscores the often-untapped resource that expert networks represent for businesses across various sectors.
Atheneum Partners stands as a bridge connecting businesses with the precise expertise they need to overcome challenges, seize opportunities, and drive informed strategies. From biopharma and biotech to a multitude of other industries, the value of expert consulting is immense. As Ghazwa aptly puts it, “There’s a whole market out there – biopharma, biotech and pharma companies – that could benefit massively from expert consulting to complement their research. It’s just a case of spreading the word, I would say.” Atheneum Partners is indeed spreading the word and empowering businesses through expertise.
