Paul A. Hardy
Associate Director, Oncology Market Access Marketing
AbbVie, Inc.
Building a Lasting Value Story
You can be quite good at leading a launch if you have a solid plan for the present. You have teams in place that are motivated to exceed expectations. You know what resources need to be ready at a moment’s notice. You have contingencies built around an unknown date. But what happens in the year after approval? Or the one after that? That clear, forward thinking is what makes a launch expert. Paul Hardy is always prepared for what comes next.
With the launch of a new indication in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), Paul stepped into high gear with a vision for a value story that would set apart this first-in-class treatment for the long term. It was the brand’s fourth indication, the second in the same disease state, and the fifth Breakthrough Therapy designation.
He worked deftly with his cross-functional teams and co-promote counterparts to create a foundational efficacy and fixed cost story. He also engaged field team members to not only ensure that the story would resonate with access decision makers right now, but to also get a jumpstart on identifying how the story would evolve and who else should be hearing it. His keen ability to listen to the issues, distill them down to the important elements, and hear what is unsaid is well known and what makes Paul such a great leader and partner.
With the FDA granting permission to expedite approval under the Real-Time Oncology Review (RTOR) Pilot Program, Paul had to move quickly with less than two months to prepare considering only the essential tactics and nothing extraneous. His colleagues and field team see the present and future impact of this focused effort and will no doubt raise their hands to be part of the next Hardy launch team.
