Success Stories

VP of Commercial Operations – Oncology-Focused Biotech Firm

Our client was the developer of a test that allows oncologists to determine which cancer patients will benefit from a certain oncologic drug class.  It’s not your typical diagnostic product that is marketed to pathologists.   It would be marketed, like most oncologic drugs, to oncologists.  That’s why our client needed a commercial leader with “therapeutic” drug marketing experience instead of diagnostic experience.  And that’s why they selected Commercial Oncology Search, Inc. to conduct the search for their first Vice President of Commercial Operations to lead their sales and marketing efforts as they prepared to launch the product into the market.

The management team was under pressure to get a commercial executive in place to prepare for the upcoming launch. A timely but thorough search was required.   Because of our focused niche and experience placing similar executives, our firm was selected for the task.   The search was initiated on a Tuesday and a detailed profile of the role and company was developed and agreed to by Thursday.   The networking began immediately and before the weekend, we had 13 interested candidates that were in similar roles at oncology-focused biotech companies.  During the next two weeks candidates updated their resumes, we conducted 90 minute interviews with the top ten candidates, and we narrowed the list to four candidates who would interview with the management team onsite.

The first interview with the management team took place two weeks from the start of the search. Along the way, we were checking references and narrowing the field.   The top three finalists interviewed with the Board of Directors the following week and all three were given the thumbs up by the Board as worthy of consideration. After much discussion and deliberation over the weekend, a decision was made, an offer was extended, negotiated, and accepted, 37 days from the commencement of the search. Periodic reports from the CEO continue to encourage us and solidify our belief that, despite the tight timeline, we delivered another long-term success to both our client and candidate.

Chief Commercial Officer – Oncology-Focused Biotech Firm

Our small, private biotech client had its first asset (an oncology therapeutic)  in phase 3 clinical trials and they were ready to begin preparing it for market. They had invented the drug a decade earlier and were attempting to make the transition from an R&D-focused company to a commercially-focused company.  They needed an experienced Chief Commercial Officer to make it happen.

We had our initial meeting with the CEO at the annual BIO conference, which was held a few weeks prior to the annual ASCO conference.   Based on our experience and client references in the commercial oncology space, we were selected to conduct the search for the CCO.  The decision to commence the search was made prior to ASCO in order to take advantage of the tremendous networking value of the conference.

With ASCO just days away, our client initiated the search and we got to work developing the Opportunity Profile that we would use to market the position.  It was developed and agreed to and dozens of networking meetings with potential candidates were scheduled for the ASCO conference.  There was quite a bit of interest from senior level oncology executives and six were selected to meet briefly with our client’s CEO and CSO at the conference.   Networking and interviewing continued throughout the conference and for weeks after. Candidate profiles were developed and discussed with our client.   Finalists were selected and brought into the headquarters for additional interviews.

Given that this was the first commercial hire for the organization, the profile of the ideal candidate evolved slightly throughout the search process as the management team met commercial oncology executives with a variety of skill-sets and strengths.  In the end, two of our candidates were hired. They both had strong backgrounds in oncology development and marketing, had strengths that complimented each other in a very effective manner, but were at two different management levels.  It was an ideal fit for both and a win-win for both of the candidates and our client company.  We have received glowing reports from the CEO on both executives during each follow-up call since their hire.

VP of Sales and Marketing – Oncology-focused Biotech Firm

Our client was a small oncology-focused biotech seeking to commercialize its first product…for a second time.   It was a product which had experienced a previous late-stage development setback and commercial efforts had halted.   Now a few years later, they were in need of an executive to re-start the sales and marketing efforts.

Due to the previous disappointment, our client had a little bit of a reputational challenge which had to be overcome as we worked to attract potential candidates.  That challenge however didn’t mean we were able to lower our standards.   The executive had to have a strong track record of success, the ability to work with limited resources, and the ability to recruit, inspire, and lead a commercial team he or she would build from scratch.

We worked hard to develop a slate of qualified oncology-focused executives that consisted of business unit heads, marketing VP’s and sales VP’s.   We networked at conferences and on the phone, interviewed several promising candidates, and recommended the finalists to our client.  Our client was pleased with the choices with which we provided them and they selected a “big pharma” executive who had demonstrated a readiness to make the transition to small biotech.

Our candidate was hired and not only made an immediate impact, but was eventually promoted to Chief Operating Officer.